Costa Rica forward has not featured in the Scottish Premiership recently

Kenneth Vargas’ absence was explained today by Hearts head coach Neil Critchley after the forward missed the last three Premiership matches. Vargas was left out of the Edinburgh club’s squad against Celtic, Dundee United and Motherwell, with his last outing being on 7 March in the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Dundee.

Critchley is managing a large first-team pool at Riccarton and admitted he will need to continue disappointing players each week. Ahead of Hearts’ Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen at Hampden Park on Saturday, he revealed that Vargas’ absence is not related to fitness or tactics.

“No, not fitness or anything to do with him, really. I can only pick so many players,” said Critchley of the Costa Rican internationalist. “We have a big squad here and as I said to other players, I can't keep everyone happy. Sometimes when you look at the bench and you have to pick players, there might be tactical reasons. Alan Forrest scored four goals here recently in a behind closed doors game.

“We played an 11v11 game the other week and I think Musa [Drammeh] scored three or four goals in that game. You have to train well. It's best for your best and then I have to pick the team and the squad. That, I think, gives us the best chance of winning the game.”

Hearts have gone three games without scoring a goal ahead of Saturday’s semi-final. Critchley explained what is being done to help add a more clinical edge to his team. “It's just repetition of practice. You have to keep putting them in situations that you think they'll encounter in the game,” he said. “Try and replicate that in training.

“You can never replicate the pressure situation because you can't put 20, 30, 40,000 people on the training pitch. You can certainly repeat technical actions or runs or movements, and you hope through that repetition that they gain the confidence that when they get there in the critical moment that they take it.”

Pressure at Tynecastle as Neil Critchley explains to fans how he deals with criticism

Critchley finds himself under pressure with many fans voicing criticism after Hearts failed to secure a place in the Premiership’s top six last weekend. The Englishman stressed he is not unduly flustered by the growing discontent. “No, because I don't look at anything. I don't look at social media. I don't look at media. It is what it is,” he remarked.

“I put pressure on myself in terms of the way that the players prepare and perform. I understand this football club has an expectation to win games. We want to be at the top end of the league in the season. We're not, but you just have to accept it. I can't change that now. We can't change that. We can only change what's in front of us. That starts on Saturday.

“I have been to Hampden, but only when it was empty the other week when I had a little look around. I've never been to Hampden before for a game. I know lots of the players have. I know it's a cliché about playing the game and not the occasion, but that's true. You have to embrace that pressure. You have to thrive in those moments. That saying, pressure is a privilege, is true. The players have worked damn hard in their careers, so have I. You deserve to be in this situation. You deserve to be in this moment.

“So let's enjoy it. Let's enjoy being at Hampden in front of all our supporters and let's go and give it everything we've got. I loved it when I went. It was empty. It was quite eerie, but there was a feeling about it. You see all the pictures and memorials on the wall. You see all the iconic players who have played there. I remember some of the finals and everything I've watched. To go there would be a special occasion and a special moment. It's one we should all enjoy.”