Heart of Midlothian suffering from 'severe lack of leadership' - Steven Pressley
- Published
Hearts were held to a goalless draw by Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday as their poor run of form continued
Hearts are being plagued by "a severe lack of leadership" at boardroom level, insists former captain Steven Pressley.
Robbie Neilson's side are 11 points clear at the Scottish Championship summit but have failed to win their past four matches and were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Highland League Brora Rangers, sparking a fan protest.
Pressley says chair Ann Budge is not showing "real leadership".
"I'm passionate about this, about that club," he told BBC Radio Scotland.
"It lacks steel, leadership, all of those things.
"There is a severe lack of leadership within the club at this present moment. In Ann I think you've got a really good woman and good person that wants the best for Hearts.
"But in my opinion she's not showing real leadership just now. I even look at her statement that she made, external on the back of the disappointment at Brora. This was a time when I thought Robbie needed real support, If you read in-depth into the statement, she gave him no support.
"I'm looking at guys like Jim Jefferies who's appointed to the board just now as an adviser, at a time where Robbie needs that support, that stability, that guy by his shoulder, I don't see him, I don't see it at all."
'Put money in unconditionally, or not at all'
Fans group Foundation of Hearts are due to take ownership of the club from Budge, who is to remain in her chair role.
The foundation revealed this month that "around 250" supporters had withdrawn their pledges, but that membership remained at roughly 8,100.
Group director Gary Halliday told BBC Scotland that "those figures are passed directly to the club", and that "we don't dilute any message... it's passed on loud and clear".
Pressley is "concerned" by the potential consequences of Hearts becoming fan-owned.
"You can't have a situation where you're putting money in, and then on the back of some disappointment you're using that to lever the situation in the club. You either put the money in unconditionally, or not at all," he said.
"Don't come out and talk about it publicly. That's not the way. How can a manager work in a club that is being run in that manner? That's what worries me. Yes, they have a say, but it's how [you use it]."
A number of fans protested as Hearts lost to Queen of the South last weekend in the Scottish Championship
The 47-year-old, who made over 250 Hearts appearances between 1998 and 2006, hopes former team-mate Neilson is backed properly should his side clinch their Premiership return.
"I do think he'll gain promotion and I do think he deserves support to try and recruit in the summer," Pressley added.
"Because the other aspect of it is that recruitment has - and I'm sure he'll admit it - been poor.
"But he's had to recruit without having [sporting director] Joe Savage within the club during that period. I know myself being a football manager, that if you're doing your job correctly then it's nigh-on impossible to do the recruitment.
"He needs that support, and after the summer he should be properly judged, without doubt."