Neil Critchley has say on Blackpool and QPR stints - and how Hearts can bridge Celtic-Rangers gap

New Hearts head coach Neil Critchley is relishing the challenge of raising the performance levels of the current Hearts squad, explaining how in time the “not insurmountable” gap with the Old Firm could be breached.

Critchley, who turns 46 on Friday, was appointed Hearts boss on Tuesday and has spent this week preparing his team for the visit of St Mirren in the Premiership. The Jambos are currently bottom of the league and winless after eight league games, but the former Liverpool coach - who has a track record of improving players - has full faith he can eke more out of his team.

“I'm excited by all the players that are here because I'm a firm believer in it doesn't matter how old you are, if you've got the right frame of mind and you're open-minded, you can always learn and improve,” explained Critchley. “We had players into their 30s at Blackpool, like Richard Keogh, Gary Madine and they were very receptive and open for wanting to improve and I want to work with those people because I think then you've just got a better chance of coming together and improving the team and the individual that ultimately brings the team together and has success in the future.”

Neil Critchley's most recent role was being in charge of Blackpool. | Getty Images

This will be Critchley’s first role in Scottish football after spells in charge of Blackpool twice and QPR. Hearts have made no secret of their tie-up with Tony Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics, which the club believes can give them an edge against their competitors. Critchley concurs that using such data can help bridge the gap with Celtic and Rangers, who have a far superior budget.

“It's always something to whet your appetite, I think,” Critchley said of the Old Firm challenge. “Everyone knows the top two are the dominant, aren't they? They have been for a number of years. But at some point, why can't that gap be bridged? It's not insurmountable.

“To do that, though, you have to think differently first. So maybe this is a different type of appointment. I think that shows you maybe the direction the club wants to go into. And with a different type of thinking and what we might be able to achieve in terms of recruitment, etc, then who knows what might happen in the future?”

Critchley’s appointment has been met with some scepticism from Hearts fans, particularly given he has been sacked from his past two roles at Blackpool and QPR. He was invited to have his say on what he has learned from his spells at Loftus and Bloomfield Road.

Critchley also had a brief spell at QPR. | Getty Images

“It might be wrong of me to speak about what happened,” added Critchley. “I say I don't look at them as negative. QPR, you talk about your first 100 days at a job and I was less than that. So sometimes you know the decisions that you need to make, but you need to get the time to make them in the future. And I didn't, but the club continued losing after I left. I still think they're third from bottom now in the Championship. So it's still not right.

“You need time sometimes. I'm not foolish, I know you have to get results, particularly here. You've got to win games of football. If I can do that, then I'm really excited with the conditions and the people and the support I'll get, what we can achieve in the future.”