Heart of Midlothian

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Interim manager Liam Fox has been speaking to the media before Hearts' trip to Dingwall to face Ross County on Saturday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• He had "no hesitation" accepting the interim job when offered on Saturday night: "I think people know what this club means to me personally. You never like doing it off the back of somebody losing their job. But unfortunately that's the nature of the beast as I say."

• Fox says he is taking a "risk" personally in taking the job but adds: "I believe that I can bring some positivity back and win some points for us to take us out of this position that we're in."

• There is "no hiding" from the fact the club are in a relegation battle. Fox adds: "Nobody's making excuses. We know it's not been good enough."

• He insists he has given no thought to his own future and is solely focused on game in Dingwall.

• On how to get the fans back onside: "I think that responsibility lies with everybody in this building up here. Hearts fans have numerous times over the years stood up and been counted and I think we're probably at the point now as players and staff that we need to give some of that back."

• Fox admits the timing of the Hearts player of the year awards on Sunday evening "wasn't great" and he understands why some fans were critical of the decision to go ahead with the event less than 24 hours after Critchley's sacking.

Image source, SNS

The next Hearts manager will be identified, scrutinised, and put forward by one of the most advanced and world-renowned analytical models in sports. But just how much pressure are Jamestown Analytics under to get this appointment right?

When Neil Critchley was appointed in mid-October, Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay was keen to emphasise that "the analytics only guide us," but also referenced the fact that "Neil was the preferred candidate from an analytics perspective and also when we spoke to him".

McKinlay also said Critchley would be the ideal candidate to work within a club that now had access to the data modelling used by Brighton and Union Saint-Gilloise.

Now, though, the numbers have to add up for the Hearts board after Critchley lasted just six months before being jettisoned.

"I'm quite optimistic about the Jamestown Analytics, think it's a good thing for Hearts to try, but the Critchley experiment probably wasn't the best advertisement for it," The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan said on the Scottish Football Podcast.

"I think Hearts should be looking for a bit more bang for their buck when it comes to Jamestown Analytics' intervention this time.

"I think they would be looking for them to come up with somebody who might be better suited to the Scottish game because it is a peculiar environment, isn't it?"

Former defender Maurice Ross, who has both played and managed in Scotland, reckons analytics has its place when recruiting players but is a "bizarre" tool to use when identifying suitable candidates to lead a side.

He said: "When it comes to managers, [it's a] totally different, totally different kettle of fish.

"How do you quantify leadership skills? How do you quantify the ability to gather a group? And by the way, I'm saying this about a club like Hearts, you're dealing with 40 people, not just playing staff.

"You've got the office staff, the groundstaff, how do you manage all these people? How do you quantify that? You cannot.

"And I think it's a bizarre, bizarre thing that's creeping into our game. And if that model is so great, why has he lasted six months?"

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes is the obvious choice for Hearts as they seek a new manager, says former Tynecastle midfielder Michael Stewart. (Scottish Football Social Club via Daily Record, external)

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

BBC Sport Scotland's Edinburgh football reporter Brian McLauchlin has been answering some of your questions on Hearts.

Kyle asked: What is the plan for the next manager? Is there going to be money invested into getting the correct experience and level we want the club to be at and will they be backed with a transfer budget?

Brian answered: All good football clubs will have a succession plan in place because you never know when you may have to go searching for a new manager/head coach.

Even prior to the departure of Neil Critchley, I have no doubt both sporting director Graeme Jones and chief executive Andrew McKinlay will have had names in mind as a replacement.

Jamestown Analytics will also have their say on who should be next in charge and between them a shortlist of potential candidates will be looked at and interviewed.

But the Foundation of Hearts may also want to have an input. And for the money they constantly plough into the club, it's understandable they want a say in what happens next.

Juls asked: Why is Livingston manager David Martindale not seen as a perfect solution for getting the best out of any club's squad? His record at Livi with scant resources is sensational.

Brian answered: What Martindale has achieved at Livingston has been nothing short of miraculous. Keeping a team with limited resources in the Premiership for such a long time was a tremendous feat.

But Hearts and Livingston are two very different clubs. Martindale has control of almost every section of Livingston.

At Hearts it's very different with the manager/head coach responsible for just one thing, the first team.

Knowing David, I am not sure how he would feel about the lack of control or influence he would have within the club.

Alan asked: How many underperforming and not-starting-often-enough players should Hearts get rid of? Is it possible to get rid of 11 and replace well enough?

Brian answered: This has undoubtedly been a season of huge disappointment and there are some players who have contracts ending and will move on.

For others who remain in contract but out of favour, it's unlikely they will leave unless someone wants them.

Moving on players who are underperforming or simply out of favour is extremely difficult. Especially when some are on very healthy contracts and know they are unlikely to achieve anything like the same deals elsewhere.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Hearts are seeking their third manager of the season after Neil Critchley lasted just six months in the job.

Here we take a look at some of the numbers behind Critchley's time in charge.

Win record

The 46-year-old was at the helm for 25 Premiership games of which he won 10, giving him a win rate of 40%.

That figure puts him third among permanent Hearts managers within the past 10 decade.

Robbie Neilson has the best Premiership win rate - 55 wins out of 122 games - at 45%. Steven Naismith, who was sacked earlier this season, had a 44% Premiership win rate after 21 victories from 47 games.

Craig Levein, Daniel Stendel, Ian Cathro and Gary Locke all have a poorer win percentage than Critchley.

Compared to other Premiership managers this season, Critchley is ranked eighth for home wins (six) during his six-month tenure but only Dundee United's Jim Goodwin, Celtic's Brendan Rodgers and Hibs' David Gray picked up more away wins than Critchley's four.

His Hearts side gained five points from losing positions - the third worst in the league in this category - and have also dropped five points from winning positions - only Rodgers and Motherwell's Michael Wimmer have managed to hold on to more points.

Big-game record & scoring woes

Critchley took charge of three derby matches against Hibs and failed to win any of them.

He picked up a point away from home at the end of October but suffered back-to-back derby defeats at Tynecastle then Easter Road, both games ending 2-1.

Critchley's big-game record was key part of his downfall. In his second game in charge, he achieved a solid 2-0 home win over Omonia Nicosia in the Conference League - but qualification hopes were dashed by three subsequent defeats and a lacklustre 2-2 home draw with lowly Petrocub.

A big disappointment for Hearts supporters was the manager's failure to guide the team into the top half of the Premiership table for the split.

During his time in charge not only did they fail to beat Hibs, they also didn't manage a victory against Celtic, Rangers or Aberdeen.

They were beaten twice by Rangers and Celtic and only managed two draws against the Dons in the league.

Despite that, Hearts were still in with a shout of a top-six finish going into the final pre-split game against Motherwell. But after a goalless draw, alongside St Mirren's victory over Ross County, Hearts were consigned to the bottom half.

It's no secret Hearts have struggled in front of goal this season and the 33 goals Critchley's side scored in the league during his time in charge is among the lowest in the division.

Simo Valakari's St Johnstone are the only side to have a lower xG than Hearts (35.33) during their respective spells in charge.

Image source, SNS

It will come as little surprise to anyone that the latest attempt at reconstruction of the Scottish Premiership has failed to get off the ground.

A change from the current 12-team set-up to one of 10, 14 or 16 were the options being discussed but the SPFL said "there was no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus".

Maintaining the status quo is a consequence of there being "no perfect option" for change, according to The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, McGowan said: "If you look at the options for expanding the Premiership, for 14 you would have to have probably a top six and a bottom eight and a different number of fixtures. So that's less than ideal.

"Look at the 16, which is the one that supporters really want. But Neil Doncaster has been saying consistently that you would then have to find a way to still preserve your four Celtic v Rangers games because Sky sports are not a charity. They're a subscription network who want to get the biggest numbers for games. So they want more Celtic and Rangers games.

"So it's how you square that circle with the 16 that's the problem. So it's not so much I don't think there's no great desire for expansions. There's no such thing as a perfect option and one that they can all vote for. That's the problem basically."

Former Scotland defender Maurice Ross, meanwhile, has accused Premiership clubs of "self-preservation".

"If they're going to remain the same, okay, let's put two clubs [automatically] down then and have a third-place play-off," said Ross.

"And we'll see what the reaction is of the clubs in four or five years' time. Then they'll want reconstruction."

What would you like to ask our Edinburgh football reporter Brian McLauchlin about Hearts?

With the club seeking yet another new manager in an underwhelming season, there's plenty to talk about on and off the pitch.

Brian is ready to answer your questions and offer his insight on your club.

Put your questions to him here.

Image source, SNS

Hearts striker James Wilson says the players must take some responsibility for the poor results that led to Neil Critchley's sacking.

Critchley was dismissed following Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Dundee that leaves Hearts five points ahead of Ross County in the relegation play-off.

"He gave me a lot of opportunities but it's football, we have to move on," Wilson, 18, told Sky Sports, external.

"We have to finish the season well. There's four games left, we have to win them all.

"Managers change, that's football. As players we have to take some responsibility too, the fact that we haven't performed well enough on the pitch. We all have to share that responsibility.

"I know growing up in the Hearts academy that where we are now is not where we're expected to be. We need to fight really hard to get back to where we should be.

"We just want to finish the season well and come into next season with a really strong mentality."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

To use the words of Ann Budge, Neil Critchley is "yesterday's news" and Jambos have discovered that diamonds are not forever.

The cacophony of boos was deafening at full-time at Tynecastle following the inevitable defeat to Dundee and Critchley was told by angry fans - I paraphrase - "Please leave our club".

In the end, the Hearts board had no option other than to relieve Critchley of his duties as our head coach.

As soon as the final whistle went in Motherwell and we failed to get into the top six, most Hearts fans knew deep down it was a question of when and not if the trigger was pulled.

I, along with every other Jambo, wished for Critchley to be a success but his appointment – seemingly as a cheaper option to first-choice candidate Per-Mathias Hogmo - coupled with his underwhelming managerial record in England, did ring early alarm bells.

Throughout his time in charge, you always got the vibe that he was a supply teacher in a high school, just taking the reins for the day.

The fact we are looking for our third permanent boss in seven months is an indictment of the Hearts hierarchy. The appointments in Budge's tenure have generally been poor, Robbie Neilson aside, and you can understand why supporters are concerned about the recruitment process for our next leader.

This is where opinion starts to get split – do we go for an experienced head in Scottish football such as Stephen Robinson, John McGlynn or Derek McInnes?

Do we try to be data led and get an up-and-coming manager from the UK or Europe, who perhaps has been in charge of an unfashionable team? Or do we try to go for a marquee appointment?

It's a really difficult appointment, but we cannot take the cheap option. That's what we have ultimately done twice already with Steven Naismith and then Critchley.

Having been to the Netherlands in recent weeks and attended an FC Utrecht game, I'm of the opinion a Dutch manager would do well over here. If it was an ambitious appointment we were going for, I'd say someone like Mark Van Bommel, who took Royal Antwerp to a Belgian league and cup double in 2023.

Someone that may be more attainable is FC Volendam boss Rick Kruys, who has just won the Dutch second-tier title with a side punching above their weight. He might come up in the Star Lizard search given his impressive 2.19 points per match average and 4-3-3 formation, not too dissimilar to Hearts.

Back to the here and now, interim boss Liam Fox has the tough task of a trip to Dingwall to face Ross County in what is now a relegation six-pointer.

The pressure is on the players to show some character and prove to supporters they have the mental resilience and technical ability to play for Hearts.

Image source, SNS

Hearts striker James Wilson has been nominated for this season's PFA Scotland young player of the season award.

The 18-year-old has scored five goals in 20 Premiership appearances so far this term and made his national team debut for Scotland against Greece in March.

Wilson is nominated alongside Motherwell's Lennon Miller, Rangers' Hamza Igamane and Celtic's Arne Engels.

Watch the Sportscene team discuss the current situation at Hearts following Neil Critchley's exit as head coach.

Image source, SNS

Former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan thinks Neil Critchley was dismissed as head coach due to fears about getting sucked into a relegation play-off.

The Tynecastle club parted ways with the Englishman on Saturday following a 1-0 defeat by Dundee in their first post-split game.

The result leaves Hearts five points clear of Ross County in 11th with four matches of the season to play.

"I was surprised," McGowan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I don't think he would have been there at the start of next season, but I was slightly surprised that they did decide to do it on Saturday night.

"I do think the club's slightly worried, after this weekend coming up, if results don't go their way, then it can really, really be tricky in terms of getting sucked into that play-off spot.

"For a club the size of Hearts, it shouldn't even be an issue in terms of getting sucked into that play-off spot. So I think that's why the club's acted."

Critchley took over from Steven Naismith back in October with the Edinburgh outfit bottom of the Premiership table.

Fans questioned Critchley's ability to win high-stakes matches and McGowan says that can be traced back as far as December when they exited the Conference League.

Hearts drew 2-2 with Moldovan minnows Petrocub, who were bottom of the competition table, a result which put them out of Europe on goals scored.

"The European campaign, going into the last game of that round to qualify against the worst team in that league and not coming away with a victory was the first sign of him not grasping the big games and being able to make his mark on the team," McGowan said.

"Albeit he came in and sort of steadied the ship, but I kind of believed whoever came in would have probably steadied the ship at that point.

"I just think too many times this season he's maybe changed the team and changed the personnel. I'm not even sure he knows who his best 11 is or what formation that would be, he's kind of stumbled across it throughout the season."

Former Hearts captain Steven Pressley would be willing to leave his role as Brentford's head of individual development to help his old club, who have dismissed head coach Neil Critchley, steer clear of relegation trouble. (Daily Record), external

Stephen Robinson would seem like an obvious and logical choice as the new Hearts head coach given his success with Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren, but there are a number of other possible contenders. (The Scotsman), external

Falkirk manager John McGlynn is the bookmakers' favourite to be Hearts' new head coach, ahead of former Oxford United boss Des Buckingham and another former Tynecastle team boss, Robbie Neilson, who recently left Tampa Bay Rowdies. (The Herald), external

Former Hearts team bosses John McGlynn, currently with Falkirk, and Robbie Neilson are among seven names who could be candidates for the Tynecastle job after applying the kind of criteria Jamestown Analytics might use to choose a shortlist. (Daily Record), external

Hearts' partnership with Jamestown Analytics means that every head coach appointed is first scrutinised by its data system and, among the criteria candidates must adhere to, every team boss must be on board with using it for player recruitment or they will not get the job. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Image source, SNS

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Jamestown Analytics will once again play a role in finding a new head coach, so there are likely to be names mentioned who are alien to many of the club's supporters.

Prior to Neil Critchley's appointment, talks had broken down with former Norway boss Per-Mathias Hogmo, who is now at Molde.

One name Hearts fans will definitely know and is highly likely to be close to the top of their wish list is John McGlynn.

The 63-year-old has been in charge of the club before and is close to leading Falkirk back to the Scottish Premiership with consecutive promotions, even if they have stumbled in their past two matches.

McGlynn knows Hearts inside out and is keenly aware of what is required to be successful at Tynecastle. He will have his backers within the club without doubt.

Liam Fox, who took interim charge when Steven Naismith was dismissed in the autumn, will again take the helm but is unlikely to have enough support or experience to be considered on a long-term basis.

Other notable names to be mentioned will be Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes and Stephen Robinson of St Mirren, who have been linked with the job in the past.

Regardless, whoever comes in will have to work with - and believe in - the use of analytics when it comes to recruitment, which could mean a left-field managerial appointment.

We asked for your views on Neil Critchley's sacking following Hearts' home defeat to Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Nick: It is the easy option to sack the manager but once in a while take a look at the players and weed out the non-achievers, also what about the director of football? They seem to always miss the bullets.

Alfred: The chief executive should bear the responsibility of appointing Steven Naismith and Neil Critchley and resign himself.

Robert: Just not good enough, so it's for the best he goes now and we try a complete rebuild.

David: Critchley was out his depth as much as the Hearts board are out their depth with regards to any football decisions. Changing the manager again doesn't deal with the core issue.

Steve: Failed to get us into the top six. Failed to get us to the cup final and dragging us into a relegation battle. Clueless. Correct decision.

Fraser: Hearts haven't been good enough for years. Another under-par manager in the spotlight. Huge loyal fanbase which has seen a very little return. Next appointment needs to be a huge name that's proven themselves in the game and has the ability to attract high performing players and bring some joy back to Hearts.

Image source, SNS

• Hearts have failed to win in their last four games in the Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 15 May 2024 to 6 October 2024, a run of 10 games.

• Simon Murray has scored 16 goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Dundee player.

• Hearts attempted 624 passes in this match, higher than their season average of 436.7 in the Premiership.

• Dundee have a record of W6, D0, L3 when leading at half time in the Premiership this season.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

When Neil Critchley was appointed in October, many Hearts fans had never heard of the former Liverpool youth coach.

Sure, he had managed Queens Park Rangers and Blackpool (on two separate occasions) but remained pretty much an unknown quantity.

Chief executive officer Andrew McKinlay refuted suggestions Critchley was the club's second choice because talks had broken down with former Norway boss Per-Mathias Hogmo.

And two wins in his first opening games appeared to show the Hearts board - or data partner Jamestown Analytics, who were heavily involved in the decision - had identified the right man.

However, just three victories against the Premiership's bottom two teams in the next 14 matches followed.

Included in this run was a wretched performance against Moldovan minnows Petrocub at Tynecastle when a victory would have ensured European football would continue after Christmas.

Other big-game setbacks came against Celtic, Rangers and local rivals Hibernian, who resurrected their season after a similar dismal start to their campaign.

Critchley wasn't helped by long-term injuries to key players, such as Frankie Kent, Stephen Kingsley and Craig Halkett. And when you add in the dip in form of striker Lawrence Shankland, the football gods were never really in his favour.

However, he will accept that football is a results industry and those results were simply not there for him.

Image source, SNS

Former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart thinks the club have "panicked" by sacking Neil Critchley after just six months as head coach.

The Tynecastle lost their first bottom-six game to Dundee after falling to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final and although Stewart is "not surprised" by the decision to sack Critchley, who he said "was never a Hearts manager" he believes it leaves many questions needing asked of a club who "are trying to be too smart".

"The club have panicked," the pundit said on Sportscene. "They are clearly concerned about being dragged into the relegation play-off spot.

"I'm not surprised. I've got a great deal of sympathy for Neil Critchley. He's a nice guy and clearly knows a lot about football, but he was never a Hearts manager.

"That's a bigger issue for me - who's making these appointments? Critchley was the seventh appointment since Ann Budge took the club out of administration and the track record has not been great.

"With this one, the board basically absolved themselves of any responsibility for it and handed the decision over the Jamestown Analytics. When Neil Critchley's name was mooted, I don't think a single person associated with Hearts thought 'oh, that's a good appointment'. You cannot just take a step back and give full responsibility to someone else.

"Jamestown Analytics was heralded as the tool that could have Hearts challenge for the title but they've not been able to get a manager who could last a season and that undermines it. Look at some of the signings they've made, yes they made some good signings in January, but they spend £400,000 on Sander Kartum, who's not the kind of player they needed. And because of additions like that, Critchley has ended up losing his job.

"I don't think it's rocket science. Far too often, it feels like they are trying to be too smart and do things differently rather than just doing football things properly. Hearts are arguably the third biggest club in the country and should be there challenging every season. But they're bottom six and not maximising what they've got."

Hearts fans, we want to hear from you in the aftermath of Neil Critchley’s sacking after just six months.

Let us know how you’re feeling about things here.