Hearts confirm Steven Naismith role change amid management restructure following European exit

Steven Naismith has been named as Hearts’ head coach.

In an unsurprising move, the Gorgie club have responded to their European exit by rejigging their managerial team, reverting back to the structure that was in place at the end of last season.

Following the sacking of Robbie Neilson, with seven games of that campaign remaining, former development squad gaffer Naismith was placed in interim charge, with Frankie McAvoy and Gordon Forrest installed as his assistants.

During the summer, all three were appointed on a permanent basis but, to meet UEFA criteria, which stipulates that the head coach of any team participating in their competitions must hold a pro licence, there was a tweaking of roles.

Steven Naismith (right) has been named Hearts head coach with Frankie McAvoy as an assistant. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

In a move that has been a distraction in the early part of the season and caused confusion and controversy, Naismith was named as technical director, while McAvoy was promoted to head coach.

But, after last week’s defeat to PAOK ended all involvement in the Europa Conference League for this season, the club have announced that they will be reverting back to the original job titles.

Stating it was always the intention once they had only domestic football to focus on, the statement read that Naismith shall become head coach on a permanent basis with McAvoy returning to the position of assistant coach.

Speaking to the official Hearts website, Chief Executive Officer Andrew McKinlay said: “Firstly, I’d like to place on record my thanks to Frankie for all of his hard work over the past few months. He remains an important member of our coaching team, is well-liked amongst the players, and his experience of top-level football has been invaluable around the training ground.”

But hinting at the disappointing start to the season, which has delivered just one win in their opening four Premiership games, leading to some calls for the management team to be replaced rather than rejigged, he said: “It is important that we now put all our energies towards targeting the top end of the league and qualification for European competition for a third year in a row which would be a first in the history of the club.”

“Of course, this is a proud moment for me,” said Naismith. “But I’ve long said that Frankie, Gordy, Gal [goalkeeping coach, Paul Gallacher] and I are a team. We work together, tirelessly, and today’s announcement doesn’t change that. Job titles have changed but the core of what we’re trying to achieve has not. We want to build this team up to play attacking, front-foot football that wins games. That attacking football was in evidence at the end of last season although we would obviously have liked more wins to go with it.

“I have also seen some signs of that over the past month, but I want to see more. We all know the last few results have not been what we expected, but we now have the international break to work on the training pitch and put it into practice at Tynecastle on our return.

“I’d also like to thank the fans for the support they’ve shown the team as well as Frankie and me. It’s very much appreciated, and rest assured that we will do everything we can to put on winning performances that they can be proud of.”