Heart of Midlothian

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

This season could barely have started more poorly for Hearts. And yet after the opening draw with Rangers all appeared to be rosy on the horizon.

However, five straight defeats against teams who last season would barely have tested Hearts means serious questions are now being asked.

Regular readers of this column will know my thoughts on how recruitment is the most important part of any football club.

And while many will feel the pre-contract signings of James Penrice, Yan Dhanda and Blair Spittal were good to have on board, none of those have started the season strongly and are taking time to adjust to life at Tynecastle.

The 'project' signings of Andres Salazar and Gerald Taylor have also had mixed results and the jury is still out on whether either of those will make a significant impact at the club.

Then you look at the established players. Lawrence Shankland, Barrie McKay, Craig Halkett, Liam Boyce and others have for various reasons failed to fire this campaign.

As so often happens though when things go wrong, the buck stops with the manager. Steven Naismith has admitted he has made mistakes, particularly in the changes he made after that opening match against Rangers.

The appointment of Graeme Jones as sporting director should help. He leaves his job as performance director at the SFA and will quickly realise there is little honeymoon period in club football.

But he will not have a magic wand to change things immediately.

The match calendar has also not been kind to Hearts with trips to Celtic, St Mirren, Dynamo Minsk in Azerbaijan and Aberdeen all coming up in the next five weeks. Hearts' only home match in that period is Ross County at the end of September.

Naismith knows results must improve. He also knows the fans will not take much more of the fare on offer so far this season.

He is an honest guy, though, and if he feels he cannot take this team forward then he will walk before any decision by the board is taken to move him on.

There will be lots of talks taking place behind the scenes at the club in the next two weeks to ensure an upturn in fortunes occurs and the fans will want to see that happen sooner rather than later.

Kye Rowles admits that fellow Australia defender Nathaniel Atkinson is waiting for an opportunity to leave Hearts after the 25-year-old was made available for transfer. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Get your questions ready.

Tom English, BBC Sport Scotland's chief sportswriter, is in the hotseat and ready to offer his insight and opinion on your club.

Four games into the Premiership campaign, what would you like to ask?

Put your questions to our man here, external.

Image source, SNS

Hearts have appointed "top operator" Graeme Jones to lead the club's football operations as sporting director.

Jones will relinquish his role as Scottish FA performance director to take the Tynecastle post vacated by Joe Savage in July.

Hearts say Jones will "oversee all aspects of the club’s football department, leading on performance, recruitment, academy and supporting both men's and women's team footballing matters".

He became SFA performance director last November after six years as the governing body's head of high performance which followed two years as head of football science and medicine.

CEO Andrew McKinlay said: "I’m extremely pleased that Graeme has agreed to join us as our new sporting director.

"The role is a pivotal one within the football club and, as such, it was crucial that our recruitment process was thorough, not rushed, and focused on finding the right individual.

"In Graeme, I believe we have that individual. He has huge experience in the game across many different functions, and his reputation within the Scottish FA is peerless.

"We’re getting a top operator, someone with the determination and the ability to drive standards as high as they can possibly be and I’m certain the club will reap the benefits of having Graeme as its sporting director."

Rangers, Hull City and Preston North End were all talking with Hearts in the final days of the summer transfer window about Lawrence Shankland but refused to meet the Edinburgh club's asking price in excess of £3m for the 28-year-old Scotland striker. (HITC), external

Read all of Wednesday's Scottish Gossip

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

As soon as Dundee United's Ross Graham wheeled away in celebration after putting his side 1-0 up against us on Sunday, Jambos in attendance at Tynecastle knew the game was over despite there being 14 minutes plus injury time to go.

It's now nine matches without a victory and with a trip to Celtic Park to come followed by a visit to Paisley to face St Mirren, you have to worry where a point is coming from never mind a win.

I was optimistic going into last week’s Europa League play-off against Victoria Plzen that we could get the victory, but we were second best to a side who were definitely there for the taking.

United manager Jim Goodwin copied the Czech side's sit-behind-the-ball blueprint and we were again devoid of any idea on how to combat it.

I'm now concerned Steven Naismith doesn’t know how to address this alarming slump in form.

He has stressed the new signings need time to bed in, which is understandable, but he is constantly chopping and changing starting line-ups with, averaging four to five alterations each game.

A lot of my Jambos mates have lost patience and want Naismith removed from his position, citing the international break as a perfect time to kick off the managerial search.

The problem with that idea is the Hearts board will have zero intentions of replacing a man they rewarded with a new contract just weeks ago.

They'll point to the fact we had a similar start last year and he turned it round, but there's key differences this time. Firstly, we have European fixtures so will be playing almost twice a week until Christmas, something we have already struggled with.

Secondly, Aberdeen are 11 points ahead of us after just four games, so you could argue third place is already unobtainable and that would be an embarrassing admission to make in September.

I definitely want Naismith to succeed but something needs to change in order to kickstart our season. Whether he needs to freshen up his own coaching staff or sign a free agent striker, the board must decide to back him or not.

Scottish FA performance director Graeme Jones is reportedly in the frame for a role at Hearts. (Daily Record), external

Read all of Tuesday's Scottish Gossip, external

Hearts fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's Scottish Premiership defeat to Dundee United.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Anon: The management team don’t appear to understand what is wrong and how to correct it. The problems exist throughout the team. Does Craig Gordon contribute positively to the defence? I'm not sure. A bloated squad must affect the team’s morale. Hearts don’t appear to have the capacity to play effectively in Europe and domestically.

Mally: Clearly no idea of attacking tactics, no pace, lack of running into space, slow and poor decision making both on and off the pitch. My family have been Hearts supporters since the 1930s and have seen poor games and bad results, but that was one of the worst performances ever.

Derrick: Another cheap appointment gone wrong, Steven Naismith is blaming everyone but himself. If his public demeanour is the same as he shows on the training ground and when communicating with players, no wonder Hearts are so poor. No strategy on the pitch, definite lack of motivational skills and most importantly out of his depth at a club as big as Hearts. He’s got to go now.

Craig: We set a precedent that losing five games in a row was enough to lose your job with Robbie Neilson. I said at the time it’s a dangerous one to set and we should be careful what we wish for, we either need to commit or keep cycling managers. I do believe he can turn this around once the new signings gel but we have been poor.

Bryan: Last season Lawrence Shankland and his goals got us third place, but now when the chips are down we are seeing the cracks appear. Naismith has lost control and doesn’t turn it around from here. The money we will spend getting rid will be nothing compared to the money we will lose on a bottom-six finish. Time to go Naismith. Take yer hoodies with you.

David: Time for calm heads. We desperately need a win then hopefully onwards and upwards, Not sure why fans want a change of manager, who do they think we will get that can do better?

Image source, SNS

Ex-Hibernian midfielder Scott Allan says "the international break has come at a good time" for Steven Naismith, who must "stop the rot" at Hearts.

The Tynecastle side slumped to a sixth straight defeat after losing to another of Allan's former sides, Dundee United, on Sunday.

After cruising to a third-placed finish last term, Naismith's men are yet to win a game this season and have scored just twice in their seven matches.

On top of that, talismanic striker Lawrence Shankland, who racked up 31 goals last campaign, has not found the net in those seven fixtures.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Allan said: "The problem for Hearts is the games they didn't play so well in last year, Shankland was producing.

"When they don't have Shankland producing... you're not getting any of your moments of quality that can decide games for you. And I think there's a frailty to Hearts at the moment, especially defensively.

"The international week has probably come at good time for Naismith. He can get his group together and really work on things because they need to stop the rot. It's as simple as that and that starts from defence usually."

Celtic brought in £10.59m more in the summer transfer market than they spent, Aberdeen made a profit of £2.67m, Motherwell were up £1.34m and Heart of Midlothian £1.01m, but Hibernian spent £438,460 more than they brought in, while Rangers' net spend was £11.71m. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Watch highlights as Dundee United win away to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

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Hearts manager Steven Naismith told BBC Scotland: "Poor. We're vulnerable, lacking in confidence and it showed. We started positively, aggressive press but didn't create many good chances. Dundee United managed the game better than we did all the way through.

"We don't understand how to manage a game like that, play along with it, take ages with out set plays and throws. We could feel the tension building and play safe. It's really tough. It's something that needs to change quickly.

"We've got to touch on the moments lats season when it was tough. There isn't a quick fix. I've been here as a player in a bad run of form - you don't turn up next week and it's perfect. You need to dig deep and become hard to beat.

"We're not the only club in Europe, the only club that has that challenge. It's not as straightforward as the players not understanding. It takes a lot of bravery and understanding to think 'I'm going to be the one who makes a difference here'.

"Our newer players are taking time to settle but that's natural. Coming to Hearts is tough. Signing players, it's always a risk and you've got to try and minimise that. Not many said we didn't recruit well. Players we've signed haven't become bad overnight.

"I've had adversity throughout my career. I'll always fight. I'd be the first to say if I didn't think I couldn't turn it around, I'd tell the club. We've got a good squad. We need to be together to work out of this."

Hearts suffered their sixth defeat in a row as Dundee United maintained their strong Scottish Premiership return to move up to third going into the international break.

Both sides missed chances at Tynecastle, breaking forward freely but looking blunt in the final third, before Ross Graham's trundling effort in the 77th minute caught out the unsighted Craig Gordon.

What did you make of that, Hearts fans? What is the answer to turning around this horrendous run of form?

Let us know your thoughts here, external.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

The opening 15 minutes looked a lot better than the performance against Viktoria Pilzen. That good feeling evaporated quite quickly as United turned the heat up.

Another four changes, albeit Lawrence Shankland coming in, welcomed another change of shape. There were more bodies in midfield and Jorge Grant looked decent in spells, but for all the possession there was almost no penetration. Kenneth Vargas and Yutaro Oda struggled to get behind their men.

Fourteen shots on target produced an xG of 0.65, meaning most were potshots or blocked at close range. Shankland had scored five goals by this stage last year. This year, none.

Defensively, the zonal marking at set pieces has produced umpteen chances for the opposition in recent weeks and does not appear to be working. There is a palpable worry that shoots around the supporters whenever Hearts have to defend their box.

There are plenty of problems Naismith has to find the answer to. He has an international break to solve those conundrums, but has to visit Celtic Park to display his findings.

Image source, SNS

Hearts: Gordon, Kingsley, Halkett, Kent, Penrice, Oda, Spittal, Boateng, Grant, Oda, Shankland, Vargas.

Substitutes: Clark, Oyegoke, McKay, Devlin, Rowles, Forrest, Dhanda, Pollock, Salazar.

Dundee United: Walton, Adegboyega, Gallagher, Graham, Stephenson, Babunski, Holt, Sibbald, Ferry, Trapanovski, Van der Sande.

Substitutes: Richards, Sevelj, Moult, Odada, Middleton, Dalby, Docherty, Thomson, Ubochioma.

Image source, Getty Images

In case you missed it, here are Hearts' fixtures for the league phase of the Conference League:

3 October: Dinamo Minsk (A)

24 October: Omonoia (H)

7 November: Heidenheim (H)

28 November: Cercle Brugge (A)

12 December: FC Copenhagen (A)

19 December: FC Petrocub (H)

Image source, SNS

Hearts hope to have Lawrence Shankland back after a knee injury while Andres Salazar is available after not being registered for the Europa League. Liam Boyce will be assessed after going off injured against Plzen while Calem Nieuwenhof (hamstring) and Beni Baningime (knee) are still out.

Dundee United expect to have everyone available apart from Ryan Strain (hamstring).

Jane Lewis, Brian McLauchlin and Tyrone Smith round up all the deadline defying drama as the Scottish transfer window shuts.

From Celtic's record breaking signing to some high profile departures they discuss all the biggest moves in Scotland and cross to Italy to hear about the excitement as Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay move to Napoli.

Listen to the full episode here.

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Cammy Devlin insists Hearts will be doing "everything in their power" to pick up their first win of the season before the upcoming international break by defeating Dundee United on Sunday.

The Gorgie club had been knocked out the League Cup by second-tier Falkirk before dropping to the Conference League after losing their Europa League play-off against Viktoria Plzen on Thursday.

A lack of league wins leaves Hearts tenth in the Premiership - being propped up only by city rivals Hibernian and bottom club Kilmarnock.

"I've missed that winning feeling, there's nothing like it," Devlin said. “Winning a game of football is the best feeling in the world.

"It doesn't matter how we win, it would be really good for us as players, for the coaching staff, for the club, to just get that winning feeling back, for the fans to go back to the pubs after a game with a win and heading into the international break."

The restless Tynecastle faithful has not witnessed a victory on home turf since 11 May, when Hearts ran out 3-0 winners over Dundee.

"I think whether you've won five in a row or you've lost five in a row, it's important to go into the break with a win," the midfielder added.

"We'll be doing everything in our power to make that happen. Fingers crossed we can."

We asked for your views on Hearts' Conference League draw.

Here's what some of you said:

Calum: Home games should be good, minimum of two wins but the away games could be tough, hoping for eight or nine points, which should be enough to get us a play-off game.

David: Some winnable games there but not if we play the way we did against Viktoria Plzen.

Deek: Three great chances at home but we need to start putting it together.

Robert: Win two at home, draw with the Germans and get one point in the away games - eight points.

Jamie: We are more than capable of winning each of those games, however after seeing us so far this season I'll be happy if we can just score a goal at this point.

Anon: Apart from Copenhagen and Bruges, the others are pretty unknown. Mind you, Hearts could lose to anyone right now.

Jim: At present unless a massive dose of self-belief is injected into this side I don't think there are any easy games, here or abroad.

Colin: We'll do well to get four points out of that set of fixtures with the way we are playing just now but it's all about money for the club. A couple of good trips for the loyal fans.

William: The way things are going just now for us I can't see us getting a point.

OK, Celtic v Rangers is the biggest top-flight match of the weekend but it will get plenty of attention.

What's interesting about Hearts' home meeting with Dundee United is that promoted United go into Sunday's game unbeaten in the Premiership while last season's third-placed team, Hearts, are winless this season.

Head coach Steven Naismith has not yet settled on a first choice XI, due in part to Hearts juggling European fixtures along with league and League Cup games.

The Tynecastle side desperately need to get captain and talisman Lawrence Shankland firing again and playing against his former club might just be the ticket, though he did miss the midweek loss to Viktoria Plzen.

For United, a morale-boosting win against St Johnstone last weekend followed draws with Dundee and Ross County.

They are also through to the last eight of the League Cup and manager Jim Goodwin is seeing his newly-built squad spread the goals around.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks