Heart of Midlothian

We asked for your views on Hearts' 3-1 win against Ross County. Here's what some of you said:

Steve: We've been crying out for months to stop playing the three strikers together and for Lawrence Shankland to play up front - what a difference! Great to see Frankie Kent and Craig Halkett playing together again. It wasn't a great game but three vital points. The midfield lacks any pace so we'll still struggle till the end of the season.

Sam: First things first, Hearts are effectively safe. County and Dundee aren't both going to go past Hearts when they've still to play each other. But they should never have been in this position. The bigger concern isn't really two points after eight games, it's not consolidating once they started winning.

Chris: You don't need fancy analytics to tell you that if you play your best striker as a striker, you'll likely get goals. Shankland was superb today as was Forrest. A little too late but a win is a win and I'm happy for Liam Fox who now has a league win to follow his European win.

Denis: Hearts need Fox to stay until at least to the end of the season. He is an unusual commodity - an old-fashioned manager. The County game was another gritty performance which produced three goals. It could have been a far more emphatic result, but for the usual good missed chances.

Steven: It shows the dramatic fall in standards when we, as fans, are worrying about losing at Dingwall and falling into the relegation mire. We have had to sit through weeks of a failed diamond that had no width, no pace, no craft.

Stick Shankland up top and he'll score goals. That simple strategy has cost Neil Critchley his job. Another manager comes up from down south and doesn't understand the dynamics of the Premiership.

Steven H: Pundits have been quick to bemoan Critchley playing Shankland in the number 10 role. What they forget is that Shankland went about 15 games without scoring in his normal centre forward position! Good to see him scoring again though.

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• Ross County have lost their last six games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 7 May to 13 August 2022.

• Ronan Hale has scored his 10th goal in the Premiership this season, netting his second goal against Hearts in four appearances.

• Ross County have conceded 28 first-half goals in 35 games, only St. Johnstone (32) and Dundee (30) have conceded more in the Premiership this season. 17 goals of those have been in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

• The Staggies have also conceded 19 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 26 February 2025 against St. Mirren (four games without a win).

• Hearts attempted 22 shots in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts have scored nine goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (16) and Rangers (11) have scored more in the Premiership this season.

• Lawrence Shankland has now scored nine goals in 12 appearances in the Premiership against Ross County.

• Lawrence Shankland has attempted 90 shots this season, the highest total in the Premiership. He has scored six goals, no Hearts player has more in the league.

Luka Elsner, who has managed nine clubs across Europe, emerges as a candidate for the Hearts manager's job. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

Hearts fans, are you breathing sighs of relief after seeing off the Staggies? What about Lawrence Shankland's return to goalscoring form?

Let us know your thoughts here.

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From a Hearts perspective, it's impossible to look past Lawrence Shankland - and to query why the now departed Neil Critchley did not use his captain in a central striking role more frequently.

Shankland showed early glimpses of his vision if not his close control, failing to collect two penetrating passes into his path.

That rustiness did not last long. The skipper swept in Hearts' leveller, nipped in to put them ahead, set up Alan Forrest for a third away goal, and nearly completed his hat-trick late on.

Forrest had spurned several brilliant chances - one created by Shankland - but he and Kenneth Vargas worked well on either flank to provide openings for the Scotland hitman.

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These are grim times in Gorgie, the sacking of Neil Critchley, the unsightly media interactions at the club's player of the year awards night, and the creeping spectre of a relegation battle.

When Ronan Hale slammed County ahead, the ire of the away fans was once again poured all over Ann Budge and the Hearts hierarchy.

Lawrence Shankland, a maligned and out-of-sorts figure for much of the campaign, rode to their rescue.

Often played in a deeper role, the Scotland frontman had scored only five goals this term, but his ruthless instincts re-emerged when played in a more advanced position with ample support from out wide.

Alan Forrest, on the left, and Kenneth Vargas, on the right, stretched County, and Shankland showed class is permanent with his clinical strikes.

On so many occasions last season, Shankland was Hearts' go-to man. His return to the goal trail looks to have come in time to ward off any fears of being drawn towards the Premiership trapdoor.

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Ross County midfielder Scott Allardice suffered a recurrence of a knee injury while Ross Laidlaw is a major doubt through illness. Andrew Macleod (groin), Noah Chilvers (knee) and Ryan Leak (Achilles) remain out.

Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland is available after a minor injury and James Wilson returns from suspension. Gerald Taylor (knee) and Aidan Denholm (hamstring) remain out.

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Falkirk manager John McGlynn "fully deserves" to be considered for a return to the Hearts dugout, according to Scott Arfield.

The pair are on the brink of securing the Scottish Championship title and Arfield reckons his boss has been rightly linked with the vacant post at Tynecastle.

"That's what happens when you're successful," Arfield said about the rumours. "You win the league last year with his management team and with the players, and he's brought a better calibre of player this season, and it's gained momentum.

"When you're doing well, people are going to talk about you."

McGlynn has led Hearts before, both as a caretaker and permanently, but it is his spell at Falkirk that has sent the rumour mill into overdrive after the departure of Neil Critchley.

"Hearts, they're a fantastic football club, one of the biggest clubs in this country," Arfield added. "He deserves all the plaudits, and if there are any rumours, if there's any talk about it, then he fully deserves it."

McGlynn, however, is fully focused on wrapping up a return to the top-flight of Scottish football for Falkirk.

"No, I'm just focused on this game," the manager said when asked to comment on any links. "This game is so big, we've just spoken about how big this game is, and that is my total focus all week.

"That's all I've been interested in looking at videos and stuff of Hamilton, going over previous games that we've played them in, who did well in what positions and things like that.

"That's been my total focus and it will be until you know, hopefully 10 o'clock tomorrow night, when probably, hopefully we can celebrate."

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Liam Fox begins his second stint as caretaker boss at Hearts with a mission to steer the club away from a nervous end to a hugely disappointing campaign.

His fourth game in charge this season will be his second against Ross County.

The first came in the wake of Steven Naismith's sacking, with Lawrence Shankland grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser at Tynecastle in late September.

Now Fox is stepping in to replace Neil Critchley, who steadied the ship only to let a top-six finish slip away.

A run of five successive defeats has taken County to second bottom of the table and they risk a third play-off final in as many years to preserve their top-flight status.

The Staggies are five points behind the visitors and a home victory would drag Fox's team well and truly into the mire.

However, County's form has been abject, scoring just twice in their winless streak, and they can boast one single success against Hearts in the past 18 league meetings.

Hearts have gone four league games without a goal since beating County in Edinburgh and, if Fox can find a way to solve that problem and deliver three points in Dingwall, the Tynecastle board members seeking yet another new boss will be able to breathe easier with the spectre of relegation all but lifted.

Read all the Scottish Premiership picks here

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Interim Hearts boss Liam Fox insists his side are "up for the fight" to avoid relegation from the Scottish Premiership.

The Tynecastle club are 11 points above bottom placed St Johnstone but only five above Ross County in the relegation play-off spot as they prepare to travel to Dingwall on Saturday.

Hearts relieved manager Neil Critchley of his duties following their 1-0 defeat to Dundee in their first post-split game last week with Fox taking charge of the team for their remaining four matches.

"I could sit here and say to you this, that and the other, but the reality is I'm okay with saying that because I think we are in a battle," Fox said.

"I'm okay with the players knowing that because that's where we are. I always like to be somebody that tells the truth and doesn't dress things up.

"I don't need to tell the players that and I'm not going to tell the players that. If they don't realise that themselves, then we're in trouble.

"I'm going to treat them like adults. They've been first class this week on the training pitch. I've enjoyed working with them again, leading them, but we're coming to the point now where it's alright me saying this and me saying that and talk's cheap.

"It's about producing when it needs to matter and this weekend it's on Saturday at three o'clock.

"They'll be up for that fight."

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• Ross County have only won one of their past 18 Scottish Premiership meetings with Hearts (D10 L7), a 2-1 victory in March 2024.

• Hearts have only lost one of their past 13 Scottish Premiership away games at Ross County (W6 D6), although are winless in their last two (D1 L1).

• Ross County have lost league games in a row; in their top-flight history, only in September 2014 (seven), December 2020 (six), and August 2022 (six) have they endured a longer losing run.

• Hearts lost three of their final four league games under Neil Critchley (D1), failing to score in all four. Not since March 1999 under Jim Jefferies have they gone longer without a goal in the top-flight (six matches).

• This will be Liam Fox's first Scottish Premiership game in charge of Hearts since a 3-2 defeat to Aberdeen in October this season. Two of his last three games as a manager in the competition have been against Ross County, losing 4-0 with Dundee United in February 2023 and drawing 1-1 with Hearts in September this season.

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Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland admits it "didn't look great" when he smirked while refusing to answer questions about Neil Critchley's sacking last weekend.

Shankland and Hearts chair Ann Budge were approached by Sky Sports at the club's player of the year awards the day after Critchley was dismissed.

Budge would only say "sorry, that was yesterday's news, I'm going in here now" while Shankland ignored questions after being told by the club not to speak.

At Hearts' media conference on Friday, Shankland said: "Obviously the situation wasn't ideal.

"I'm glad I've never been to court before because I'd never had the mic put in front of me like that. But when I saw it back it didn't look great.

"But the only person I was really bothered about his opinion was the manager that lost his job. So I reached out to him, I spoke to Neil and cleared things up. He was fine, didn't see a problem there at all. But it was just the situation I was put in.

"Of course, I'd never, ever give disrespect to a manager that's lost their job. I had a really, really good relationship with the manager. I'd actually spoke to him earlier in the day before the event.

"So I was glad I'd done that, to be honest. But no, he had no problem at all. And that's what I was really bothered about, to be honest.

"I had a lot of respect for Neil and Mick [Garrity]. They were really enjoyable to work with as well and most importantly, really, really good guys. So I felt it was important to reach out and just thank them for their time."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.