CRAIG Levein very nearly secured the services of Ian Cathro, who he discovered and handed a full-time job as a youth coach aged just 22 during his time as Dundee United manager, when he returned to Hearts last year.

Levein, the Director of Football at Tynecastle, had been keen for Cathro, who was at that time assistant to Nuno Santo at Rio Ave in Portugal, to become his under-20 coach.

The Scot was, by all accounts, sorely tempted by the offer to move to the capital club, but ended up following Santo to La Liga outfit Valencia in Spain.

The prospects of Levein landing the prodigiously-talented 29-year-old, who was appointed No.2 to Steve McLaren at English Premier League club Newcastle United this summer, are now exceedingly slim.

Yet, Levein believes introducing the BOX Soccer Training system devised by Cathro and used to develop the likes of Ryan Gauld, the Scotland Under-21 midfielder who is now at Sporting Lisbon, at Hearts is the next best thing to having him in person.

The Ladbrokes Championship winners have, courtesy of sponsorship from ARC (Scotland) Ltd, signed up to an innovative programme for their young players who are aged between nine and 12 which they hope will improve their ability and skill.

"My introduction to BOX Soccer was with Ian up at Dundee United," he said. "When I went there as manager I went to watch a kids' game on a Sunday morning. There were four players in the team who were technically just miles ahead.

"So I made some enquiries about why these guys were so much better than the other players. I don't think it was any coincidence they were in Ian's coaching schools.

"He wrote the programme. I have said it before, but I think he is a genius when it comes to this type of thing. So he developed the BOX Soccer programme and at the same time I invited him in to go full-time at Dundee United.

"The BOX Soccer thing became part of what we were doing at Dundee United. I think his idea to grow it and to roll it out UK-wide took a back seat because he then started to become more involved in full-time football. But it is just perfect for us."

Cathro was strongly linked with the vacant manager's position Rangers and with a move to the coaching staff at Liverpool in the summer after resigning from his role at Valencia after just a season.

He ended up joining Newcastle as assistant to McLaren and Levein believes it is only a matter of time before a major club hands his protégé the opportunity to be a manager in his own right.

Levein added: "I can't take a lot of credit for what Ian has gone on to do, but I do have a sense of pride. I think he is a remarkable young man and that has been proven by where he has got to in a short space of time."

"His ideas were, in my opinion, way ahead of a lot of more established people. That has been proven. It's not like I'm sitting here trying to talk him up. He has got to a stage in his career where he is sitting in the No.2 seat at a Premier League club in England.

"The facts are that he produces good players. He has a brain that sees things that other people miss. I wish him the best. He has moved up closer to the manager's role and I am sure in time he will want to be a coach or a head coach."

Meanwhile, Levein has stressed Rangers will have to pay Hearts compensation if they sign Jason Holt, the attacking midfielder who has started a trial at Murray Park, on a full-time deal.

Holt, who is 22, left Tynecastle under freedom of contract in the summer after being frustrated at his lack of first team opportunities.

"Jason's a really good player I hope it works out for him at Rangers," said Levein. "He's a good kid. It's up to Jason and Rangers what kind of impact he makes, if he can get in there and get a regular place. I wish him all the best

"These things are always difficult. Sometimes if you've got good players, depending on how strong the team is and the other players are, it's difficult to get them in. He wants to play and at his age I completely understand that. I just think at the time, in the position he plays, other people were more likely to start than he was.

"They won't get him for nothing. The rules are there for compensation. That's a discussion if Rangers want to take him and that will have to take place. First and foremost, it would be good to see him back playing."