Hearts boss Robbie Neilson to have talks with ex-Rangers ace over coaching role

Lee McCulloch, who was Neilson’s assistant at Dundee United, left the club last week

Hearts boss Robbie Neilson is set to have discussions with Lee McCulloch over a possible coaching role at Tynecastle.

The ex-Rangers ace was one of Neilson’s assistants at Dundee United before he made a surprising return to Gorgie last month, leaving the Tannadice side.

There has been speculation that McCulloch would also head to Hearts, intensifying last week when he left the Tangerines, who have appointed Micky Mellon as boss.

Lee McCulloch worked under Robbie Neilson at Dundee United. Picture: SNS

Neilson confirmed that talks are set to take place but nothing concrete has been put in place.

Hearts have a four-man coaching staff already at the club with Andy Kirk, John Rankin and Liam Fox, as well as goalkeeper coach Paul Gallacher.

Kirk was promoted from his role as reserve boss last season by Daniel Stendel to work with the first-team, while Rankin has retired from playing to concentrate on his coaching career. Fox has been with the club for a few seasons and was loaned to Cowdenbeath where he had a spell as manager.

"We've got a few coaches in there so I’m going to need to assess things in the next few weeks,” Neilson told the BBC.

“Obviously Lee left Dundee United and he’s away on holiday for a week so I’ll have a chat with him when he comes back. But other than that I’ve got three good coaches in there and I’ll have a look at it in the coming weeks.”

McCulloch, who had a short spell as Kilmarnock manager, was brought into United as a strikers’ coach but was promoted to an assistant role under Neilson.

At the time the new Hearts manager said: “Lee has shown he is a valuable member of the coaching staff and he has worked very well alongside Gordon [Forrest] and me. In modern football, the role and responsibility of the assistant head coach have grown considerably, and Lee working alongside Gordon makes perfect sense.”