Edinburgh club are under criticism and their Scotland striker spoke out today.
Lawrence Shankland today tried to clear up issues following Hearts’ Player of the Year awards banquet which led to criticism from supporters. The Tynecastle skipper spoke at Riccarton at the end of a traumatic week in which the club terminated head coach Neil Critchley and assistant Mike Garrity were wallowing in the Premiership’s bottom six.
For the second time this season, first-team coach Liam Fox is now serving as interim head coach. He is in charge of the crucial trip to Ross County on Saturday. Hearts’ Player of the Year awards banquet last Sunday night saw Shankland attend the EICC in Edinburgh, just 24 hours after Critchley’s sacking was revealed after a 1-0 home loss to Dundee. The captain sneered and kept walking as a Sky Sports reporter asked him how he felt about Critchley’s dismissal. When asked if players should have some responsibility for the choice, he responded in the same way.
The Scotland international clarified that he was not being rude when he discussed the matter and offered his perspective. “It was the night after the manager lost his job, so obviously it wasn’t ideal,” he added. Naturally, I’m relieved that I’ve never been to court before because I’ve never had the microphone placed in front of me in that manner before. However, it didn’t appear very well when I saw it again. The manager who had lost his job was the only one about whom I was truly concerned. So I made contact with him.
“I clarified everything with Neil. He was all OK. He saw no issue there, but that was simply the circumstance I found myself in. Naturally, I would never, ever treat a manager who has lost their position disrespectfully. My interaction with the manager was excellent. Prior to the event that evening, I had actually had a conversation with him earlier in the day. To be honest, I was happy that I had done it. However, he had no issues there at all. I wasn’t very concerned about anything else.
“There are always difficult conversations to have. Unfortunately, there were two of them this season [after Hearts sacked Steven Naismith in September and now Critchley]. But as a player, you always take a bit of responsibility. You need to. It’s never a nice conversation, because it’s your fault, really, that your manager’s lost their job. I was just saying, they’re never good conversations to have. But I had a lot of respect for Neil and Mick. They were really enjoyable to work with as well. And most importantly, really, really good guys. So I felt like it was important to reach out and just thank them for the time.”
Hearts officials and media comments
Hearts officials advised players and staff not to comment to media outside the EICC so Shankland and others were reluctant to say anything. “No, 100 per cent. That was another thing,” he added. “Obviously, on behalf of the club, they’ve asked us not to engage with the press. At the time, it might have been a bit better just to say something, but in hindsight, even I think probably the media team would admit that as well.
“As I said, it didn’t look great and the main thing I wanted to do was clear it up with Neil and Mick, who have obviously lost their jobs. If they’d have seen it as disrespectful, I’d have been a bit hurt, to be honest. But I’m glad they never did. They said my explanation was fine, so it was all good.”
The Hearts chairwoman Ann Budge was the only member of the club to speak prior to the event in Edinburgh’s city centre. When asked for her reaction to Critchley’s exit, she said: “That was yesterday’s news. I’m going in here now.”
Hearts, currently eighth in the league table, need victory at Ross County to ensure they are not dragged towards the relegation play-off place. That is presently occupied by County, who are five points behind Hearts. Fox admitted that the timing of the Player of the Year awards night did not help so soon after the club sacked their manager.
“The timing and the nature of it wasn’t great after Neil and Mick leaving but the night was there to celebrate wee bits of individual stuff,” he stated. “We can’t get away from the fact that the timing of it, it’s not been a great season. Nobody’s hiding behind that but it is what it is. There’s nothing that I can control or control about that. That was set in place for a period of time.”
Liam Fox and Hearts’ relegation battle in the SPFL Premiership
Fox admitted that nobody should be under any illusion about the fact Hearts are fighting against relegation. “I could sit here and say to you this, that and the other – but the reality is I’m okay with saying that because I think we are in a battle. I’m okay with the players knowing that because that’s where we are,” he commented.
“I always like to be somebody that tells the truth and doesn’t dress things up. I don’t need to tell the players that and I’m not going to tell the players that. If they don’t realise that themselves then we’re in trouble. We treat them like adults. They’ve been first-class this week on the training pitch. I’ve enjoyed working with them again, leading them. But we’re coming to the point now where it’s alright me saying this and me saying that and talk’s cheap. It’s about producing when it needs to matter and this weekend it’s on Saturday at three o’clock. They will be up for the fight.
Fox is solely concentrating on football-related issues as the hunt for a permanent new head coach continues. He said that little information concerning the procedure had been provided to him. Very, very little. We’ve just spoken briefly with Graeme Jones over the past few days in order to concentrate on this weekend. After that, we’ll see where we are.
First and foremost, we must win some points in order to escape our current predicament. That’s all I’m concerned about. People in positions higher up should make these choices if you’re heading towards being the next manager. Hopefully, they’ll make the appropriate choices going forward.
