Neil Critchley provides Hearts transfer window verdict as two questions give head coach positive feeling

Neil Critchley has provided his assessment on the transfer window at Hearts - and the two questions he seeks in every recruit.

The Jambos made five signings over the course of the winter. Elton Kabangu was the first with the Belgian and second in the door, Jamie McCart, playing key roles for the club since their arrivals. Michael Steinwender and Sander Kartum also joined before Harry Milne arrived on deadline day.

Out the way, Liam Boyce, Kye Rowles, Daniel Oyegoke, Andres Salazar and Malachi Boateng were amongst the senior players to leave, the latter on deadline day. Youngsters like Macaulay Tait and Callum Sandilands were loaned out to various clubs across the SPFL.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of facing St Mirren in the Scottish Cup last 16, head coach Critchley said: “I think they brought a freshness to the group. Not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well. Obviously we've not seen really Michael and Sander too much.

“Hopefully they'll start to be a bit more evident further down the line. Jamie's been magnificent at the back since Kye’s left the building and Elton's come and had a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

“They've been a massive help and it just goes to show that recruitment and getting the right players in, it is a huge part of developing your squad and I've been delighted with the work that we've done. Harry’s aim is to come in and add pressure to James and push him. He can play left-back or left centre-back. If we decide at any point to play in a three, he can play left of a free.

“I really like his journey. You can see how delighted he is to be here. You want those players to do well, you're wishing them to do well because he's coming here with optimism and energy and he bursts through the door and he wants to be at Hearts. And they're the people you want to bring to your football club because they help with the environment. I'm really looking forward to seeing how he does. We want competition in all places, obviously.”

Kartum and Steinwender are still getting up to speed but Critchley is confident they will make Gorgie impacts, with two key questions asked of new recruits. He explained: “Players' development or how they adapt to the league or to the team is not always linear and everyone's different, everyone's individual.

“We're hoping that happens but they might take a little bit longer. But I'm confident that they're both going to be successes for us, otherwise we wouldn't have brought them to the football club. We do a lot of background work and due diligence on the players that we bring in and are they equipped to play in the team that we want to be in the future? And also have they got the right character, the right personality? What I've seen so far from all of them has been really positive.”

Boateng and Oyegoke moved to Plymouth Argyle and Hellas Verona respectively after only arriving at Hearts in the summer, but Critchley insists there were good deals on the table for all parties. He added: “We had offers that we thought were acceptable for the club and the players also expressed an interest in wanting those moves to happen. In my experience, it's best to then try and get the best deal for the club and let that happen.

“They've moved on with our best wishes. But if you look at our work right across January and the players that have left and the players that have come in, you always want to try and end the window as stronger than when you started it. I think we've done that and we've got a strategy of how we want to move forward. When you have that, it makes the decision-making process a lot easier.”

Critchley also won Manager of the Month for January after a strong run of form for the Jambos, their last game a 6-0 thumping of Dundee away from home. He added: “it's my first Manager of the Month award.

“It's nice. It's recognition of all the work that's been going on. It's always a collective effort, obviously. Credit to all the staff and to all the players, how they've been performing. But it's only one month of the season, so hopefully we can win more in the future.”