Cathro to leave Hearts with immediate effect
The head coach has been under pressure after they crashed out of the League Cup
Last updated 2nd Aug 2017
Hearts have announced that head coach Ian Cathro is to leave the club with immediate effect.
Cathro, 31, had been under pressure after his side was knocked out of the League Cup, finishing behind Dunfermline and Peterhead in their group.
The departure comes just four days before the start of the Premiership season, with a tough away match against Celtic looming this Saturday.
When he took over the job from Robbie Neilson last season Hearts were second in the table but they ended up finishing fifth.
Cathro claimed he needed the pre-season to turn things round, and even though he brought in some big names, getting knocked out of the League Cup was clearly the final straw for the board.
The club says it'll be announcing tomorrow what the plans are from a management point of view ahead of this weekend's clash with Celtic.
A statement on the club's official website read: "Craig Levein, Hearts' director of football, has confirmed that head coach Ian Cathro will leave the club with immediate effect.
"The board wishes it to be known that this was a very difficult decision, reluctantly made, as every member of the board recognises that Ian is an extremely talented young coach with a very bright future ahead of him.