Caretaker boss Liam Fox says Hearts players know they let sacked Steven Naismith down. Now he’s challenged them to step up and start repairing the damage of eight defeats on the bounce.
Fox will put his own stamp on the Jambos against Ross County today – arguing that doing the same things and expecting different results is the “definition of insanity”. The 40-year-old – who has stepped up from B team duties – is expected to remain in position for the next three games.
And with a Europa Conference League trip to face Dinamo Minsk just days away he has told the faltering Hearts stars they must attack the week. Fox said: ”Listen, when you lose eight games I think if you’re a decent human being you’ll understand that everybody plays a part in that. Everybody. That’s just my opinion on it.
“I sensed from the start of the week that they felt they potentially let the [management] guys down. What they can do now is that they can focus on the next week and attack the week and see where we go. It’s been a difficult start to the week but we’ve got to focus, we’ve got to pick ourselves up, we’ve got to go again, we’ve got to be us.
“I’ll be a wee bit different to Steven. Everybody’s got different things that they want and they like to see or they’re demanding from people. And that’s not a criticism, but there’s no point in me going and doing exactly the same again because the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results.”
Hearts chiefs pulled the trigger on Naismith and his assistants Frankie McAvoy and Gordon Forrest on Sunday after defeat at St Mirren left the Jambos rock bottom with one point.
Fox said: “First of all, I think it’s really important that I mention really good guys. I’ve seen how much effort and work and time they put into it. Ultimately in football, sometimes you don’t get the time. Every coach, every manager, every staff always ask for more time and unfortunately it’s just the way that football is.
“I think when you step into this environment, you have to understand that that’s the trade-off, that you might not get the time that you need. So that was obviously a difficult start to the week, but I feel like the players have responded well every day that’s gone past.
“Let’s be honest, we’re looking forward to what is a huge week, a challenging week, but it’s a week that any player, any staff member is really looking forward to. It’s a challenge I want us to meet head on.”
Hearts are hoping to appoint a new permanent boss before the end of the next international break and CEO Andrew McKinlay confirmed Fox won’t be considered. Brighton chief Tony Bloom’s Starlizard analytics tool will aid the hunt for the new boss and Vikingur manager Arnar Gunnlaugsson is among the early favourites to replace Naismith.
Fox, who had a 35-game spell in charge of Dundee United two years ago before being axed, is up for the challenge in the short term. He said: “I’m focusing on Saturday and then we can worry about Europe after that and then we can think about Aberdeen. Yes, a three-week block, but the full focus and the only focus is on Saturday.
“Dundee United was a brilliant experience for me. I think every experience that you have in football is an opportunity to learn, to evolve, to grow and adapt.
“And there’s no doubt that that period will have helped me. There was a lot of challenges, there was a lot of bits and pieces going on in the background at that football club. But it’s definitely helped me, especially in the last four or five days.
“I think, as a coach or a manager or an interim manager. I’ll take the stick for 98 per cent of things. The two things that I always think are always on players is their attitude and their application. Nobody has shifted me off that. The rest of the stuff I’ll take responsibility for, no problem.”