Hearts boss makes 'unlucky' VAR call as he praises 'small margins'

Steven Naismith reflects on Hearts' first-half of the season performances

In October, there were rumours of an unhappy board at Tynecastle. A month later Steven Naismith won Manager of the Month and Hearts were sitting in third place. 

Now, just a few days into 2024 and Hearts have solidified their place behind Celtic and Rangers, sitting five points clear of their nearest rivals and on the way, they became the first team for 52 fixtures to beat Celtic at Celtic Park. 

Of course, the season is far from over and the Jambos still have 12 games to go until the end of the first phase. But with 36 points already in their locker, 2024 could well be a year of great success in Gorgie. 

Following their 2-1 win over Livingston on Tuesday, Steven Naismith and his squad will enjoy a well-deserved 20-day break with their next clash coming on 23 January against Dundee. 

Speaking ahead of the break, the Jambos boss was asked if he is able to take the time to reflect on what has been accomplished so far this season to which he replied: “"Yeah, I’ll take time. It’s full on. 

“But I think you’re always thinking, ‘right, when we get back we need a plan here, how are we improving again, how are we developing?’. It’s a constant thing and it is never too far from my mind, but I will try and take some time to switch off.”

The lack of consistency earlier on in the season was met with huge criticism from fans around the ground with his players often greeted to a chorus of boos as they walked off the pitch. However, with a recent derby win at Easter Road and a 2-0 victory over Celtic under their belts, the tunes have dramatically changed with the ex-Jambos striker admitting luck has not always been on their side. 

"I think (the season) has been good. I think it’s been really good. We have dealt with the media speculation and the so-called pressure that comes with the job hasn’t been felt by me. Some of the games and the performances have been poor, but small margins have been the difference. 

“We have probably been the unluckiest team with VAR – a lot of our other performances could have been a lot more comfortable if VAR was making the right decisions. We are sitting in third place with a bit of a gap, which is all you can ask for at this point of the season. 

“I think the Livingston win and the Ross County result, even though it was only a draw, could play a big part later on in the season. So overall it’s been a really good first half of the season."