A decade after their controversial appointment as Hearts' management team, Ian Cathro and Austin MacPhee have silenced critics with impressive coaching careers—Cathro now leads French club St Etienne to the top of Ligue 2, while MacPhee serves as Chelsea's set-piece coach. Their time in Edinburgh was marked by ridicule over their lack of playing experience and perceived reliance on technology, but former Hearts captain Don Cowie insists they were the right men at the wrong time.
From Laptop Jibes to Coaching Success
When Hearts appointed Cathro in December 2014, chair Ann Budge hailed him as "one of the brightest young coaches in the game" after his assistant roles at Rio Ave, Valencia, and Newcastle. MacPhee, a set-piece specialist, had masterminded Northern Ireland's Euro 2016 qualification. Yet their lack of professional playing careers drew criticism, with former Rangers striker Kris Boyd questioning how they could command a dressing room of senior SPFL stars.
Boyd's laptop jibe stuck, and claims that Cathro was a "lapdog" for then director of football Craig Levein grew after Levein was caught on camera passing notes to Cathro at Pittodrie. Poor form and awkward post-match interviews saw Cathro sacked the following summer, with MacPhee stepping in as caretaker until his contract ended.
Redemption in France and Chelsea
MacPhee now works alongside Xabi Alonso on the Chelsea bench, having been headhunted from Aston Villa, while Cathro has led St Etienne to the top of Ligue 2. Cowie, who captained Hearts during their tenure, says the outside perception didn't match their behind-the-scenes work.
"Ian obviously hadn't played at a high level but his credentials as a coach were well known even back then," Cowie said. "He'd been at big clubs like Newcastle and Valencia—but Scottish football can be a ruthless place and there was a narrative built around him as soon as he became Hearts manager."
Learning from Adversity
Cowie recalls that Cathro reached out after leaving Hearts to ask for feedback from an experienced player. "Even despite the negative of losing his job, he was always looking to learn and come out stronger for it," he said.
Cowie believes modern Scottish football, influenced by Jamestown Analytics at Tynecastle and Jens Berthel Askou's tactical approach at Motherwell, would have been more receptive to Cathro's ideas. "Perhaps if he was appointed now, he'd be given a bit more time to curate things," he added.
Set-Piece Pioneer
MacPhee, who started his coaching career with Danny Lennon at Cowdenbeath and St Mirren, has worked with Scotland, Portugal, and Aston Villa. Cowie admits some Hearts players struggled with his creative set-piece routines. "He was one of the first to spot that niche in the market," Cowie said. "Maybe it was a bit too new back then but people see its value and embrace it now. He's worked for several national teams and is now at one of the biggest clubs in the world at Chelsea."
