Hearts boss Steven Naismith pins colours to Lawrence Shankland mast and has say on Rangers situation

The Jambos boss believes his striker has a big shout for player of the year

Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland has improved his all-round game since working with manager Steven Naismith this season.

Steven Naismith is as well-qualified as any to sing the praise of his talismanic Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland and he is believes the Scotland internationalist should be firmly in the running for player of the year.

Shankland has netted 28 times this season for Hearts, has laid on eight assists and has captained the club for the whole campaign in their march towards third-place in the Premiership. He will lead the team out on Sunday for the Scottish Cup semi-final and vying for a place in Steve Clarke’s starting XI for Scotland’s Euro 2024 opener against Germany. Life is good right now.

Naismith has witnessed the player’s development first-hand this season. "I first came across Shanks when I played with him for Scotland and he was just a finisher,” said the Hearts manager. “From the until now, he's an all-round centre-forward. He's got real intelligence, a great touch, can score and his hold-up play is good. He's definitely progressed into an all-round forward. We’ve worked a lot this season on that part of it. He’s been receptive to doing it. He’s not just wanted to be in the box and scoring goals. It’s taken his game to a different level. He’s a better player now than a year ago and it helps that he has that versatility.

Shankland scored from the spot when Hearts lost 3-1 to Rangers at Hampden earlier in the season.

"He should be mentioned [for player of the year]. I think he's got a really good chance. For two seasons in a row, to score the amount of goals that he has, and then on top of that his performances. If there's one moment to look at, then it's the narrative of not making the Scotland squad, to making the Scotland squad, to 'can he be number 9 and can he go to the Euros', to 'is he going to be our No 9'. That shows you how far he's progressed this season. He has showed in the Holland game that he can be a target man as well as being a good finisher. If I'm honest I think he's in with a right good chance of winning it.”

A lot of the Jambos’ hopes at Hampden will rest on Shankland, but they can also take heart from the way their opponents have performed in the past week. Rangers’ title charge has been derailed by a 3-2 defeat by Ross County, which was followed up by Wednesday’s uninspiring 0-0 draw at Dundee. The Gers are only top-flight outfit Hearts have yet to beat this term and Naismith believes his team is much better placed to do so than in the four previous defeats this term – one of which was a 3-1 loss at Hampden in the League Cup semi-finals back in November.

“We are more comfortable with where we are,” continued Naismith. “We’ve probably won games in different ways – comfortable wins, coming back from back defeats, being tight and having to score late. So we are definitely a better team now, We’ve got a better understanding, and we’ve got confidence. From the last semi-final to now, our form is matching the Old Firm. There’s three or four points between the three of us since the last semi-final. That tells you we have progressed and we are challenging with them in terms of a consistent basis. To stay at that level, the next step is playing in finals.”

On the issue of Rangers’ recent travails, Naismith was asked if it helps his team. "I think for the individual it probably does,” he answered, “but for us the way we work and the way we have worked, we look at everything from players that are injured for the opposition, the way they play, their form. Two wins in eight tells you that they are not playing like they did before. But I would say that in the time since the manager has come in, they've rode their luck a couple of times. The first game against us at Ibrox, they are lucky to get a point, never mind three. I think now, they are on the opposite of that and it's about how they are going to react to it. But for us, it'll be a tough game, because it's a chance for us to get to a final. It's the same for them as it is for us. The more you play teams, you get a better understanding of them, what mistakes you have maybe made in the past and maybe rectifying them in the next game.”

Naismith does believe having a Hampden experience – despite it being largely negative – should benefit his players. “I think it helps with the occasion,” he said. “We'll do our tactical work, the game will start, but it's the small margins, moments within the game that will decide the flow. If we start fast and we are putting pressure on, it puts a bit more nervousness on them to defend. If you get the lead and you are winning with ten minutes to go, the crowd are on them, as you've seen in the last two games. But if we're down, we're going to have the same effect from our fans. It's having the calmness in those small moments to get the upper hand in the game, which will dictate how it goes. We've seen the way Rangers play. They are a very direct team, they look to pick up second balls off that direct play or get in behind you. And I think in the last two games, Ross County and Dundee have been good at stopping that.”

On the injury front, Hearts continue to be without Australian midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof, whose hamstring continues to be troublesome, with the issue also affected the tendon area. Naismith is unsure when the player, who was in excellent form prior to his injury, will return.