The 30-year-old is taking the first steps of his managerial career with the blessing of Benitez.
New Hearts boss Ian Cathro has told the Daily Record that Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez encouraged him to take up the managerial role north of the border.
The highly-rated coach, who helped bring through some of Scottish football’s most exciting talents while in charge of the Dundee United academy, returned to his homeland earlier this week to become the youngest manager in the history of the top flight.
The 30-year-old also counted a spell at Valencia on his CV before joining Newcastle’s staff under Steve McClaren, impressing Benitez enough to be kept on once the Spaniard took charge in March.
Although Cathro was viewed as a valuable figure within St James’ Park, The Magpies refused to stand in his way as fulfilled his ambition of taking on a senior managerial role in no time at all.
And the Dundee-born coach has admitted that he was encouraged to take the risk by Benitez himself, with the former Real Madrid boss knowing a thing or two about how to make your name in management.
“Rafa was very supportive of this idea,” Cathro told the Daily Record. “His only thoughts were about me making sure it was the right place.
“If I felt it was right then it was the right time. I feel this is the right place.
“There are lots of bits of advice which I’ll keep to myself because it’s personal. The biggest thing was about going to the right place.
“To start as a manager is a big step but it was mainly about where.”
Hearts, who are currently fighting it out with Rangers and Aberdeen to be crowned ‘best of the rest’ in the Scottish Premiership this season, appointed previous manager Robbie Nielson at the age of just 34 in 2014, suggesting that they are the right environment for a young coach to kick-start his career.
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