John Robertson reacts to Neil Critchley appointment at Hearts as he sends message to Tynecastle support

John Robertson has reacted after the appointment of Neil Critchley as Hearts head coach.

The Gorgie icon has provided his verdict on the former Blackpool and QPR boss coming in the door to replace Steven Naismith amid a tough start to the season. His appointment has left some sceptical after an analytics-led approach to finding their next leader.

Critchley took steps to easing any lingering doubt over his credentials with an eye-catching 4-0 thumping of St Mirren during his first Premiership game in charge. Goals from Kenneth Vargas, Daniel Oyegoke, James Wilson and Blair Spittal sealed the game.

Speaking pre-match on Sportsound, Robertson was asked for his take on the appointment. He believes that nailing down what Hearts want their senior team to look like was key in the process, and now the new man must be backed.

He said: “People will look at it and due to the fact that St Johnstone have put in Simo Valakari, and the success Aberdeen have had with Jimmy Thelin, I think that is the kind of appointment Hearts fans were looking, someone away from Scottish football.

“Someone possibly away from British football. When it’s come out Neil Critchley and looked at his record and CV, the word underwhelming was used earlier on. You can understand that. Again, the analytics that come out are only as good as the information you put in.

“Depending what you are looking for, whatever it is, he’s come out. The preferred candidate aspect of it is probably a bit naïve to come out and say that’s your guy. My preferred candidate was Jurgen Klopp but it doesn’t mean Hearts are going to get him!

“The guy has been picked out and all Hearts fans have to get behind him and hope he does the job. My worry about this analytics thing was that I thought Hearts were putting the cart before the horse, that they were trying to get the coach in before defining a style of play.

“Defining an identity of how the club is going to run and how the team was going to play. For me, that was more the key, to get the right man you have to have an identity. You get a coach similar to Sean Dyche and you play with that if that is the squad you have got. If you want someone who plays tiki-taca football then you find someone who can go and do that aspect of that. The key aspect was what you want from your team first.”