Split personality; As Hearts head to Easter Road for today's

Sunday Herald, The, Aug 17, 2003 by Stewart Fisher reports

False optimism has never been something associated with Craig Levein. Indeed, you have a better chance of seeing him stump the cash for his SFA fine than you have of witnessing the Hearts manager make bold predictions about how wonderful his team will be this season.

Hindsight, after all, all too often renders early-season predictions horribly premature, and it is safe to say most SPL managers would rather bite their tongue than blurt out that their side are capable of splitting the Old Firm. Especially after last season's record-breaking 34-point gap between second and third place in the Premierleague.

But on the eve of the first truly competitive Edinburgh derby of the season, Levein was prepared to assess the question in more than his typical measured manner. His reply was not so much an outright declaration of his ambitions to finish between the Old Firm this season as a protestation that his team should be entitled to harbour such bold ideas if they wish.

"I don't think any goal is completely unrealistic," Levein said. "There has to be a belief in what you can achieve. We know we are going to have a difficult time to pick up points against the Old Firm again this year, and we had only one win last season so that wasn't that great. But I certainly hope the gap will be reduced this year at least. That requires all teams to take their points off the Old Firm, and have a real belief they can close the gap. I think everyone would agree that the gap has to be less than 34 points."

Although the trip to Easter Road could easily provoke football's unerring quality of kicking such grand ambitions in the groin, Hearts look increasingly likely to fulfil their half of the bargain. Defensively strong, physically robust, and with tantalising glimpses of pace and skill on the flanks from the likes of Paul Hartley, there was enough evidence against Aberdeen last Saturday that the Tynecastle side are indeed becoming a footballing machine capable of grinding out positive results.

Pittodrie manager Steve Paterson said last week that he felt Levein's side could push the Old Firm very close this season, while Martin O'Neill himself expects a stiffer challenge from the Tynecastle outfit.

Even with doubts hovering over Mark de Vries's groin problem, and with Jean-Louis Valois definitely set to miss out through injury, this afternoon's instalment of Edinburgh's running feud should provide another comprehensive progress report.

Levein, who has already said he feels he has the best squad he has possessed in his three seasons at the club, is now even prepared to admit he has more than half his ideal team in place.

"I am probably looking at half a dozen guys now who I think would start every game," he said.

For a player who achieved fame as a cultured defender, it is appropriate that the most integral component of Levein's Hearts facelift should occur in the defensive areas. The partnership between Steven Pressley and Andy Webster has blossomed into arguably the most settled in the SPL, so much so that Berti Vogts has incorporated it into his Scotland line-up.

Pressley, indeed, sees his central defensive colleague as a future captain of the club, assuming they can keep him that long. Likewise, the impressive form of Alan Maybury at right-back has been sufficient so far to keep out Australian recruit Patrick Kisnorbo, as well as putting him back into contention for Brian Kerr's Ireland side.

And with early viewings of Tepi Moilanen suggesting he is a steadying influence in goal, the only defensive question marks have been in the left-back area, where Austin McCann and Paul McMullan have both taken it in turns in their attempts to prove a long-term replacement for Stephane Mahe. Although McCann is the current encumbent - and showed his spirit for the battle in the Festival Cup meeting against Hibs - it is one area where Hearts could be fallible. Indeed, it is likely that Hibs' Tam McManus will be employed out there this afternoon for exactly that purpose.

"I have been pleased with the defence," Levein said. "Defending for me is not just all about defenders, but the general point is that good defending makes us difficult to beat and that is something we can build on."

The midfield pick themselves, meaning that talented youngsters such as Robert Sloan, Stephen Simmons, Neil Janczyk and Joe Hamill must pounce on any opportunities they are afforded. The likes of Hartley and Valois represent out-and-out wide men in a way that the club have not been able to call upon since the days of Neil McCann, and Scott Severin's inability to attract a Premiership club during the summer could also work in Levein's favour.

Up front, in keeping with Levein's penchant for a little and large combination, De Vries is another automatic pick if fit, with Canadian international Kevin McKenna capable of rampaging on as an alternative from the bench. Andy Kirk, Dennis Wyness, Gary Wales and Graham Weir are all readying themselves for an almighty scrap to become his strike partner.