Hearts: Daniel Stendel behaviour 'embarrassing', says ex-coach Jon Daly

  • Published
Jon Daly and Hearts manager Daniel StendelImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Jon Daly was not wanted as coach by new Hearts manager Daniel Stendel

Former Hearts coach Jon Daly says it is "embarrassing" for new manager Daniel Stendel to suggest he could not trust many of the staff he inherited.

Stendel was quoted as saying Andy Kirk is "the only one I trust" from Craig Levein's coaching team.

Caretaker Austin MacPhee and coaches Daly and Liam Fox were quickly removed from first-team involvement.

"Anyone who knows me knows that I am one of the most trustworthy people in football," Daly told BBC Scotland.

"I've had a five-minute conversation with Daniel Stendel and, from that five-minute conversation, Daniel Stendel has come out and said he can't trust anyone at Hearts. That, for me, is embarrassing."

Former Barnsley manager Stendel has since brought in Jorge Sievers from Hannover 96 as his assistant.

His side are without win in his five games in charge and sit five points adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Daly says he still has an affection for Hearts and hopes they can avoid relegation but is critical of the way the German has dealt with his players and staff.

The former Dundee United and Rangers striker says he stressed to Stendel he was "here to help you any way I can".

"I was told to watch the training and, after training, he asked me my opinion on training and, being the honest person I am, I gave him my fair reflection," he said.

"I thought some of it was good, I thought some of it the players didn't understand, and that's the last conversation I had with Daniel Stendel."

'Stendel needs to find a system to win ugly'

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Burton Albion's Liam Boyce has been a target for Hearts

Daly also thought Stendel had handled badly the decision to tell club captain Christophe Berra to find a new club.

The defender, as well as departed midfielder Glenn Whelan, have both been critical of Stendel's handling of their futures at Hearts, with the Irishman already leaving.

"The whole situation should have been handled totally different," he said. "It puts the players on edge," he said. "They think - if he can treat Christophe Berra like that, I could be next."

Hearts have also been linked with Burton Albion striker Liam Boyce along with Wolfsburg 19-year-old Charles-Jesaja Herrmann.

Daly says former Ross County striker Boyce was a player Hearts had tried to sign in the last two windows and would be a "fantastic" addition.

However, he is "concerned" about youngster Aidan Keena being allowed to leave for Hartlepool United "yet you are trying to bring a guy in who has scored four goals in the fourth tier in Germany".

Daly added: "When he gets the players in that he wants, I'm sure Daniel will do really well. My worry is that he's trying to do what he wants to do with players who can't do that.

"I think he needs to find a way, find a system, that gets Hearts winning ugly and gets the points they need to climb that table. I don't know if enough players at the club realise the situation is drastic."

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.