Austin MacPhee steals the show at Hearts coaches event

The assistant Hearts boss spoke with purpose and conviction to get some of the disgruntled fans in attendance back onside, as Joel Sked writes

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‘When will it click?” It took 15 minutes for the first heckle to come from a largely observant and respectful sell-out crowd at the Meet the Manager event in the Gorgie Suite at Tynecastle on Monday evening.

For 15 minutes, Ian Cathro spoke effusively about the way he wants his team to play football. He spoke of wanting the ball, wanting it in the opposition’s half and staying there.

He told the crowd, which included Ann Budge, pictured, with Craig Levein conspicuous by his absence, that he had tried to avoid using this particular phrase in his five months at the club: “It takes time.”

He spoke with passion and belief and forthrightness about needing players to be brave, to be courageous, willing to take risks and make mistakes. At times this was a preacher at work. Convinced of his faith, steadfast in his beliefs.

“As we improve, as we grow, as we bring some other people in and as we improve every single bit of our work teams won’t stop us. They won’t stop us. They won’t stops us.”

On repeating those phrases it felt a fine line between trying to convince those watching on and trying to convince himself.

Some fans will have been converted, taking his words as gospel. But this wasn’t a Sunday sermon at church in America’s deep south.

“You’ll enjoy it when it clicks,” Cathro enthused.

There was no hallelujah.

Presented with an opportunity, to allow his scepticism, to allow five months of bafflement and frustration to come to the fore, a fan was able to vent and finally ask that pertinent question.

Yet, he was made to wait for an answer. The Q&A was still to come. But it had taken the wind out of Cathro. The self-assuredness in his voice faltered.

The first 20 minutes of the evening saw the Hearts boss introduce the four concepts of his football model to the assembled fans who had each paid £15 to hear the head coach. The build-up from the back, using a deep-lying midfielder, whether in front of a back four or back three. This player is integral to Cathro’s model, allowing the team to outnumber the opposition in midfield, to build a structured attack, to play and have control in the opposition half.

The second concept is to remain there, an aspect which has been notably absent during his tenure. He wants his players to take risks; if the ball is lost, win it back, which leads on to the third concept: pressing. It has to be structured but aggressive, triggered so as to not leave the side disjointed, led by the likes of Don Cowie, Esmael Goncalves, pictured, and Jame Walker.

Finally, the defensive side of the game. In this aspect Cathro spoke of constant positional adjustments so the defensive line stays high and organised – the latter word absent from Hearts play for a long time.

“Do you see it?” he asked as the 20- minute mark approached. It was met with grumbles and negative mumbles. Never mind, it was rhetorical. He told the crowd they do, they do see it.

He had a point. The clips from recent games with Partick Thistle and Aberdeen which accompanied the presentation, showed his ideas. But they were no more than moments, fleeting at that. More than anything fans wanted answers, explanations. Clips showing where, how and why it has gone wrong would have been more welcome.

Everyone in the room appeared to agree Cathro’s model is positive, but they only had his word, something which is losing credence each passing week, and a few clips from Rio Ave, Valencia and Newcastle United to rely on.

As well as answers the fans wanted something to cling to. Some hope, some guidance, something to make them believe.

Enter Austin MacPhee.

For 15 minutes, the assistant head coach was the main event, the star name on the bill. Cathro’s 20 minutes nothing more than a supernumerary, the mediocre support act met with indifference.

For 15 minutes MacPhee spoke with clarity, authority and certainty. There was no preamble, no waffle, just a certitude from start to finish.

He stroked fans’ ego, talking about the draw of the club. He empathised with the their feelings and emotions. He connected. He delivered ambition: “We want to make this a consistent Europa League club.” And he didn’t mean second-round qualifying cannon-fodder.

Grand plans, overly ambitious targets are the staple of managers, coaches and chairmen. It gives fans hope, proclamations help bring fans’ emotions to the surface. Yet, they should always be taken with a pinch of salt. But when MacPhee spoke, his delivery was convincing, his supporting material was encouraging for all in the room.

He may have spoken about marginal gains but his message was simplified. He explained his role with set-plays and held his hands up to so say it has not been good enough so far. He spoke of the use of analysis, using the example of Northern Ireland and what was needed to qualify from their Euro 2016 group. How their analysis prompted an attacking sub to be made against Ukraine resulting in a goal which was beneficial to their progression.

Not everyone would have been taken by him but he had the majority eating out his hand, especially after the killer lines: “There’s no secret that we want some players out the door. It’s fitbaw. You probably want the same ones out the door as we want out the door.”

The gravitas, the gallus, the humour, the truth. MacPhee offered substance and he offered hope.

“Michael O’Neil didn’t win a game in his first 16. He then went on the longest run of unbeaten games in the history of the country.”

In that offering he explained things can change, can get better.

Hearts fans need things to change and need things to get better. When the queues formed at the entrance to the Gorgie suite they were in need of a pick-me-up, a stirring performance. They were given both, just not by the man they expected.