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Naive Levein taunts Celtic

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Having got their way over the venue for the Betfred Cup semi-final tie with Celtic, Hearts have switched into taunting mode.

A series of complaints about staging the match at Hampden- where the SPFL are contractually obliged to host semi-finals involving Celtic or Hearts- resulted in yesterday’s announcement that the October 28 clash will be staged at Murrayfield.

The new arrangements suit three of the competing clubs with many Celtic fans having to go to extra expense to change travel arrangements after booking up for a Sunday night match in Glasgow.

Levein launched a scathing attack on the SPFL following the original announcement but after getting his request granted decided to taunt Celtic over the u-turn.

Speaking to The Sun he said: “Maybe I am being a bit naive, I just assumed when we came out of the hat first that we would be the Saturday game.

That’s how I have always seen it, and the second game would be the Sunday game.

So if one game has to be moved to a different venue, I would imagine it’s the game that was meant to be on the Saturday.

Alternatively, I would be happy to play Celtic on the Saturday at Hampden if they wanted to do that!

Here’s the thing, I really don’t mind but the two games on the Sunday would have been a disaster, an absolute disaster — and how they (the SPFL) didn’t recognise that, or kept coming up with excuses as to why it should be allowed to go ahead, was beyond belief.

To say it was the best solution? It patently was NOT the best solution. So whether we end up playing at Hampden or at Murrayfield, as long as we have as many Hearts supporters in the stadium as we can possibly get in, then fine. But there’s also a part of me that says

Hold on a minute, our supporters have to go to Hampden every year, so why can’t Celtic fans come through to Edinburgh for one year?’

Considering we were first out of the hat, that makes us the Saturday game. We have to play on the Sunday to suit Celtic, so I think it’s reasonable to expect them to come through.

Also the police know what they are dealing with, they have held a Hearts-Rangers game at Murrayfield, so I think a Hearts-Celtic game shouldn’t hold any fears.”

Levein is naïve. Last season the Mothewell v Sevco semi-final was drawn out first but was played on the Sunday due to one of the other semi-finalists, Hibs, having a live televised match on the Tuesday.

The order that the ties are drawn has no bearing on when they are played, that is down to television and police requirements.

Celtic have drawn Sevco four times in semi-final’s since 2015, all of those matches have been played on Sunday’s.

In 1986 Levein missed Hearts’ last match of the season, away to Dundee, due to a sore tummy.

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