Hearts boss not rattled by fan confrontation at Easter Road

Hearts head coach Ian Cathro is willing to accept criticism from fans

The head coach has come under pressure in the wake of his side’s 3-1 defeat in Wednesday’s Edinburgh derby, and one female supporter confronted him outside the stadium afterwards to brand the performance “disgraceful” and berate the lack of “fight” from his players.

Cathro, who admitted on Wednesday that his team had a lot of making up to do with their supporters, insists he has no problem with feelings being vented towards him. “This is a football club that matters to people,” he said. “That is the reality of it. People care and games mean something. That is our life. It would be worse if fans didn’t care – it just can’t be that way, because we wouldn’t be able to achieve the things we want to achieve.

“It has to matter to people and it has to be real. I’m good with that. People were hurt because of what happened and they should be, and I need to deal with that because it happened.”

Security were on hand when one vocal supporter and a couple of others approached Cathro outside Easter Road’s main entrance, but the head coach played down the incident. “There was no problem with what was said,” he explained. “It didn’t shock me, I probably expected more of them! I wouldn’t have had a problem with that. Were you there [at the game]?

“I was there so I know [how bad the performance was]! And I know how much football means to people. There were a couple of people and they were upset and angry. Was it a conversation? A little bit. But there was no problem. From the point of the football club mattering, these things don’t worry me, there was no problem.”

Cathro, in his first post as a No.1 at the age of 30, insists he expects to carrying the can for bad results. “It is different,” he said of the step up from assistant duties at his previous clubs.

“As assistant you just get on the bus. But I want this, I want all of it, the good, the bad and I want it all to be my responsibility. I am much more comfortable with it all being on me and all being my fault.”

Meanwhile, Hearts will  continue to be without midfielders Don Cowie and Prince Buaben through injury for today’s Premiership trip to Partick Thistle. Strikers Rory Currie and Bjorn Johnsen are both doubtfu