The search for Heart of Midlothian’s new boss hots up.
Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones will present the Tynecastle board of directors with the options for their new head coach later this week.
The capital side’s search for a successor to Neil Critchley will gather speed ahead of the team’s Scottish Premiership match against Motherwell, with Liam Fox retaining the position of interim head coach in the meantime.
Jones is leading the process with input from chief executive Andrew McKinlay and former club captain and manager Gary Locke.
After sacking two management teams in the same season – Steven Naismith in August and Critchley in April – there is a strong recognition within Tynecastle that the next appointment must bring stability as well as on-field success.
Jones is working closely with Jamestown Analytics to aid with the appointment. The data company owned by Tony Bloom has been in formal partnership with Hearts since November. The Brighton owner is set to buy a 29% stake in Hearts for nearly £10m.
Understanding and buying-in to the use of the analytics tool will be a key requirement for any prospective new boss.
Hearts are keen to find candidates with experience in Scottish football but coaches from further afield are not being ruled out of the running.
Prominent names from the SPFL to have been linked with the job in recent days include Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes, St Mirren’s Stephen Robinson plus Falkirk boss and Scottish PFA Manager of the Year John McGlynn.
Once the board has met to discuss the potential targets, the shortlist will be whittled down, and Hearts will proceed with identifying their main candidate.
With three Premiership games to be played in the space of a week, it may be after the end of the season before an appointment can be finalised, and the new head coach of Hearts is paraded in Gorgie.
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