Michael Smith forced to look at Hearts midfield slot with Sean Clare commanding right-back

Michael Smith is looking at playing in midfield for Hearts

Michael Smith is smart enough to acknowledge certain areas of the Hearts landscape have changed under Daniel Stendel. “I don’t think I’ll get back in the team with Sean doing so well at right-back, so I’m going to call myself a centre-mid at the minute,” smirks the Northern Irishman.

It is a serious point. Smith, 31, will return from injury in tonight’s Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at Falkirk. However, the days of him being the established right-back might be in the past thanks to Clare’s proficiency since moving there from midfield.

Smith can operate in the holding role or in central defence. In Stendel’s high-pressing gameplan, a defensive midfielder is critical. “It’s massive, yeah. If the opposition play with two strikers, we need that third player there for a bit of cover for the two centre-halves,” says Smith.

“Whenever I’ve played there, I was that guy. Every time I was too high up the pitch I heard the gaffer screaming at me. I took a few bollockings at half-time about being too high or going out wide to close someone down.

“You need to be disciplined in there. You need someone who is going to play that role well to help the team. Maybe not help the team playing football, passing and stuff, just add that bit of solidity in there.”

Smith is particularly adept in those areas, thus his absence has been all the more obvious in recent weeks. His last appearance was in the previous round of this competition against Airdrie, when a groin problem forced him off. He wants back involved in Hearts’ attacking gameplan but also knows that conceding six goals in the last two matches needs addressed.

“I like the gaffer’s style of play. He’s not going to change the way he wants to play – on the front-foot, getting high up the pitch and pressing teams. We just need to sort out the defensive things,” says Smith.

Four matches sitting in the stand have encouraged Smith’s notion to take up coaching at some stage. He feels he now has a better grasp of what Stendel is after thanks to a different vantage point.

“On the pitch, it feels 100 miles an hour. In the stand, you can see the style of play and the positions he wants the boys in. Most of the time you can just see the gaffer jumping about mad.

“I’m not sure I would be that animated. I enjoy watching it from the sidelines. I think it’s funny and it gives the players a bit more energy. You see his enthusiasm and it makes you want to go out there and fight for him.”

Smith will be back on the field against Falkirk, adding his experience to a Hearts team which has looked defensively quite naive in their last two fixtures. A 3-3 draw at St Johnstone last weekend and the 3-2 midweek defeat by Kilmarnock leave plenty room for defensive improvement.

“I didn’t enjoy the last two two results but I enjoyed watching the boys and analysing things in a different way,” continues Smith. “You can come in, speak to the younger lads and give them a bit of advice, going on what you’ve seen.

“I hate when I’m not out there playing but, at the same time, I quite enjoy it because you see things from a different vantage point. I’m swithering about doing my coaching badges at the moment and, watching from the sidelines, it’s appealing to me a lot more.”