Hearts have announced the appointment of Neil Critchley as their new head coach, as the club finds itself at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.
The decision comes after the sacking of Steven Naismith, who left following a league defeat to St Mirren last month.
Liam Fox, who served as interim boss, managed to lead Hearts to a victory in the Conference League against Dinamo Minsk but faced a last-minute defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Critchley, who was previously an assistant to Rangers boss Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, has been out of work since being dismissed by Blackpool in August.
The 45-year-old also had a short stint as QPR’s head coach before returning to Blackpool for a second term.
His first match in charge will be at home against St Mirren on Saturday, followed by a Conference League match against Omonia Nicosia on October 24.
Critchley will then lead Hearts to Easter Road on October 27 for a clash with local rivals Hibernian.
Currently, Hearts sit at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership with just two points and are still searching for their first league win of the season.
Why Hearts Chose Neil Critchley
Hearts’ chief executive, Andrew McKinlay, explained that analytics played a key role in the decision to hire Critchley. “We had many top-quality options, including Neil,” he said.
“During interviews, we learned about applicants and how they have handled different situations in their careers.”
McKinlay emphasized the importance of finding someone who fits into their new model, which includes using analytics for recruitment and appointing a sporting director with clear ideas for success.
Incoming sporting director Graeme Jones expressed his confidence in Critchley, stating, “Neil was the outstanding candidate based on the analytics. He understands what we want to achieve and has experience in high-pressure environments.”
Both McKinlay and Jones are optimistic about Critchley’s potential to lead the club into a new and exciting era. Jones added, “I will work closely with him to ensure he has the right environment to succeed.”
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