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Derek McInnes officially Hearts manager as Jambos move quickly to secure Neil Critchley replacement

Derek McInnes officially Hearts manager as Jambos move quickly to secure Neil Critchley replacement

Daily Record19-05-2025

Hearts have confirmed the appointment of Derek McInnes as their new manager.
The Jambos had been looking for a successor to Neil Critchley after sacking the former Liverpool coach last month, and the capital club - backed by Brighton owner Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics - have got their man.
McInnes joins the club after three and a half-years at Kilmarnock, where he guided the Rugby Park side back into the top-flight and then qualified for Europe in the following season.
Hearts' approach for the ex Aberdeen boss was not a well-kept secret and news of his decision to head to Gorgie with the season still ongoing did not go down well with Killie fans.
As a result, McInnes and his coaching team were not in the dugout when the two teams faced off on Sunday in Ayrshire, with Stephen Kingsley's last-minute winner handing the away side all three points.
McInnes takes over a Jambos side that missed out on the top six after romping to a third-place finish 12 months earlier.
Hearts kicked off the season with Steven Naismith in the dugout but a disastrous start saw him get the boot in favour of Englishman Critchley back in November.
Former Rangers midfielder McInnes is set to bring in his own backroom team, with Liam Fox - who stepped up from his role as head coach of Hearts B to assume first team duties for the final five games of the campaign following Critchley's departure - bidding an emotional farewell to the club on Sunday after being told he wasn't part of the new manager's plans going forward.
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