Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Ryan Stevenson

Ryan Stevenson reckons Hearts got it wrong with Steven Naismith as Gary Locke was the man for interim role

Good luck to Steven Naismith and Frankie McAvoy as they take the reins at Tynecastle for the remainder of the season.

I sincerely hope they do the job required and are able to salvage the third spot that somehow Hearts have managed to throw away. I have to say this though – it’s the wrong decision. If this was just to see the season out and give Naismith experience then fine. But there’s so much on the line for Hearts as they look to grab that third spot back. One man above all others has the key to the £5million European ticket – Gary Locke.

It might surprise you to hear me say this but I can understand why the board decided to end Robbie Neilson’s stint in charge after Saturday’s defeat by St Mirren. But it will only be the right move if the succession plan has the right man lined up to take over even in the short term. No harm to Naismith as I believe he will go on to be a good manager later in his career. I like the way he conducts himself and he was a great player. He seems well respected in his job taking the youths and the B team.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.