Hearts captain Steven Naismith says football postponements due to coronavirus is 'right move'

Hearts captain Steven Naismith says the decision to postpone football in Scotland is “the right move”.

The SPFL and SFA moved to cancel matches this weekend and next week as the coronavirus crisis takes a firm hold of the country and beyond.

Hearts, who currently sit bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership, were due to play Livingston on Sunday, but that match – plus others on the fixture list – have fallen by the wayside.

“I think it definitely is the right move,” said Naismith. “Britain in general has kind of been the last ones to make that call, but the biggest thing here is health and safety. That’s paramount for everything.

“You then go further down and football is about the fans. To compromise on any health issues or closed door games goes against what we all do this game and love this game for. I think it’s the right decision.

“It now gives everybody a situation where we can sit and look at what the best way forward is, what structure going forward is the best to be played out. That’s not just domestically but that across all of international football and every other competition out there.

“Overall it is the right decision and us as a club will follow what the guidelines are from now on in to be ready for the next game, whenever that may be.

“We don’t know what is going to happen next. These conversations will have been going on for days and there will be a process that we now follow. The main thing now is that we, as a country, can get over this virus and move forward. Once you're at the other end of that and looking back then it’ll definitely be the right decision and the safest one.”

Naismith believes everyone’s personal agendas must be put to one side as talk rages about whether games should be played behind closed doors and what should happen to the season.

“It’s not right not have fans there cheering on their team,” Naismith said. “Going further down, fans have paid their money so there’s the whole financial aspect of it.

“At the moment, in general, everybody’s personal agendas have to be put aside for what’s best for the whole country and the whole world in this pandemic. The right measures are now being taken.

“This process will go on for as long as it needs to go on until everything’s cleared. I don’t think there can be any short-term measures here. This is a serious issue that the coverage that everybody has seen shows. It is a very serious situation.

Hearts, however, will continue with individual programmes so that they are ready when play resumes.

“You don’t want to be caught cold when it comes back around to training and fixtures,” added Naismith. The professional levels in the game now are such that people do keep going when there’s a period of internationals, a break or when there’s time off.

“Players still get on with their individual programmes and make sure that they’re in the fittest state possible.”