Steven Naismith sacked by Hearts after eight-game losing run

Hearts have lost their last eight games in all competitions and are bottom of the Scottish Premiership after six matches; Steven Naismith was awarded a new contract six weeks ago but has lost every match since signing his new deal; B-team boss Liam Fox in interim charge of first-team

Hearts are searching for a new head coach after sacking Steven Naismith, following an eighth successive defeat in all competitions.

The 38-year-old was named interim boss in April 2023, before eventually becoming permanent head coach five months later.

He guided the club to third in the Premiership last season – finishing 12 points clear of the rest – as well as the semi-finals of both domestic cup competitions.

Naismith was rewarded with a new contract just six weeks ago with a club statement saying Hearts had gone “from strength to strength” since he and the backroom team took over.

However, the club have lost every match since that new deal, with Saturday’s defeat at St Mirren leaving the Tynecastle Park side bottom of the Premiership with just one point from six matches.

Assistants Gordon Forrest and Frankie McAvoy have also left the club, with B Team head coach Liam Fox named interim manager, alongside assistants Angus Beith and Lee Wallace.

Reflecting on the decision to sack Naismith, Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay told the club’s website: “Things can change quickly, particularly in football, and it has been clear for all to see that things are not working this season. Results and performances have fallen below the standards expected at this football club and, unfortunately, there is little evidence of any potential upturn in fortunes.”

Who could Hearts appoint next?

Sky Sports News’ Gordon Duncan:

“Putting Liam Fox in interim charge seems a sensible move, he has top-flight experience as manager of Dundee United and has the relevant coaching badges, so that transition should be relatively smooth.

“Understandably fans are looking at who the next permanent appointment will be and that’s going to be a really interesting one. This is one of the Scottish Premiership’s biggest clubs, they were a strong third last season.

“The place people always start is, who is on your doorstep? If it were to be a manager in Scotland then the obvious names that jump out are people like Derek McInnes who did a great job at Aberdeen before doing a very good job at Kilmarnock, Stephen Robinson who oversaw St Mirren’s win against Hearts at the weekend, John McGlynn who has been here before and is doing a good job with Falkirk in the Championship.

“I think the hope really for the fans is that they perhaps look further afield. It’s hoped Hearts can tap into Tony Bloom’s analytics expertise and Brighton fans will know all about that. The club are of course in talks with the Brighton owner over an investment and use of his analytics company. The hope there is that those analytics can help Hearts find a new manager, especially when you look at the succession plan Brighton had. They knew who their next manager was going to be long before Roberto De Zerbi left and the hope is Hearts can tap into that expertise and find the right man, even if it means searching further afield than the usual names here in Scotland.

“You suspect Hearts will take their time over it. They’ve got a game against Ross County then start their Conference League campaign against Dinamo Minsk then a game against Aberdeen then it’s the international break. That’s when many Hearts fans would expect to have a new manager in place by.”

McGowan: Hearts need ‘young, exciting’ manager

Former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan on Sky Sports News:

“Something seems to be not right at the club. I don’t know what that is or if it is the manager, but the way football is the manager does take the fall.

“The players need to take a little bit of the responsibility, the performances haven’t been good enough this season and I think they should have done better in Europe as well.

“I would like to see them stay away from the Scottish managers or the managers that have been in and around Scottish football. I would like to see them take an opportunity on someone foreign, young and exciting.

“The fans want to see exciting football, there’s a lot of excitement around the possibility of new money coming into the club and if they can get a young and exciting manager who can really make this place rocking again then that’s something I’d rather see than some of the names that have been thrown around already.

“Something needs to happen to try and change the way Scottish football is.

“Historically it’s just Celtic and Rangers so I think if one of the clubs outside of them want to try and challenge them they need to do something that’s not been done recently.

“Brighton have a structure to it and it seems to be successful, it would be a lot smaller scale at Hearts in terms of the money they’re putting in, but in terms of Scottish football it is a lot of money so it’s a huge opportunity for the new manager that he might have those funds available .”

Hearts’ next six fixtures

• Ross County (h) – Scottish Premiership – Saturday
• Dinamo Minsk (a) – Conference League – Thursday
• Aberdeen (a) – Scottish Premiership – October 6
• St Mirren (h) – Scottish Premiership – October 19
• Omonoia (h) – Conference League – October 24
• Hibernian (a) – Scottish Premiership – October 27 – live on Sky Sports

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