Hearts: Jon Daly in interim charge of first team at Tynecastle after Ian Cathro exit

Jon Daly will take charge of the first team on an interim basis

Hearts have placed Jon Daly in interim charge as they search for Ian Cathro's successor as head coach.

The Premiership club sacked Cathro on Tuesday after seven months in charge.

The Tynecastle outfit said Daly would be "supported by the current coaching team of assistant head coach Austin MacPhee and first-team coach Liam Fox".

The interim team will be in charge for the Scottish Premiership opener against Celtic on Saturday and until an appointment is made.

In a statement on Wednesday, Hearts said: "Following on from yesterday's announcement, the club can confirm that the recruitment process is already under way to identify and appoint a new permanent head coach.

"This interim setup will take charge of the first-team's Ladbrokes Premiership match at Celtic on Saturday, and until a new head coach has been appointed."

Cathro, 31, who was in his first managerial role, was sacked following the club's League Cup exit.

Hearts said they "reluctantly" made the decision regarding "an extremely talented young coach with a very bright future".

Daly joined Hearts' coaching staff in January 2016, becoming the club's new U20s coach.

At the time of his appointment, Hearts' director of football Craig Levein described Daly as someone who the club believed possessed the attributes to "develop into a great coach".