Ex-Hearts boss Ian Cathro, 5 whiskies and 65-goal target for Goncalves, Walker and Lafferty

The former Tynecastle boss had an ambitious target for the attacking trio
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Ian Cathro had high hopes for his Hearts side ahead of the 2017/18 season.

The former Tynecastle boss had planned to build his team around an attacking trident of Esmael Goncalves, Jamie Walker and Kyle Lafferty.

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His plans were disclosed to the forward trio during a pre-season trip to Dublin and Belfast in July.

Ian Cathro had an ambitious goal target for his attacking players. Picture: SNSIan Cathro had an ambitious goal target for his attacking players. Picture: SNS
Ian Cathro had an ambitious goal target for his attacking players. Picture: SNS

Lafferty, speaking to Si Ferry on Open Goal, revealed Catrho’s ambitious target and the unconventional method of delivery.

“We're playing down in Dublin first then travelling up to play Linfield. The night before the game [in Belfast] I get a phone call saying the gaffer wants to see me, Jamie Walker and big Esmael.

“I’ve walked in. Cathro goes to Austin: ‘Did you find a place.’

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“Austin says: ‘Yeah, there’s a wee boozer across the road, there's a few people in it’.

“He was like: ‘We’re going to have to make this our man cave.’”

“Cathro goes: ‘What do you want [to drink]?’ I’m fine as I have water in my room.

“This is 8pm and we're playing Linfield at 3pm the next day. And then Austin’s gone 'whisky’?

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“Esmael's taken a whisky. So the five of us are sitting there with a whisky and he's [Cathro] speaking to us. ‘See you three there, you are going to be Hearts this season. You are going to score 65-70 goals. We had done well in pre-season.

“Turns out we scored 23 goals and I got 19 of them.”

He added: “Sitting down with the manager and Austin before a game having a whisky. I had a shocker.”

Three weeks after the pre-season clash with Linfield Ian Cathro had departed the club after the club failed to qualify from the group stage of the Betfred Cup.