Latest news with #StevenNaismith
Scotsman
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
17 brilliant photos of Hearts fans this season as support goes continental
Hearts fans are looking forward to the Derek McInnes era at Tynecastle as a busy summer transfer window dawns. A tough Premiership season was endured amid a bottom six finish with Steven Naismith then Neil Critchley sacked as head coach. Fans supported the team through thick and thin regardless in a term that's taken them abroad into Europe plus up and down the nation. Now with Tony Bloom's proposed investment on the table, supporters will hope it can take Hearts into a position of strength consistently. Charting the journey from pre season to matchday 38, here are some of the best photos of Hearts fans in this season now past. 1 . Kick off The season started off with supporters marchinh along the Maroon Mile ahead of the Leyton Orient friendly. | SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . Competitive start The Premiership term begins versus Rangers. | SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . Meeting a legend Gary Locke with punters in Plzen | SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . Selfie time There was a chance for young Hearts fans to meet one of their heroes ahead of facing Viktoria Plzen. | SNS Group Photo Sales
STV News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
New Hearts boss Derek McInnes says squad needs a tweak not an overhaul
Derek McInnes has told the current Hearts players they can still play a big part in his plans to revive the club on the back of a dispiriting season in which two of the new manager's predecessors were sacked. The 53-year-old was appointed on Monday at the end of a campaign in which the Jambos finished seventh in the William Hill Premiership and disposed of Steven Naismith in September and Neil Critchley in April. McInnes still feels Hearts, who finished in the top four in each of the previous three seasons, boast plenty of players he would like to utilise going forward. 'I want to make sure that my time here is a success so I'm going to make sure I put together a squad that can meet the demand here and a lot of the current players are a huge part of that, there's no doubt about it,' he said. 'I do think there's a capability here within the squad. And with the right additions and the right tweaking of the squad, we can look forward with a lot more optimism for the season ahead.' It remains to be seen whether Scotland internationals Craig Gordon and Lawrence Shankland will be part of McInnes' squad, with both players' contracts due to expire, but the new manager indicated he is keen to retain them. 'I think as soon as we finish this (press conference) I can probably get going with that sort of stuff,' he said. 'I know Lawrence more than Craig, but both are capable players and have proven they're good players here. And I just want to work with good players. 'These conversations will be had, as they will do with the majority of the squad over the next wee while and I'll obviously be spending time with (sporting director) Graeme Jones over the next few days and really kind of honing in on what we need for the start of the campaign. 'And hopefully when the window closes, the squad will be more rounded, maybe a bit more balanced and a bit more of what I would want it to be for the challenges ahead.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
New manager an 'exciting prospect' for Kilmarnock
Midfielder David Watson says the idea of a new manager coming into Kilmarnock is an "exciting prospect".Derek McInnes' move to Hearts was confirmed on Monday after three-and-a-half years at Rugby Kilmarnock striker Steven Naismith has been linked with the vacant position at the Ayrshire club, while Tony Docherty, Stuart Kettlewell and Liam Fox are all out of work after recently leaving Premiership coach Chris Burke, who stepped up on a caretaker basis for the final league game of the season against Hearts, has been if it was an uncertain period for the players as they headed off for their summer break without a manager, young midfielder Watson said: "I don't think it's an uncertainty."I think it's more of an excitement to see who's going to come in and how they're going to work and to learn from a new manager."I've only done it once obviously with going from Tommy Wright to Derek McInnes, but it's an exciting prospect of somebody else coming in and seeing how they view football."It's quite exciting to see how we're going to play and how we're going to set up and how we do things differently or how it compares to other managers."Former Scotland international Burke, who oversaw a 1-0 defeat at home to Hearts in Sunday's final Premiership clash, is open minded about what the future holds for him."I'm still new in my (coaching) journey, which is good," he said. "So for myself, I need to make sure that if anything like this did happen anywhere in any club, then I'd have to make sure I'm ready for it."I need to have the best version of myself. I couldn't tell you what the next step is. I couldn't tell you my next journey in football. It's crazy."I was video analysing Under-18s teams and then before you know it, I'm video analysing Hearts' first team and you've got Lawrence Shankland on the team."It's crazy. Football is as mad as it is and it turns around very, very quickly."
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Who do you want to see replace McInnes?
Kilmarnock fans, the news you have all been expecting has finally been McInnes has left the club to become head coach of fellow Scottish Premiership side does your club go from here? Who do you want to see replace McInnes? A heavily-linked name like Steven Naismith? Or perhaps a left-field appointment?Send us your thoughts
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Naismith emerges as frontrunner to take the reins at Kilmarnock as McInnes closes in on Hearts move
Steven Naismith has emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Hearts-bound Derek McInnes at Kilmarnock. McInnes is set to complete a move to Tynecastle over the coming days after terms were agreed between Killie and Hearts. It was initially planned that he would remain in charge for Killie's final two games of the season prior to any departure. But his position had become untenable on the back of a 3-0 defeat at Motherwell on Wednesday which saw a section of supporters turn on him. With Hearts due at Rugby Park tomorrow, it was confirmed on Thursday that McInnes has been taken out of the firing line. Chris Burke will instead take the team, but it's his ex-Killie team-mate Naismith who is now in pole position to land the job long-term. Mail Sport understands Naismith is in no rush to get back into the game. However, he would be keen on holding talks with his former club about the position. Naismith left Hearts earlier this season and would entertain a return to coaching and management if the right club came along. Asked about the links to Killie on the latest episode of The Warm-Up, the SPFL's weekly preview show, Naismith said: 'I'm enjoying the time out. 'It takes over your life, management. It's on your mind all the time. I loved it but I've loved my time out. 'I'm at the point where everything needs to be perfect. So it has to be the right club, you believe in what it is and that you're going to make a difference.' Naismith became a club hero at Kilmarnock after coming through the academy, then scoring 32 goals in 105 games. He was sold to Rangers in 2007 for a club-record fee of £1.9million. He was part of the Scotland backroom team then took charge at Tynecastle on an interim basis in April 2023. After landing the full-time job, he guided Hearts to third last season but was axed just six games into the current campaign with the club languishing at the foot of the table.
