The camera never buys for Levein; SPL: Hearts; Stewart Fisher learns

BBC sports presenters like to boast that they always get goals at Tynecastle, but Craig Levein believes his side's long-term goals are being hindered, rather than helped, by the current television contract. Apart from one punishment beating at the hands of Celtic, two dramatic victories against Edinburgh rivals Hibs and a four-goal showing against Motherwell are evidence that Hearts have a habit of putting on their Sunday best for the cameras. But as Levein prepares to play host to Rangers today, he believes the BBC deal is merely another pernicious factor widening the gap between the Old Firm and the rest.

The problem resides in the fact that the BBC decision-makers always opt to show the Old Firm playing away from home. Still this season, no home games for either one of the Glasgow rivals - apart from the last Old Firm derby itself - have been chosen as the live television match. It is understandable as theoretically it maximises both the chance for an upset and the audience, as Old Firm season ticket holders who are unable to travel also tune in. The home side receives a fee in the region of (pounds) 60,000 per game, while the away team receives around (pounds) 40,000.

This is all very well until the reduction of home crowds is taken into account. Hearts claim their home gate falls by an average of 3,000 for every live game, which means they make no real financial gain. Still without a win over either half of the Old Firm in his time at the club, it is no wonder Levein is touchy about the subject. "I think the BBC deal financially hasn't been that great for the clubs," Levein said, "although it is great for the punters because they get to see the games. But I would guess on a live television game we are 3,000 supporters down. That makes about (pounds) 60,000 and that is roughly what we get anyway. Now I can see why we took the television deal because we didn't have one at the time, but I don't think financially it has been as good as I would have envisaged.

"The games that are on the television generally are the Old Firm games away from home. The Old Firm haven't been at home," he added. "Financially it isn't helping us. It is helping the Old Firm more than it is helping us."

Yet at the end of a week which also saw the departure of Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson from the SPL board, Levein is well aware, from his frugal existence at Cowdenbeath, that beggars can't be choosers.

A similar philosophy continues to govern his team selections, with injuries to first-team regulars affording some young players at the club too much exposure to the first team. With Steven Pressley, Scott Severin, Kevin Twaddle and Steven Boyack all out for the arrival of Rangers this afternoon, the focus again seems likely to be on young players and unfamiliar names.

Youngsters Paul McMullan, Neil Jancyk, Stephen Simmons and Graham Weir have all been called upon so far, while Neil McFarlane, a summer signing from Kilmarnock whose career has been dogged by injury, is likely to feature this afternoon after making his debut against Kilmarnock last week.

Indeed McMullan, who found himself swiftly promoted from the left- wing role for the under-21s to the left-back position for the top team, has been left in the team even when it was best for the player's development if he was rested. "The whole idea about having a good youth policy is that they can come into the first team and be first-team players," Levein said. "Part of my job is to decide the right time to bring those players in. Some of them haven't been ready for it, and it is to their credit that they have done a job for us. I would have taken McMullan out four weeks ago. He had tailed off a bit, and I wasn't doing him any favours. His confidence had gone a little bit - I'm not saying he was having a nightmare or anything like that - but it was probably time for him to come out."

In the absence of Pressley, yet more emphasis will be foisted upon Kevin McKenna, who at just 22, is one of the older heads. McKenna, who grew up in a Celtic-supporting family in Calgary, and even had a trial under Martin O'Neill towards the end of his time at Energie Cottbus, now finds the Celtic link "irrelevant".

"If we can beat any of the Old Firm I am delighted," he said. "That's all I want - to beat one of the Old Firm teams once. I haven't beaten either since I came to Scotland."

He is well aware his task is to prevent the sharp turns of Michael Mols. That doesn't mean he can stop them.

Copyright 2002 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
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