The Derek McInnes factor behind latest Hearts transfer and what new recruit knows about Tynecastle
Hearts have completed the season-long loan signing of former Celtic, Kilmarnock and Newcastle United defender.
Hearts new boy Stuart Findlay has revealed his delight at completing a season-long loan move to Tynecastle.
The 29-year-old defender will reunite with his former Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes after the new Hearts boss continued his rebuild of the squad he inherited with the addition of the Oxford United centre-back. Findlay’s career started in the youth ranks at Celtic where he enjoyed loan spells with Killie and Dumbarton before making a free transfer switch to English Premier League club Newcastle United during the summer of 2016.
After a second loan stint with Kilmarnock, Findlay made a permanent move to Rugby Park in 2018 before moving stateside with MLS outfit Philadelphia Union three years later. Oxford were his next port of call but the defender returned to Scotland for a two-year loan spell with Killie and he will now work under McInnes once again after agreeing to spend the upcoming season at Tynecastle.
Why Stuart Findlay has moved to Hearts
After agreeing the move, he told Hearts TV: “The club itself is a massive, massive club. It’s a club I’ve played against, I’ve played at the stadium many times and the atmosphere and the supporters, it’s a fantastic place to play football.
“Doubled with the fact there’s a manager here who I know believes in me and a manager I believe in as well - so we have a really good working relationship that we had at our previous club. It’s something I’m really, really excited to try and take on into this new chapter in my career.”
Derek McInnes factor
The appointment of McInnes has played an integral role in helping persuade Findlay to snub offers from elsewhere and put pen-to-paper on a year-long deal at Tynecastle. The duo worked together during their time at Killie and Hearts’ latest addition has told supporters what they can expect from the new man in charge.
“He’s a very direct manager, he wants to get on the front foot, he wants to get in people’s faces and be hard to play against,” he explained.
“Nobody has played against a Derek McInnes side and particularly enjoyed it, I’ve had that experience and I’m glad I’m getting to be part of it again instead of against it. He knows how to win football games, he knows how to get results, he knows how to get up the league and with a club like Hearts, with the structure we have here, we have a really good partnership and I can see us being very successful.”
Findlay is no stranger to playing at Tynecastle and has actually found the net on two occasions at the home of his new club during his time with Kilmarnock. The once-capped Scotland international has admitted he is relishing the opportunity to have the backing of the Hearts faithful as he looks to enjoy a successful first season.
“It would be nice to have nine tenths of the stadium celebrating with me instead of the one tenth. It’s a place I’ve loved to play my football. Anybody that plays here and knows their football knows how good an arena Tynecastle can be when it’s bouncing. Hopefully, during the season we are all planning on having, it’ll be more like that than it’s not and I can’t wait to get started.”