Tuesday 29 August 2017 18:45, UK
Craig Levein says he will be able to bring stability back to Hearts as he combines the role of manager and member of the board.
The Jambos director of football has returned to the Tynecastle manager's office he previously occupied between 2000 and 2004.
Owner Ann Budge has handed the former Scotland head coach a three-year contract to lead the first-team but he will retain his other post as well as a seat on the Gorgie board.
Hearts have been on the look-out for a new boss since sacking Ian Cathro four weeks ago.
"There is a moment when it is right and that moment's now," said Levein. "The club is in a fairly healthy place. In my role as director of football, I've been able to build the club back up to the place where it is just now, which I think is in very good shape and makes it possible for me to do the two jobs at once.
"Part of the process involved Ann wanting to be absolutely certain I was capable of doing the two jobs. But the football department is in such a good place that I said to Ann, 'I can do that'. I did it at Dundee United for two-and-a-half years.
"I think Jon Daly did a fantastic job in the interim period.
"But what's really important to get across is that in this moment in time, the club needed stability. It was very difficult for Jon to face the number of away games we have got. Even the home games we have will be at Murrayfield. It's a long time until November when we are back playing here at Tynecastle.
"So it was very difficult for us to foist that onto a young coach."
Levein - whose first game in charge will be against Aberdeen at the home of Scottish rugby on September 9 - has not worked on football's front-line since being fired by Scotland in 2012.
