Levein can inject fresh heart - Motherwell boss

Motherwell manager Billy Davies has backed Craig Levein to succeed at Hearts despite having a lack of managerial experience at that level.

Levein took Third Division side Cowdenbeath to the top of the Third Division before being offered the top job at the club where he made his name as a player.

Critics claimed Levein did not have the experience to take on the job but Davies insists he can do well - because he's been there.

The Motherwell boss believes he has succeeded at Fir Park even though he is a young manager without much experience. And he has tipped Levein to do just as well at Tynecastle.

"As Craig has rightly said, he's spent a good number of years in the management position now and I'm sure he'll go on and do very, very well at Hearts," said Davies.

"He knows the background of the club and he knows what's required for that type of club and what the expectations are.

"Management is a thing you can only learn by being in there and I've certainly learned huge amounts in the last three seasons.

"The footballing side is never a problem because you've been brought up with it - it's just the other side of the job that you have to pick up. I've certainly come along way since then to be honest."

Davies had Hearts game against Kilmarnock watched and admits he was impressed by the 3-0 win.

"I think that when a new manager comes into a club there's always an extra spring in the step," said Davies.

"They had a fantastic result last week and they are a big club and they've got a lot of good players.

"It's a game we've got to go into and work very hard in and just hope that we get the right breaks at the right time."

Hearts head coach Levein believes that teams should expect the unexpected when they face his side.

The former Cowdenbeath boss has already introduced new ideas to the training regime at Tynecastle and is hoping that the element of the unknown will sink Motherwell at Fir Park.

"I would say it is a true statement that other teams may not know us at the moment," said Levein.

"I don't think anybody realises how we are going to play, but that may change in a few months or a year. The aim is not to be predictable and hopefully we will not be."

Since retiring as a player five years ago due to injury, Levein admits there is more of a fear factor in Premier League football these days.

However, he reckons that, after working with his players for a fortnight, he has the personnel to cope with it.

"It is over five years since I last played but we have some very good players here," said Levein.

"The standard is not poor compared to when I played but I do detect an element of fear.

"People are always worrying about what will happen if they do not make the top six or if they don't get into Europe.

"But we have some good players here and there will not be 11 news ones next year. The majority of them will still be here at this time next year."