It's taken a bit longer than expected but Steven Naismith’s appointment as Hearts boss is spot on. Well, technically, he’s the technical director because of his lack of a UEFA Pro Licence but make no mistake he’ll be the man calling the shots.
I’ll be honest, Naisy has been a slow burner for me in terms of who I wanted to replace Robbie Neilson. But each passing week of his caretaker reign was a warming to the idea of him as the permanent choice. In his seven games, he steadied the ship and led the club into Europe by cementing fourth place in the Premiership and barely put a foot wrong.
Naisy’s a strong character, he was a winner as a player and he’s brought that desire to succeed into the dugout. The crucial thing for Hearts was to name someone who already enjoys a connection with the support. I was at a few games during the run-in at Tynecastle and you can sense the relationship Naismith has with the support, earned during his time as a player. The energy and intensity is clear to see – he cuts an animated figure on the touchline and isn’t someone who’ll ever suffer fools gladly.
