Blair Spittal reveals 'simplified' Hearts approach as recent displays give incoming boss 'food for thought'

Recent outings have brought a last-gasp leveller at Ross County, A European win on the road and a defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie

Hearts might be bottom of the table but Blair Spittal is confident recent performances will have given the next manager plenty of food for thought.

Interim boss Liam Fox has come in and steadied the ship in recent weeks. Hearts got a stoppage time leveller against Ross County, beat Dinamo Minsk and then narrowly lost to Aberdeen in a five goal thriller. The Tynecastle board are continuing interviews and talks this week, with the aim of appointing Steven Naismith’s successor. Spittal acknowledged: “I think everyone knows there's going to be a new manager in, so it's important in this situation that we give food for thought for whoever that's going to be.”

Fox has given him and the team a lift since stepping up from the B team. The ex-Motherwell player claimed: "It felt good the last couple of games doing what Foxy has asked of me. The last couple of games have been really enjoyable working with him. Just in terms of the ideas he's brought in, him and Waldo [Lee Wallace] and Angus [Beith]. Fresh ideas. It's obviously unfortunate the way things worked out for the old manager but Foxy's simplified a lot of things that needed to be worked on.

“I think we looked more like a team today and on Thursday. I think you could see that in terms of chances created. We caused Aberdeen a lot of problems.”

He netted his first goal with a trademark long range effort at Pittodrie. Spittal explained: "Coming into a new club, I said at the time that I wanted to establish myself in a good team.

"It was going to take a bit of time to adjust. I've felt myself being in or out but hopefully that was a sign of things to come. I found myself earlier in the season playing a lot deeper.

“Playing in the higher sort of eight position gives me licence to connect with the players higher up the park. It was something that we spoke about before the game, the way Aberdeen defended corners. The ball worked its way out to the edge of the box and we get shots away - luckily it has gone in.”

Hearts had been 2-1 up but then Jorge Grant got sent off and Aberdeen came back to take the points. Grant was booked for complaining the ball was still moving from the free kick that led to Aberdeen’s equaliser.

Spittal said: “Everyone can see our frustrations at the second goal. I've not seen it back but these things happen. After we go 2-1 ahead, we still caused Aberdeen problems. I think if we ride that storm for another five-to-ten minutes then the game is totally different. It's hard to take. It's easy to be glorious in defeat, but the performance level was there for large spells.”

Hearts finished third last season but are already 19 points behind Aberdeen. Spittal knows the more immediate aim is to get back to winning games and climbing the table. Spittal claimed: “We need to put that [the gap] to the back of our minds.

“There's not a lot in this league. Once you get a run of wins together, it's easy to see you climbing the league. A few teams have managed to do that. We know that we've got the quality in the squad that if we put a run together ... but we need to start somewhere.”

Craig Gordon returns to the Scotland squad this week. There are concerns over Angus Gunn’s fitness and Spittal knows the Hearts No1 won’t let anyone down. Spittal added: “I think over the last period that Craigy has been in, I think everyone can see his qualities and experience.

“I’m sure if he's called upon in the next couple of Scotland games, he'll show everyone what he can do. He's got the full backing of the squad that he can go out there and perform.”

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