Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

With so many high-profile sportspeople media-trained to within an inch of their life, a chat with the Hearts defender Kye Rowles is both refreshing and enlightening. He doesn’t sugar-coat or deflect anything when discussing his own deficiencies, recent poor form, or what he must do better.

Criticism of the Australian centre-back hasn’t bypassed him after six successive Hearts defeats. He willingly owns his mistakes privately in front of team-mates and isn’t too precious to acknowledge them publicly, either. It should be pointed out that he is far from alone in needing to raise performance levels.

Ross County visit Tynecastle Park tomorrow and Rowles is eager to put on a better show than his last outing there. Curtis Main’s goal for St Mirren two weeks ago exposed the Hearts defender physically, leading to some brutal self-analysis. Rowles spoke to the Evening News to give a candid view of the current situation.

“The group are very self-critical and want to do their best for the team,” he said. “Even when we were on a good run, everyone was saying: ‘Come on, we can do this and that better.’ We are in a bad run of form and everyone understands that we all need to be better, myself included. I’ve been poor in a few games, especially the last two months or so, just leaking soft goals.”

Asked to elaborate and give details, his response is as honest as you will find. “My position in games has been off. A couple of times in each game, it’s my decisiveness on when to go in for a challenge and instead sit off and be a bit too safe about it. I want to be more decisive and 100 per cent in what I’m doing, instead of stand-offish and not 100 per cent invested in that action I’m about to do.

“Once I get that back consistently – I felt I did have it back last weekend [against Hibs] – it will help the team. If you don’t concede goals, you don’t lose games. We are really focusing on shoring up the back line. We are all trying to move forward and learn from our mistakes to really limit the opportunities the opposition get.”

Criticism, provided it is constructive, is an important part of any team sport. Rowles isn’t one for hiding and is willing to accept when he doesn’t reach the required standard for Hearts. Looking one’s self in the mirror from time to time is a crucial part of the development process for a player who came to Scotland less than a year ago to enhance his career.

Hearts defender Kye Rowles is eager to improve on his recent performances.

“The whole group is good at it. We had a few longer chats after that St Mirren game,” he added. “Everyone was very honest with themselves in front of everyone. We all know where we stand and we want the best moving forward. There’s no point hiding behind anything just to try and protect yourself. We are ready to turn it round this week, for sure.”

He expects a particularly physical game against relegation-threatened Ross County. “Yes, definitely. Direct as well. We’ve working on that all week. That’s the run of games we have been on, those long and direct games. Personally I’ve struggled, and as a team we have as well. We are really focused on shoring up against that kind of game plan.

“We're focused on playing positive football, taking the game to the opposition. You will definitely see that on Saturday. You want the fans onside and there’s nothing better than getting on the front foot early and giving them something to cheer.”

Support from the Tynecastle stands will be vital. Patience may also be required. Performing at the atmospheric Gorgie venue always carries a degree of mental pressure for any player, but right now it is far more intense. As Rowles acknowledges, Hearts players cannot complain when so many of their followers are contributing monthly pledges to the club through Foundation of Hearts.

“Everyone understands that side of it. That’s why you play football, you want to be in front of fans and loud stadiums. The fans obviously have a voice, especially here where they put so much money into the club. Their voice will always be heard loudly. We don’t want to p*** anyone off, either. We are going out there to win games. We want to turn this round, not just for ourselves but all the people who turn up every week.”

He has learned quickly that Scottish scrutiny is on a different level to his homeland. Central Coast Mariners, the player’s former club, changed managers at times, although demands on players to achieve certain league placings did not exist. Since arriving in Edinburgh, Rowles has realised every game means something in the cinch Premiership.

“There’s more scrutiny here. Back home, there is no real incentive to finish higher up the league apart from winning the Grand Final,” he explained. “It’s just personal pride and the club’s pride because there is no relegation.

“We are still in with a chance of third spot. I’ve had a few sackings in my time back home but that was probably well and truly deserved. We were battling down the bottom and really struggling to win even a few games. This is different but we have all handled it. You need to move on. You can’t dwell on it too long or your mind won’t be on the job.”

Exclusive: Kye Rowles tells the unsparing truth on his Hearts form and reveals why he has been 'poor'