Hearts favourite sets the team a non-negotiable as Dinamo Minsk clash comes with urgent demand
The favourite of the Hearts has given his assessment of the Europa Conference League first-round match.
Ryan Stevenson feels the Hearts demand for a win has at the urgent stage as they prepare for kick-off in Azerbaijan.
As part of the redesigned league phase across UEFA competitions, the team opens the Europa Conference League with a private match against Dinamo Minsk. The first match under interim manager Liam Fox’s leadership ended in a 1-1 Premiership draw between Tynecastle and Ross County. Steven Naismith was fired as head coach.
They haven’t had a competitive victory this year, and former Hearts forward Stevenson insists the Jambos must find a way to win no matter what happens. He feels that in the midst of a test run, not even a tie is good enough anymore.
“It doesn’t matter if there are 10 fans, 10,000, or 100,000, Hearts just need to somehow muster a win,” he said on the Scottish Football Podcast regarding the current situation the team is in. Their inability to win and the fact that each game is going on without even ending in a draw and them failing to secure three points means that things are going to grow worse and worse. This evening is incredible.
When asked if there were any encouraging signals for Ross County before Thursday’s game, he said, “Not really.” I believe you had a few opportunities, and things may have turned out differently if they had been taken. However, in games, every team has opportunities.
With all due respect to Ross County, I believe we are not where we need to be, coming away from a 96th-minute equaliser and drawing 1-1 at home. I believe things are a little chaotic right now with hearts, everything that is occurring on and off the park, trying to find a new manager, and all the stuff with Tony Bloom’s firm about trying to pump up analytical information on managers who might be coming in.