Kevin Kyle: Hearts 'should be looking to challenge Rangers' for second place

Former Hearts forward Kevin Kyle insists the Tynecastle club should be looking to challenge Rangers for second place despite a “horrendous” start to their season.

The Tynecastle club have lost six and drawn one of their first seven games in all competitions, with their only point coming in the opening day draw with Philippe Clement’s side.

Kyle, who had a short spell at Rangers when they were in League Two, has backed Steven Naismith to turn the form around but admits the board will “have a decision to make” if results don’t start coming quickly.

The 43-year-old Open Goal host, who also played for Kilmarnock, Sunderland, Coventry and won ten Scotland caps, believes Hearts should be finishing third each year as a minimum while also looking to challenge the big two when they can.

And with Rangers also struggling for form so-far this season he thinks this would be the best chance in years for Hearts to split the Old Firm clubs.

Speaking to STV Sport he said: “They (Hearts) are off to a horrendous start, I was at the first game of the season, I took my youngest up to watch the game against Rangers.

“I thought Hearts were quite good that day, but since then they haven’t quite kicked on from that or performed as well, whether that is from having the games in Europe or whether it is the new bodies trying to bed in.

“There are a few fans starting to make noises and pressure is building on Steven Naismith, but it only takes one game to turn things around.

“I think this happened last season as well, when they had a run of three or four defeats, and they managed to turn that around and finish third, so hopefully it’s just a blip and a bump on the road and they can turn it around and get going again.

“Some of the fans just aren’t having him, it was the same with Robbie (Neilson). The fans pay their money and are entitled to their opinions, but you can’t always agree with their opinions and have to look at it from a wider aspect.

“The reality is that Hearts need to be winning games and ultimately finishing third each year, then looking to challenge the top two.

“That’s always difficult, but I think looking at the way Rangers are just now there is no reason to say Hearts shouldn’t be up there challenging.

“They’ve got off to a bad start and puts more pressure on the club as a whole but I would like to see them give him (Naismith) time, he is a young manager and sometimes it isn’t straightforward for young managers who finish playing and then jump straight into management and there is a learning process.

“Whether he gets the time or not is up to him, if he starts getting results again he’ll be fine, but if he doesn’t then the Hearts board will have a decision to make.”

Hearts return to Premiership action this weekend as they travel to Glasgow to take on the champions and league leaders at Celtic Park on Saturday.

Kyle was speaking at the Scottish Legends Golf Series at Loch Lomond.