Neil Critchley answers directly to question over Hearts future as he senses Tynecastle evolution on way
The Hearts head coach was also asked if he had been given any assurances over his position at the club.
Hearts head coach Neil Critchley has fronted up questions surrounding his future.
The Jambos boss watched his side go down swinging against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, losing 2-1 after extra time and being reduced to nine men. Michael Steinwender was shown a straight red in the first half while Cammy Devlin received a controversial second yellow in extra time.
Pressure had built on the team and Critchley after missing two chances to clinch the top six in the Premiership, now looking at five bottom half matches to end the campaign. He was asked in his post match presser about whether there was a lot at stake for him in the game in terms of his own position.
Critchley responds to Hearts future questions
He responded: “No, don't feel like that at all. You know what's at stake, because there's a chance to play in the cup final, and that doesn't happen every week. So we knew what was at stake, we knew it was a big opportunity for us, and as I say, I thought the players played with real positivity, there was a good atmosphere in the group the last 48 hours, I could feel it, and they played on the front foot, which is what we played like I'd want us to play.
"If the players keep showing that level of character, intensity, and that positive manner in which we played the game, then I know the direction we're heading in, even though it's very difficult to see that right now, is one that's moving forward."
He was then asked whether he has been given assurances over his job. Critchley responded: "No, it's the next game, it's a pivotal game because it's the semi-final, but I honestly don't feel as though you're asking me about my position... or if you look at when I took over and we had two points after the 11th game, we've gathered a lot of points. If you did points per game in my tenure, we'd be in the top six comfortably. When we got to a semi-final cup competition, and we've gone right to the wire today with 10 men for a long period, we could have been in the cup final.
“That's the margins we're speaking about, it's very, very fine. So, I think there's more than enough positive signs, and we have a plan and a strategy of how we want to move forward, and you can't deviate off one performance or one result, so we have to keep going."
Tynecastle evolution
With recruitment underway and players out of contract, Critchley expects the Hearts team to evolve next season. He added when asked if he had an idea of what changes he’d like to make in the summer: "Yeah, that can't be affected by just one or two performances, or one or two weeks. You have to obviously have a strategy and a plan of how you want to move the team going forward, what's our identity, how do we want to play, which players are capable of playing that way.
“If not, how do we fill in the gaps, and some players are obviously naturally out of contract, and the team and squad evolved in January. It'll evolve again in the summer, and I think Aberdeen, the opponent, if you look last season, I think they finished in the bottom six, they had a struggle, and this season they started unbelievably well, then had a real tough spell, and then they've come through that.
“That's what can happen during a football season, so we're not having the season we want, and we have to now think about what is it that we want to do, and how we're going to do it, ready to best move the club forward to have a better season next season."