Ian Cathro, once a widely criticized figure in Scottish football, is now experiencing a career resurgence as the manager of the storied French club Saint-Étienne. His journey from a failed tenure at Hearts a decade ago to leading one of France's most illustrious clubs highlights a significant professional reinvention.
Cathro's recent return to Scotland for a pre-season friendly between his current club, Saint-Étienne, and Rangers at Ibrox, underscored his changed circumstances. Despite the match being a routine friendly, the presence of a Scottish manager leading a major French side attracted media attention. However, Cathro declined interview requests, reflecting his past experiences.
In an interview with Coaches' Voice earlier in the summer, Cathro openly discussed his decision to leave Portuguese side Estoril for Saint-Étienne, offering a critical perspective on his past in Scotland. He described his 2016 appointment as head coach of Hearts as the "wrong decision," citing what he perceived as a peculiar environment and poor working conditions for professionals in Scottish football. He stated that his seven months at Hearts served to show him what he did not want for his professional future.
Cathro, who was only 30 when appointed by Hearts in December 2016, took charge of a team that gambled on a rookie coach younger than some of his players. The move proved unsuccessful, with Cathro struggling to establish authority and his public interviews often appearing awkward. Infamous moments included his comments after a draw with Raith Rovers and a particularly striking remark after a heavy defeat to Celtic, where he suggested Hearts would compete if the "goalposts" were removed, implying a lack of a top-tier goalscorer was the sole issue.
Amidst speculation of internal interference, Cathro's tenure at Hearts lasted just seven months before the club decided to part ways. However, this setback marked not an end, but a pivot in his career. He went on to serve as an assistant coach to Nuno Espírito Santo at Wolves, playing a role in their promotion to the Premier League and subsequent qualification for the Europa League. He followed Nuno to Tottenham and then to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
His independent coaching career reignited with Estoril in Portugal in 2024. His work there caught the attention of Saint-Étienne, a club with a significant history in French and European football that had recently fallen into Ligue 2. Cathro's appointment aimed to revive the club's fortunes.
His start with Saint-Étienne has been remarkably successful. The team secured three wins in their first three matches, including a dominant 4-0 victory over Grenoble, and are currently leading the league table with 10 goals scored. This early success suggests Cathro's appointment may be a shrewd move by the club.
At 40 years old, Cathro is recognized as an intelligent and capable coach, known for his multilingual abilities and talent for developing young players. While his time at Hearts is widely viewed as a failure, the experience appears to have been a crucial learning period. Having rebuilt his career abroad and expressed no desire to return to Scottish football, Cathro's current success in France demonstrates his resilience and coaching prowess.