Hearts turn to other options as Hogmo talks end

Per-Mathias Hogmo was most recently in charge of Urawa Red Diamonds

Heart of Midlothian's talks with former Norway boss Per-Mathias Hogmo have broken down and the club are now looking at other options to become their new head coach.

The 64-year-old was identified as Hearts' preferred candidate to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Steven Naismith.

He impressed the Hearts board in his interviews and talks had taken place with a view to his appointment but he is no longer in the frame.

Hogmo, who led Rosenborg and Sweden's Hacken to league titles, is out of work after leaving J-League club Uruwa Red Diamonds in August.

'B team' coach Liam Fox has been in interim charge since former striker Naismith was sacked last month following a run of eight successive defeats.

Chief executive Andrew McKinlay told BBC Scotland last week they had received close to 100 notes of interest in the job and he expected to hold talks with "seven or eight" candidates before narrowing down the list.

Hogmo is the only person in world football to have managed both the men's and women's squads of a single country at international level - and he led the latter to Olympic gold in 2000.

The former Tromso midfielder, who left Urawa Reds in August after 28 games in charge, first turned to coaching as Gratangen player-boss in 1989 and has been in almost constant employment since.

He has had three spells in charge of Tromso, has also managed Tromsdalen, Fossum, Moss, Rosenborg and Fredrikstad in his homeland, as well as Djurgardens in Sweden, and has coached at all age levels with his national association.

Hogmo was in charge of Norway's men when they lost 1-0 at home to a Gordon Strachan-led Scotland in an Oslo friendly in 2013.

He also twice faced Aberdeen in European competition while in charge of Hacken.

In 2021, the Swedish side were hammered 5-1 at Pittodrie and exited the Conference League at the second qualifying round stage despite winning the home leg 2-0.

Hogmo's team gained revenge last year despite being held to a 2-2 draw at home in their Europa League play-off first leg, reaching the group stage following a 3-1 victory in Aberdeen.