Inside Tynecastle as Hearts ponder what comes next
Supporters’ anger has not bypassed those in charge
You would need to reside on the moon to miss the anger among Hearts fans right now. Understandably, the Gorgie faithful are seething at their team’s current predicament: Joint-bottom of the Premiership after four games, out of the Premier Sports Cup and eliminated in the Europa League play-off. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Nine new signings filtered into Riccarton over the summer, generating optimism and promise of further growth from a team already strutting with a swagger last season. Arrivals from Costa Rica and Colombia brought excitement at the unknown in among more recognised recruits from within Scotland’s top flight. Safe to say the start to 2024/25 has been dismal and new players are quickly realising that the demands at their new club are not for the faint-hearted.
Those in charge at Hearts are fully aware of the discontent among supporters. Directors are not of a mind to change the guard right now, despite obvious calls for a new manager. Head coach Steven Naismith and his coaching staff were given contract extensions merely three weeks ago and are tied to Tynecastle Park until summer 2026. To employ popular football parlance, they still have credit in the bank after last season’s third-place finish - which earned league-stage European ties this year and upwards of £5m in extra income.
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That said, six straight defeats is simply not acceptable. And certainly not from the most expensively-assembled squad in Hearts’ history. No-one at the club needs that explained to them. One win in the last 13 competitive matches is form which will lead Hearts to a relegation battle if not addressed. The positive is that there is time to do so. Four league games have lapsed, there are 34 still to come, and we are now in international fortnight. Players and coaches have time to work on the training pitch over the next two weeks to solve a number of issues: Lack of energy, erratic defending and a misfiring attack to name but three.
Hearts have scored only two goals in their seven games so far. They have conceded 11. The mood inside Tynecastle just now is a mix of frustration and disappointment. The board have no plans to take any immediate action. Players and coaches are rightly aghast at recent form but are intent on remedying the problems. Underperforming is not something this team has been guilty of too often during Naismith’s tenure, although that is precisely the scenario right now despite a considerable outlay on transfer fees, loan fees and wages to expand the first-team squad.
Boos, jeers and verbal abuse poured down from the stands at the end of Sunday’s 1-0 Premiership loss to Dundee United. Patience among the Hearts support is wearing thin. In some cases, it has evaporated entirely. The timing of the international break takes players, coaches and board members out of the public eye, providing a chance to assess, address and regroup. It is time which cannot be wasted.
So what happens next? Four out of Hearts’ next five games are away from home, meaning the situation does not get any less daunting in the weeks ahead. International fortnight ends with a trip to face champions Celtic in Glasgow on Saturday 14 September, followed by a visit to St Mirren seven days later. Ross County travel to Tynecastle on Saturday, 28 September before Hearts head to Azerbaijan to begin their Conference League campaign behind closed doors against Dinamo Minsk on Thursday, 3 October. Three days later, it’s a journey to Pittodrie to play Jimmy Thelin’s in-form Aberdeen.
Every one of those matches assumes a critical complexion in the wake of a dire start to the season. There is no sign of panic within the corridors of Tynecastle so far, more a case of stern reflection on what must improve. There has to be discernbile correction and recovery. Domestic fixtures pause during international breaks, but the next two weeks may be the most important period in Gorgie since Hearts returned to the Premiership three years ago.