Craig Levein provides Wouter Vrancken Hearts backing as injury crisis assessed
Levein claims growing impatience in modern football is hampering managers from attempting to make their mark at new clubs
Former Hearts manager Craig Levein insists Wouter Vrancken should not be held responsible for the club’s mounting injury crisis, which has contributed to their recent slump in form.
Head coach Vrancken made an encouraging start to life at Tynecastle, but a recent downturn in results has brought increased scrutiny for the first time, with the Jambos struggling to maintain the momentum that had established them as genuine title contenders and one of the country’s most impressive sides.
The club's growing injury troubles has presented Vrancken with a major challenge, with the Belgian having to contend with a lengthy list of absentees, particularly in key defensive areas.
Ex-Hearts and Scotland boss Levein believes those circumstances must be factored in before any judgement is made on Vrancken's ability to turn things around in Gorgie.
He said: “I think he needs to be given time. It's not his fault that so many players have broken down. Some have occurred in training, some are impact injuries, some muscle injuries. It's not like it's just one specific set of injuries. It's a mixture of a whole load of things.”
The full extent of the problem was highlighted in last Saturday's 5-2 home defeat by Falkirk, with several central defenders unavailable for selection and Vrancken left short of options as he attempts to establish his preferred team and style of play.
“When you go to a new club and you want to get off to a flying start, the last thing you need is to be looking around and you've got four of your centre-backs sitting behind the dugout,” Levein continued. “It's tough.”
Modern football has forgot the meaning of patience
Levein, who knows better than most the demands of managing Hearts, claims the situation reflects a wider issue in modern football, where managers are increasingly expected to deliver immediate results with little time to build a settled team.
He also believes the transfer system makes it difficult for new managers to implement significant changes quickly, with many inheriting squads containing players who may not fit their preferred style and financial constraints limiting their ability to overhaul the squad.
Levein feels the patience traditionally afforded to managers has all but disappeared, with clubs and supporters increasingly quick to demand change when results take a turn for the worse.
“There is an impatience in the game these days. I feel, certainly when I started out, it wasn't there,” he explained. “I think when I started out, a manager was in situ for nearly three years or just over three years. What is it now? 12 months?
“Of course, the window system doesn't help because you can't make changes other than inside the windows. You can take over a team that's not been doing particularly well and you've got a whole load of players who might have half a dozen that are out of contract next summer.
“Most teams don't have huge amounts of money to go in and just get new players but still keep these guys and wait for their contracts to run out. There aren't very many clubs that are in that position. So, a manager needs time.”
*Craig Levein was speaking at the announcement of William Hill as Official Sponsor and Proper Supporter of Walking Football Scotland. To find your nearest game visit walkingfootballscotland.org.