Hearts squad discuss Derek McInnes internally and bid to prove 'anomaly' point as two players leave

Beni Baningime has assured Hearts’ new manager that they will be inheriting a squad driven to prove that the underwhelming 2024/25 campaign has been an “anomaly”.

Hearts are homing in on the appointment Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes, although an official announcement may not come until next week once what promises to be an awkward final William Hill Premiership match of the season between the two sides on Sunday is out of the way.

Midfielder Baningime revealed ahead of Wednesday’s home match against St Johnstone, which will again be overseen by caretaker Liam Fox, that the Hearts players have been discussing the likely arrival of former St Johnstone, Bristol City and Aberdeen boss McInnes.

Hearts train ahead of their final home match of the season against St Johnstone. | SNS Group

“I think from the boys that obviously know him, they’re saying very good stuff about him,” he said. “I spoke to Shanks (Lawrence Shankland) about him, I spoke to Barrie McKay, and just all the boys that have known him, he worked in person with Shanks at Aberdeen, and they’re saying very good things.”

After Hearts finished in the top four in each of his first three seasons at the club, Baningime admitted this season – in which they have sacked two managers in Neil Critchley and Steven Naismith and ended up in the bottom six – has been a “strange one”.

“I think my time here, we’ve been quite successful, so I would be hoping this season is an anomaly, that we had a really bad season and that’s it,” he said. “The ambition at the club and the trajectory that we’re going on as a club and also us as players, we can’t allow another season like this one to happen.

“I was speaking to Cammy (Devlin, who also joined Hearts in 2021) and we’re like, this doesn’t happen here, in our time being here, we’ve never experienced this. We got third and then kind of bottled it when we finished fourth the following season. But yeah, we had third, so it should actually be three thirds in a row, but we obviously didn’t get that.

Hearts players left drained

“But this season’s just been like, how are we down here? How is this happening? It’s been a strange one. It’s draining when you’re not winning. I think we all need a break and then come back and redeem ourselves next season, hopefully.”

Hearts are set to add new summer signings aided by their partnership with Jamestown Analytics, but Baningime is adamant the guts of a strong squad is already in place at Tynecastle. “We need to remember, these are the same boys that two of the last three years were easily third, and, as I said, fourth, where we probably should have been (third),” pointed out Baningime. “You don’t become bad players overnight.

“It’s a strange one. I do think we have to be better, but I do think the foundation we have with players and the quality and, most importantly, character is good enough for us to get third and beyond next season.”

Jorge Grant, left, and Barrie McKay are leaving Hearts at the end of the season. | SNS Group

There has already been movement towards the exit door at Tynecastle, with Hearts confirming on Tuesday that Jorge Grant and McKay will leave at the end of the season after the expiry of their contracts.

Midfielder Grant, 30, joined from Peterborough in 2022 and has played more than 100 games across his three seasons at Tynecastle. Playmaker McKay, also 30, arrived in September 2021 following his departure from Swansea and has also accumulated more than 100 appearances, although he has not played since last November after being frozen out by recently sacked manager Neil Critchley.

Hearts guard of honour

“The club thanks Jorge and Barrie for all of their efforts at Hearts, and at full time after Wednesday night’s Premiership match with St Johnstone, the first-team will form a guard of honour to show their appreciation to their departing teammates, before the entire squad completes a lap of the pitch to show their appreciation to the supporters in the stands,” read a statement from Hearts confirming their departures.

Craig Gordon and Lawrence Shankland are the two other first-team players due to run out of contract this summer but Hearts have been in talks with both Scotland internationals about the possibility of extending their deals.