8 next Hearts manager candidates to replaced axed Steven Naismith from McInnes to Starlizard pick
The Newcastle board took the decision, and now efforts are underway to attempt and undo the unexpected Premiership start.
Any manager would be in serious difficulty after eight straight losses. When you consider that Steven Naismith had no wins throughout the season, had not won in four months, and was at the bottom of the league, you can see that the writing was quite clearly on the wall.
Just a few weeks after signing three-year contracts after a goalless draw with Rangers on the first day of play, Hearts finally made the decision on Sunday afternoon, announcing the dismissal of Naismith and coaches Frankie McAvoy and Gordon Forrest. As the Jambos stumbled from one setback to the next, that turned out to be the high point of Naismith’s season.
The name is on many supporters’ lips, and it’s understandable given that he led Kilmarnock to the European League season with a no-nonsense style. He doesn’t appear to have suffered as much as Naismith did this semester, but yet, it feels like it. Following their Europa League elimination against Cercle Brugge due to Copenhagen’s superior strength, the team triumphed over Tromso in the Conference League.
But the only team in the league with a worse record than Killie is Hearts. They are a point better off in 11th place, are winless this season, and have scored the same pitiful amount of goals while conceding just one more. The European campaign is at least a reason for the league’s difficulties, and McInnes may find things get easier with fewer games to manage. However, he would be entering a demanding schedule with zero confidence on the Hearts side. Andrew McKinlay and Ann Budge will probably be drawn to his track record with Aberdeen, but he wouldn’t come cheap from Rugby Park, and there’s always the chance Rangers will make a move (again) if Philippe Clement doesn’t work out.
Alex Neil
If Joe Savage, the former sporting director, hadn’t left in the summer, this might have gotten further traction. The two were coworkers at Preston North End, Norwich City, and Hamilton, but that connection is no longer there. Neill’s reputation is still strong north of the border, but despite many openings, he hasn’t returned to a Premiership position.
After leaving Deepdale, stints at Stoke City and Sunderland weren’t very successful. But Neill, who left the Potters in December, is free right now and would provide expertise that Naismith did not. Fans wouldn’t exactly turn their noses up if he was their option, even though he might not be as popular as he was at Hamilton.
John McGlynn
It’s unlikely, yet since leaving Hearts, the former Tynecastle manager and coach has shown his value on a lesser scale. Being undefeated in any category is a formidable feat, as Naismith discovered last month when Falkirk eliminated the Jambos from the Premier Sports Cup.
It remains to be seen if McGlynn has reached a level at which he feels at ease and whether a top flight comeback in a new role really appeals. It’s likely that fans will want a younger, albeit not necessarily more well-known, candidate than the 62-year-old. Therefore, even if his track record would seem to justify a promotion, from both sides’ perspectives it may just be a matter of “been there, done that.”
Steven Schumacher
After quitting Stoke City, another manager is trying to make a comeback. He started off as Ryan Lowe’s assistant at Bury, then moved to Plymouth with his fellow Scouser, eventually taking over as manager after Lowe left for Preston in 2021. The Pilgrims almost missed out on the League One playoffs in 2022, but Schumacher’s team took off the next season and won the championship in grand style, earning them a trip to the Championship.
He moved from Home Park to Stoke last December and didn’t let up for the Potters. After just five games of the current season, Schumacher left, indicating that something was wrong. The manner he persuaded Plymouth to play winning football may make him a viable choice, even though the expectations would be very different at Tynecastle.
Robbie Neilson
Will it work the third time? Many supporters would not be pleased, particularly in light of the club’s criticism for not looking past former teammates or managers—or even past those who are currently on staff. However, there is no disputing Neilson’s track record as leader.
It was his responsibility to win the Championship twice, and he succeeded both times. Hearts were in fourth position and still had a chance to catch Aberdeen when he was fired in April of last year, despite the fact that they had let the Dons narrow a significant points deficit. Third places after promotion followed. Though Neilson is likely content with his lifestyle and lack of pressure, a third spell could be too much for the supporters, the team, and him personally.
Mike Tullberg
Because of injury, the Danish striker didn’t leave much of an impression at Tynecastle, but as a coach, he’s become well-known. Since his early retirement, he has been expanding his expertise, primarily as a junior coach in Germany, moving up the ranks except for a brief stint as an assistant in Denmark.
While many may view Tullberg’s current position as a step down from his previous position as manager of the reserves, the Under 19s position is widely regarded as a more prestigious role and shows Tullberg is on an upward trajectory. It would be a gamble, but no less so than Naismith, and a victory over Hibs in the UEFA Youth League less than two years ago served as a well-received reminder to Hearts fans that he’s earning his coaching stripes.
Kim Hellberg
Aberdeen may also look to Sweden for their next manager if their unwavering start to the season under Jimmy Thelin has captured the attention of the Tynecastle boardroom. It wouldn’t just be following the crowd, either. Following Neilson’s dismissal, Hearts spoke with then-Hamarby manager Marti Cifuentes, who was favoured by a few board members before Naismith was selected, as exclusively disclosed by Record Sport.
After him, Kim Hellberg is now third in the Allsvenskan, nine points behind leaders and Rangers’ opponents in the Europa League, Malmo. Incentives would be necessary as he signed a three-year contract in December of last year, but at 36, he would seem to fit the mould that the Hearts have been going for in recent seasons and would bring new ideas and a fresh face.
If a deal with Brighton owner Tony Bloom goes through, this is probably where the name will originate. He is negotiating a £10 million investment and access to Bloom’s highly anticipated Starlizard algorithm with the Hearts management.
After identifying a large number of players from around the globe and selling them for enormous sums, Brighton’s recruitment is held up as the player trade model that other clubs should imitate. They also get to choose the manager. Having passed under the admittedly parochial Premier League radar, Roberto Di Zerbi was brought in from Italy after giving Graham Potter a chance.
After he left the previous season, Fabian Hurzeler took his place over the summer and has settled in well at the Amex. The 31-year-old joined from St Pauli and made a relatively easy adjustment to the highest level of English football. With Bloom’s highly guarded technology at the forefront of the recruitment process, it will be more about numbers than names, which may be good news for fans.