Ian Cathro: No surprises in opening days as Hearts boss

Ian Cathro insists he has learned nothing he did not already know about management from his first fortnight as Hearts manager.

Hearts manager Ian Cathro (left) with Don Cowie ahead of his opening match at Ibrox. Picture: SNS

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The 30-year-old Jambos boss continues to split opinion following his rapid progression to one of Scottish football’s top jobs.

But having served at clubs like Valencia and Newcastle, he believes he has already been taught all he needs to know about being the man in charge.

Cathro - who saw his new side slump to a sorry 2-0 defeat at Rangers in his first match last weekend - said: “Nothing has surprised me so far.

“I’m aware of what the work entailed. There is nothing hidden or new.

“I just want to work. The one thing in football I’m in love with is the actual game and the actual work.

“I don’t mind the other things. I don’t pay much attention to anything that doesn’t help the team improve and if I have a successful future that will be one of the main reasons.”

The new boss has had to face claims from detractors like Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd that he does not have the personal skills to handle the post.

But he insists that with the help of director of football Craig Levein - who spotted his coaching potential while working at former club Dundee United -he will prove his critics wrong.

However, he admits he has no idea how long it will take his players to respond to his message after shrugging off claims from one newspaper that his side resembled Wimbledon’s crazy gang as they lost to Rangers.

“This will be successful,” he stressed.

“It will be successful - and (my relationship with Craig) is one of the small reasons for that. There are a number of many other reasons why.

“It’s the fact that there are lots of positive situations about this club which means it’s the right place and things will work.

“How long will it take the players to respond to my method? I don’t know. It’s not a situation where I’ve come in with some radical book, some mythical approach.

“No, I’m a football coach of a football team. There are good players here already. The team is in a good position.

“What I want to do is work with the players, learn with them and share with them. We’ve had eight or nine sessions with them so far and it’s gone well.

“Time will show progress but what I want to do is help the players and team improve. The other things that are said to create comment, that’s noise. It’s not real.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind it but if you’re asking me to comment on it, it’s not the reality. It’s someone else’s noise.”

Meanwhile, Cathro also says he expects “sense to prevail” after appealing referee John Beaton’s decision to book Jamie Walker for diving at Ibrox.

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