Neil Critchley met the media at Oriam for the first time to preview Saturday’s game against St Mirren at Tynecastle, his first in the dugout as Hearts boss. Aaron Fraser reports:
As far as weeks go, Neil Critchley has certainly had a busy one. Being announced as the new Hearts Head Coach on Tuesday, getting to know his new squad on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by his first press conference at the Oriam on Friday, which just so happens to be his birthday. His ideal gift? Three points against St Mirren.
Critchley has become acutely aware of the size of club Hearts really are since his arrival earlier this week. He says that Hearts are the biggest club he has taken charge of in his managerial career so far.
“This is the biggest football club I’ve been at without a shadow of a doubt as a manager. You feel it but what I say is genuine compassion towards me and people really wanting you to do well because it means the club does well.”
“I’ve had a fantastic week, I’ve really enjoyed it and I just hope it’s capped off tomorrow with a performance and three points and feel the Tynecastle atmosphere tomorrow, I can’t wait for it.”
When quizzed on what makes Hearts the biggest club of his managerial career to date, Critchley was happy to divulge the reasons behind his statement. He doesn’t see the expectations placed on him and his squad as a negative, and is excited to take his place in the dugout for the first time on Saturday afternoon:
“Well I’m not used to all you guys being here for starters and there was quite a few photographers out there on the pitch this morning, I thought they’d all come to celebrate my birthday! You look at the stadium, you look at the facilities, you look at the people, the attention, the media, there’s an expectation here.”
“This is a big football club and it’s one that I want to work for and do desperately well for and I know I can do well at this football club with the right people who are behind me, the right support which I’m really confident that I’m going to get.”
“I’m excited by the future but I am not taking my eye off, I know it’s a cliche, the next game. You have to take each game as it comes and the first game for us is St Mirren at home on Saturday.”
In previous years, Hearts have been able to bring through several successful academy graduates. Current Hearts and Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is a Riccarton product, and the likes of Jamie Walker, Callum Paterson and Aaron Hickey have also came through the academy, and went on to have successes of their own playing in England.
Critchley knows that fans love to see products of their team’s youth system make the step up, and is eager to promote such an ideology, but stresses that any young player must earn this chance.
“We’ll see. There’s no better feeling as a coach than giving young players an opportunity and particularly Hearts supporters and when they’re your own players and they’ve come through the academy, there’s probably a little bit more meaning or feeling towards those players but they also have to be good enough. It’s not a charity.”
“At this moment in time, I always try to make the right decisions for the players at the right time and sometimes if that’s been with us, sometimes young players need to play some games to develop. That means playing B team or if they’re not quite ready for the first team and they go out on loan but then they come back. I think I’ve got good experience in knowing what’s right for young players at the right time and managing their pathway.”
“Playing the Hearts way” was mentioned by Critchley earlier this week. He wants to implement and develop a distinctive playing style that the fans will enjoy watching, but also knows that the most important thing in the short term is turning performances into points:
“That’s something that will develop over time but I think it’s important that we do develop a clear identity in who we want to be because it makes it easier then to make your decisions whether that’s in the way of your playing, recruitment of players, retention of players, how you coach, how you train.“
“So it becomes clear that takes time, perseverance, skill. I need to get the results in the short term which gives me that time. I’m under no illusions.”
Yan Dhanda previously played under Critchley in Liverpool’s youth team, and was mainly utilised on the left side of the pitch. However, Critchley was keen to stress that he sees Dhanda as someone who can play in any position in attacking midfield, and also mentioned the stiff competition for places that Dhanda, and his fellow players, will face:
“Yan’s got the flexibility to play right across the front. He can play right, middle or left. What he has got is great technical quality and a good football brain so you know if you can get him in the right areas of the pitch he can be a very dangerous player.”
“But he’s not the only one. We’ve got a few players in those positions. There’s some competition for places and that’s a good thing.”
