Do Hearts Need 'a Personality' Or Something Else?

"Follow nan Hearts and you can't spell wrong."

The statement from nan Edinburgh club's anthem seems a tad retired of spot these days arsenic it bellows astir a gloomy Tynecastle.

The Hearts committee are astir to lurch into a 3rd managerial hunt successful 3 years, nan temper accentuated pinch a faint flirt astatine a relegation play-off conflict fading amid nan backdrop of a bottom-six finish.

It's rather nan tumble from a play which started pinch bumper crowds and European football, culminating successful nan exit of Neil Critchley past month.

But pinch Tony Bloom bidding conscionable nether £10m for a large wedge successful nan club, there's possibly moreover much value connected getting nan adjacent assignment right.

So, what, and much importantly who, tin fans expect?

Names will alert arsenic to who is among successful nan runners and riders to switch Critchley, pinch Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes nan fans' beforehand runners.

St Mirren leader Stephen Robinson and nan now Championship-winning Falkirk head John McGlynn, are besides successful nan conversation.

The second has already taken complaint of nan nine for 8 months successful 2012, truthful astatine slightest knows what it takes to do nan job.

But what benignant of personification is needed to put Hearts backmost wherever their supporters consciousness they should be?

"We request a personality," Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon told BBC Scotland.

"It's reliable astatine times astatine Hearts, particularly erstwhile things aren't going well. The fans are expectant and they'll fto america cognize if it's not bully enough.

"So we request to beryllium capable to woody pinch that and that goes for everybody astatine nan club."

Tough times person not been uncommon this season.

Steven Naismith departed successful September aft an eight-game losing streak, while Critchley's tenure ended aft blowing a changeable astatine nan apical six during a five-game winless run.

Asked if nan caller leader needs to person a presence, guardant Alan Forrest said: "Yes, I deliberation so.

"I deliberation everybody will opportunity nan same, you've sewage to person that respect, but I deliberation it useful some ways arsenic good and I deliberation if you get that respect nan players will play for nan head arsenic good truthful I deliberation that's important."

Being a spot of a characteristic and having a tegument thicker than nan coagulated chromatic walls of Edinburgh Castle is 1 thing, but a shot accuracy that backs it up is besides required here.

The Gorgie broadside beryllium successful nan overseas position of having a extremity quality of zero. Five teams person scored much than them, while only Celtic, Rangers and Hibernian person conceded less goals.

Delving into nan data, nan stats show that Hearts don't make nan astir of their possession and chances, thing articulated pinch Lawrence Shankland's extremity tally sitting astatine a humble 7 for nan season.

While Hearts are eighth successful nan Premiership table, looking astatine nan xG (expected goals) points table, nan Tynecastle broadside should presently beryllium 4th connected 51 points.

"I deliberation nan connection is clear for nan players, playing a affirmative style," said Forrest.

"Every subordinate wants that, playing connected nan beforehand foot, truthful it's conscionable astir that for me, being affirmative and taking nan crippled to teams."

For caretaker Liam Fox, nan ngo for nan caller leader is simple.

"They request to triumph games first and foremost," he said. "I cognize that sounds really simple, but it's not for maine to beryllium present and show you what a Hearts head is.

"It's conscionable uncovering what useful for that group of players and that tin return a wee spot of time."

Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport Scotland

The consciousness of urgency to name a successor to Critchley has slowed aft nan threat of being dragged into a relegation conflict eased pinch Saturday's triumph complete Dundee.

However, don't uncertainty activity is going successful down nan scenes to guarantee who is fixed nan motion is nan correct personification to return over.

Saturday's lucifer astatine location to Motherwell is an perfect opportunity for nan committee to stitchery and finalise either a preferred candidate, aliases astatine slightest whittle it down to a mates of names.

Over nan past fewer days, McInnes has leapt towards nan apical of nan heap successful position of protagonist satisfaction.

The 53-year-old has been a regular sanction whenever nan Hearts occupation has go available. It's not a astonishment fixed he guided Kilmarnock to Europe past play and spent 8 years astatine Aberdeen.

With Jamestown Analytics besides having input, different names will beryllium successful nan framework but, arsenic things stand, McInnes is nan beforehand runner.