Stuart Findlay brutally honest as he reveals his Hearts situation and where he stands with Wouter Vrancken

Nobody left Thun’s Visana Stadion more despondent than Stuart Findlay on Thursday night. The Hearts defender was unhappy with his own performance despite scoring in his team’s 3-1 UEFA Conference League defeat. A wide open back line and some painfully cheap goals conceded inflicted serious damage on the club’s European campaign. Findlay is brutally honest on what went wrong in Switzerland.

He is also forthright on where he stands under head coach Wouter Vrancken. An automatic starter under Derek McInnes last term, Findlay no longer holds that status in the Belgian’s squad. He was restored to the team in Thun for the first time since 19 September at Kilmarnock, when Vrancken substituted the centre-back after 32 minutes with Hearts 1-0 down. The pair have spoken about that incident and, after injury, Findlay was desperate to prove himself in Switzerland.

He ended the night disconsolately and is praying he gets the opportunity to correct himself against Falkirk in Sunday’s Premiership match. Overwhelming injury problems leaving Hearts without a full team of players may mean another chance for the player. “It was really disappointing at Thun. We had a plan of what we wanted to do, a goal of what we wanted to achieve, and we didn't do that. It was quite a sobering night,” said the 31-year-old. “My goal was a consolation. All we can do now is get around each other. It's a tough period with injuries and the last couple of results but we need to make sure we show how strong a unit we are and make sure we come out in a massive game on Sunday and go into this international break on a positive note.”

Hearts are desperate for a positive ending to a week in which they lost to Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final and suffered another reverse in Europe. “Of course, nobody wants to lose a game of football, especially two of the magnitude this week,” said Findlay. “When you are involved in so many competitions and you're involved in so many high-profile games, you're going to go through runs that aren't ideal.

“Personally, Thursday was my first game back, I was obviously gutted with everything about it and how it all went. The only positive is that there’s a game in three days and if you win that game, it puts a more positive spin on it. We go into the break, we put Thursday behind us, we put the derby behind us and try to look forward. I know that sounds silly because everyone will remember the defeats, but we’ll make sure we win the next one and then we move forward from there.

“It’s been an up-and-down season for me. Emotionally, it's been very different to what I have been used to. I have had some great highs already and some lows as well. I wanted to go out on Thursday and show what I can do, and I'm obviously gutted with how the game went. It's not what I planned or envisioned when I arrived at the stadium. I'm an experienced player. As everyone knows, we’re down to the bare bones and, if I'm called on again on Sunday, I just need to make sure that I'm mentally ready to go - and make sure I put a performance in to show the manager what I can do.”

Findlay has to qualms with competition for his place. Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Jamie McCart are the only fit players able to challenge him right now. McCart had to play left-back in Thun and may do so again on Sunday. “I think when you're at a club like Hearts, you need to be ready to fight for your position,” said Findlay. “Last season went the way it did, I was part of a settled back line and the team were winning. I was part of that team and you end up playing more games than you don’t.

“This season, obviously, it's been a different manager with different ideas. I had my run of games again because of injuries at the start of the season. If I didn't show enough to the gaffer, that's ultimately on me. And it's up to me now. If I am called upon again, then I need to make sure that I put in a performance to show why I should be in the team. After Thursday, if the manager decides not to play me, I’ll be the first to put my hands up and say I understand because I didn’t put a performance in to merit that. If I do play, it’s up to me to turn it around and that’s what I intend to do.”

Discussions with Vrancken centred around Findlay playing in the manner his manager prefers. That is with the ball on the ground and distributing from defence in a possession-based approach. The player did not reveal exactly what was said between the pair, however he is keen to stress he is more than just a physical defensive barrier. “Not much was said. He has told me he knows what I'm capable of. It's just a matter of showing the confidence on the park to do that. Obviously, it's a completely different playing style.

“I think between yourselves [media], between the fans and every day, there's a picture drawn of what sort of player I am. It [Vrancken’s style] is maybe not something people think I can turn my hand to, but I've shown it enough times in training, I have shown it in certain games that I can play that kind of football.

“On Thursday it didn't go the way we wanted it to and I didn't get to show that, but I'm determined to show that I can play in this team. I think the gaffer knows I can do it, so it’s it just a matter of showing it on the pitch. I think people see me as a stopper, they see me as a defender, I win my headers and do my clearances, which I pride myself on. I've have been good at that for a lot of my career.

“I understand the way football is going, especially at a club like Hearts. We’re going to have to get the ball down and play. I think at times this season, I've shown that. There have been games that have been really good this season. Then you have games like the Kilmarnock game, where maybe the gaffer didn't see it from me and he decided to make a decision. Again, it's up to me to make sure I change it. If I get the opportunity Sunday, that's what I'm going to be doing.”

Findlay is philosophical when asked about the ignominy of being taken off at Rugby Park in front of his former club. “I’ve been around the block, I’m an experienced head. I have seen it happen to others, I had it happen to myself before,” he remarked. “These things happen in football. If you get subbed 15 minutes later at half-time, nobody blinks. It happens very regularly. The gaffer saw something and said he didn’t want to wait until half-time, he decided to do it then. That's on him.

“Obviously, it's not nice at the time. Nobody wants to get subbed at any point in the game. I took it on the chin, listened to what he said, listened to his reasons. We both agreed to move on from it, and I had my chance in Thun. The game didn't go the way we wanted to, but all we can do is look forward to the next one and make sure we do. The goals we conceded in Switzerland, were bad goals to lose, but on the balance of play, I think Thun deserved the victory. [Goalkeeper] Beau [Reus] has made three or four really good saves. We just need to take our medicine from that.

“Football changes very quickly. Before the Hibs game, we were on a couple of really good performances. It could change on the flip of a coin, the drop of a hat, and it can go the other way. You win the game against Falkirk, you go into the break third in the league, knowing that you've put a good performance, and then you come back into it and hit the ground running and before you it the narrative has changed, boys start to come back from injury.

“I'm under no illusions. I've been in football teams in a lot worse positions than what we are just now. And I know the quality we have here and I've got no doubt that we will win on Sunday. When we do, we'll turn it around and we move on from there. It is a bit of a freak situation with injuries, we understand that. But at the same time, we've got a squad for a reason, and I believe we've got enough in the squad who are fit and available, that we should be able to win games of football. We should be able to play better than we did on Thursday. We know what we've got available is more than good enough for what the manager wants, and we need to make sure we show it on Sunday.”