Critical dilemma facing Hearts as Tynecastle turns toxic

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Board facing huge questions as players and staff fail to perform

Forget the Christmas cheer at Tynecastle Park, Hearts are in dire straits. Out of Europe in catastrophic fashion after winning two Conference League ties and failing in the next four; bottom of the Scottish Premiership; players underperforming and overearning; fans outraged; directors a target for criticism. It is the perfect storm during what is, according to Andy Williams, the most wonderful time of the year.

The situation escalated on Thursday night when a 2-2 draw with the tiny Moldovan club Petrocub eliminated Hearts from European competition. They finished 25th in the 36-team Conference League having been inside the top eight after matchday two. To compound frustrations, the top 24 progress to the next phase. Hearts were pipped to 24th spot on goals scored by the Serbian club TSC Backa Topola.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chants of “Heart of Midlothian, we’re in the wrong hands” and “Ann Budge, get to F***” as well as “Sack the board” emanated from disgusted supporters on Thursday night in protest at the Tynecastle hierarchy. The ground has truly turned toxic. Sunday against St Johnstone will be similar if events on the field follow the same course. Debate over how and why the Edinburgh club are in such a disjointed state has taken place for weeks. It has been the subject of articles on these pages, discussed in the pubs and bars of Gorgie and others across Edinburgh, and trotted out daily - sometimes hourly - on social media.

Perhaps a more important question right now is: How can Hearts fix this? They switched manager by appointing Neil Critchley in place of Steven Naismith just over two months ago. He signed a three-year contract, so nothing is likely to change there. His record so far is four wins, three draws and seven defeats from 14 games in charge. He has sussed out some players who are not performing but is managing a 28-man first-team squad. The Englishman would ideally like to reduce that number, although maybe Hearts’ playing staff needs to get bigger.

The prospect of relegation - a third inside 11 years in Gorgie - does not bear thinking about for a club with record turnover exceeding £20m and an overall wage bill of £16.5m. Clearly, the playing staff needs improved. Some might argue that most of the current first-team pool would be deemed surplus to requirements today in an ideal world, but contracts must be honoured and some are seeing out their deals. That leaves January as a pivotal and monumental transfer window.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hearts spent their budget on wages and loan fees to recruit nine new players during the summer. Some of them are not performing, along with other established figures. Overhauling a squad in January is nearly impossible and accountants will point to a £1.2m loss in the club’s most-recent accounts for the year to June 2024. Yet, despite that deficit, it is surely time to spend extra to ensure top-flight survival? Losses will be far greater if Hearts are playing in the second tier of Scottish football.

Millions of pounds in income from benefactors, loans, Foundation of Hearts pledges, plus ticket and commercial revenue simply should not result in the debacles fans have witnessed too often this season. As chairwoman, Budge faces big decisions along with chief executive Andrew McKinlay and other directors. It is a case of weighing up the dilemma of releasing more cash for better players against the prospect of losing even more through relegation.

The mere mention of that word will send a shiver down the spine of those who recall 2014 and 2020. Both of those years carried extenuating circumstances, of course. A 15-point deduction for entering administration ultimately relegated Hearts just before Budge took control. Then came a controversial demotion six years later when leagues were shutdown early because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

There would be no such excuses and therefore no hiding place this time. Critchley and his coaches need a number of reinforcements to avoid the outright disaster of going down to the Championship. Sporting director Graeme Jones finds himself thrown in at the deep end three weeks into his new job. He is another who faces a busy and critical month ahead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A deal signed with Jamestown Analytics gives Hearts access to world-renowned data for identifying new players. It is time to get every laptop in the building scouring for the people capable of dragging the club out of this mess. That’s in addition to eyes-on and in-person scouting, an art often too easily forgotten amid modern technology and sport’s obsession with data.

For starters, Hearts need at least one new centre-back with Frankie Kent and Stephen Kingsley injured. Two would be preferable. An experienced right-back would add much-needed defensive solidity on that side. A creative midfielder is a must for a team evidently struggling to break through opponents’ low blocks. At least one winger - again, preferably two - to add pace and panache would be seen as essential. A mobile striker with a goalscoring instinct would also seem non-negotiable. That’s minimum.

Can those in charge be trusted to make these decisions? Some would tell you they can’t, others might say the jury is out. Regardless of opinion, January is a window Hearts must embrace to execute a lifesaving plan to stay in the Premiership. If they can re-energise their midfield and revert to playing three men in there to avoid two sitters being overrun, then they have a chance. The 4-4-2 system often leaves them too open to counter-attacks. Petrocub are only the latest team to demonstrate that.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Now, another dilemma Hearts have little control of relates to convincing signing targets that Tynecastle is a good career move right now. Who wants to join a team in such a perilous state? Permanent signings would be a gamble from the club’s perspective in the event of dropping down a division come May, so loans would be viewed as less-risk. But would a player agree to any move, permanent or loan, knowing it could potentially end with a relegation on their CV? The people Hearts want might take some persuading.

Winter clouds hanging over Tynecastle are unlikely to dissipate quickly. After losing 1-0 at 10-man Kilmarnock last week, Hearts must recover from a European hangover in time for St Johnstone’s arrival. Then it’s Hibs and Motherwell at home with a trip to Ross County sandwiched in between. All of those would normally be considered winnable fixtures, but winning is proving difficult for those in maroon right now. Hence the treacherous position in which they find themselves, with January the only apparent way out.

Related topics:
News you can trust since 1873
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice