Beni Baningime opens up on Hearts anger, John Beaton, Neil Critchley, the Scottish Cup & taking responsibility

Beni Baningime didn’t pull any punches deep in the bowels of Hampden Park. As fans dispersed outside following Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup semi-final win over Hearts, the Tynecastle midfielder spoke candidly on a range of subjects. Referee John Beaton and Hearts head coach Neil Critchley were among them.

Baningime’s face was etched with emotion as he dissected what happened at the national stadium following a tense 120 minutes. A Craig Gordon own goal put Aberdeen ahead but Lawrence Shankland drew Hearts level before half-time. Defender Michael Steinwender’s red card for denying Topi Keskinen an obvious goalscoring opportunity on 43 minutes left the Edinburgh club with 10 men, but they fought tenaciously until the dying minutes of extra-time.

Midfielder Cammy Devlin was then sent off for a questionable second booking before the Aberdeen substitute Odday Dabbagh plundered a late winning goal for a 2-1 final scoreline. The exasperation on the faces of Hearts players was unshakeable at full-time. Devlin’s foul on Dante Polvara prompted Beaton to produce a second yellow card followed by a red, and many took issue with the decision.

“I thought in the first half we were the better team. Even when they scored, it was a corner, a set-piece,” said Baningime. “It's just hard because the last couple of weeks have been weird because against Dundee United, we were totally in control, then you get a man sent off and then they go on score. It's almost like you get the same thing happening again against Aberdeen.

“I thought the boys dug in well. They did really well, I don't really get at referees, but I don't think the second one is a yellow card. The ball is in the air, he [Devlin] is not looking at the man and he's trying to clear it. When he gave him the yellow card, I'm like: ‘What's going on?’ It's just hard. I don't want to blame the referees per se, but I did think that specific moment killed us and then they went on to score two minutes later.”

Nothing between Hearts and Aberdeen after Premiership top-six battle

After failing to secure a Premiership top-six place at Motherwell the previous weekend, the dunts are hitting Hearts hard right now. “I think it's been a strange season for us,” admitted Baningime. “I've been here for four seasons, and it's the only season where I'm like: ‘Oh my days, what's going on?’ We're always top six. In two out of the last three seasons, we've been third comfortably so we're a great side. Aberdeen are joint-fourth, we are seventh, but I don’t think there is anything between us. Obviously, we've put ourselves in that situation.”

Fans criticised Critchley for various results this season but the Englishman could not be blamed for events at Hampden. His decisions and tactics were justified by his players’ performance and desire. “Yes, we are playing for the manager,” continued Baningime. “You obviously saw that because if we weren't playing for the manager, then we would have bottled it and we could have lost three, four or five. We didn't and we're all behind him. It’s just a strange season, it's just a weird one and it's a frustrating one too. As you said, there’s a bit of anger there because you probably go to penalties, you don't know what happens and you probably nick a win.”

Baningime knows the Hearts support demand more than bottom-six football and a cup semi-final. Whether they can now get fully behind Critchley over the coming weeks and months remains to be seen. “I think that's up to the fans to decide, that's not really up to me. I know the fans can be harsh, but there's expectation at Hearts and there’s expectation from the players, from the coaching staff also,” said the Congolese.

“We don't want to be seventh. It's not good enough. That isn't just on the manager. It's on all of us. Before the manager came [last October], we didn't win in eight games or something. It was the worst in history, so that's on us. Before the manager was here, it was a problem. I don't just think it's the manager, I think it's all of us. Obviously, today we've done ourselves proud, but there's been games where we haven't.

“The worst thing for me is to keep changing managers. My mum and dad raised me well. They raised me to take responsibility for myself and they raised me like that. For a man to lose his job, let's just say, in general, this has nothing to do with football, it has nothing to do with the gaffer, I'm just making that clear. You don't want anyone losing their job and you don't want to be part of a team that continually does that.

“I don't believe that's going to be the case, of course. I'm saying this because I'm a [Manchester] United fan and that happens a lot. I wouldn't want to feel that way and think: ‘Okay, maybe I'm potentially responsible for that.’ I know we're not really talking about the manager losing his job, but I don't want to be part of a group that does that.”

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