David Martindale feels that Hearts have demonstrated the advantages of a shrewd and astute transfer strategy.
James Penrice, a left back, is leaving Livingston for Tynecastle thanks to a pre-contract agreement. However, there are no hard feelings because head coach Steven Naismith signed Blair Spittal of Motherwell and Ross County, respectively, and Yan Dhanda to similar contracts.
Threatened with relegation In the final Premiership pre-split matchup, Hearts take on Livingston this Saturday at Tynecastle. Martindale thinks Hearts are a team to be admired, praising their transfer policy. “They’ve been progressive, not just by signing James Penrice from us, but also by snagging Blair Spittal from Motherwell and Yan Dhanda from Ross County on pre-contracts,” he declared.
That’s a wise move. For instance, if I sign a player from Nigeria, he will need to adjust to a new country and a different style and tempo of football in Scotland. I’ll hire from anywhere, including [English] League Two, the National League, and Nigeria, but new hires will require some time to adjust.
However, given that Yan Dhanda has demonstrated his ability to succeed here, his chances of success are far higher than those of someone from Belgium or Switzerland’s second division. So why not sign a man who has established himself in Scotland? Having players who are familiar with this league’s requirements increases your chances of improving your team.
The other Livingston players who have succeeded are Craig Halkett, Alan Forrest, and Nicky Devlin, who is possibly one of Aberdeen’s best players this year. For me, that strategy makes perfect sense. Hearts’ recruiting has been outstanding, and Joe Rice and Naisy deserve a great deal of the credit for that.
“I would try to sign Spittal and Dhanda if I were seated at a larger club with more resources. This also allows you greater flexibility in terms of taking a chance on a player like Yutaro Oda or Kyosuke Tagawa, but Hearts as a team have presumably taken a cue from European football.
“They went through a trying time under both Robbie Neilson and Steven, and it’s simple to underestimate the pressures of that circumstance. Perhaps you could play Tagawa in Europe, but you always go back to your roots in Britain when you play for Livingston or St Johnstone.
Martindale thinks that after a difficult beginning, Ann Budge and the Hearts administration are benefiting from sticking with Naismith. They now have a chance to finish in third place and face Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
“Naisy has done a great job,” he continued. Hearts deserve credit for persevering with him despite his rough beginnings before he was able to articulate his philosophy. They operate a fantastic club. Since Ann has performed well, Naisy, Joe Savage, and Andrew McKinlay are now supporting her.
It’s ideal when everything is running smoothly both on and off the pitch. Success depends on the management team and those up there working together harmoniously.
“Hearts supporters have contributed an incredible sum of money to their club, and [multimillionaire director] James Anderson has also provided financial support.” It has made Steven’s success possible. He gained that foundation by joining a reliable club with real potential.
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