By Laurie Finlayson

Hearts are on the hunt for a new manager, with Steven Naismith having been sacked, after losing their eighth straight game at the weekend, and a Hearts fan told UWS Newsroom that his dismissal was “inevitable”.

The Gorgie club were seen by many supporters to have the best squad in the Scottish Premiership outside of the Old Firm, but so far this season has been far from glorious.

Hearts fan, Graeme Duthie said: “At the start of the season, I was happy with the signings. We got a 0-0 draw with Rangers [on the opening day], we played really well, and it’s just been all downhill from there.”

In Duthie’s opinion, one of the biggest issues for Hearts this season was that the manager did not know his best team or formation.

Duthie added: “He’s changed the system every week – he started off against Rangers with a 4-2-3-1, the next game, against Dundee, he makes two changes and goes to a back three.

“Why not just keep the same system? He’s changed it every week.”

In the summer, Naismith and his coaches were given contract extensions and Duthie believed that was the right decision at the time, adding: “It stabilised us and I thought, you know what, fair enough. I wasn’t a massive fan of Naismith at the start, but he turned up last season for me around December time, on that massive 12-game unbeaten run.

This season, he wasn’t getting the results and performances have been terrible.”

Speculation over his replacement has been rife, with a few names being linked, including some well-known names.

Liam Fox is in place in the interim with the St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson and Kilmarnock’s Derek McInnes being suggested among supporters.

Duthie does not want either of those two familiar names, though, adding: “I can see Hearts going down the foreign route.”