Hearts have sacked the head coach Steven Naismith before claiming there was little evidence of him lifting the club out of a run of eight consecutive defeats.
Naismith led Hearts to third place in the Scottish Premiership in his only full season in charge but he will not be in the dugout when they open their Uefa Conference League group campaign against Dynamo Minsk on 3 October. A 2-1 defeat by St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday left Hearts bottom of the table with one point from six matches.
Hearts, who handed Naismith a contract extension until 2026 last month, have also sacked assistant coaches Gordon Forrest and Frankie McAvoy.
The chief executive, Andrew McKinlay, said: “I’d like to firstly thank Steven, Gordon and Frankie for all their efforts over the past year and a half. They worked tirelessly in their roles and without them we would not have enjoyed the successes of last season.
“However, things can change quickly, particularly in football, and it has been clear for all to see that things are not working this season. Results and performances have fallen below the standards expected at this football club and, unfortunately, there is little evidence of any potential upturn in fortunes.
Quick Guide
Scottish League Cup roundup: Celtic and Rangers kept apart in semis
Show
Nicolas Kuhn came off the bench to inspire an emphatic comeback as Celtic beat Falkirk 5-2 on Sunday to make the Scottish League Cup semi-finals, where they will play Aberdeen, who beat Spartans on Saturday. The Scottish Championship’s top side deservedly led at the break after Ross MacIver and Finn Yeats twice gave them the lead either side of Paulo Bernardo’s powerful strike for a much-changed Celtic team.
Kuhn was one of four substitutes to enter on the hour mark and he twice set up Adam Idah for a quickfire double to turn the game on its head before the German winger netted twice himself.
The scoreline was harsh on a Falkirk side who arguably posed Celtic their toughest challenge of the season before the final 20 minutes.
The other semi-final will pit Rangers against Motherwell. Philippe Clement insisted James Tavernier deserved fans’ generous applause when the Rangers captain was substituted late in Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Dundee. Tavernier took the brunt of abuse for the thumping Premiership defeat at Celtic Park at the start of the month and was confronted by one angry fan as he left Ibrox to collect his car later in the day. However, Tavernier played a huge part in the win over the Taysiders, setting up striker Cyriel Dessers for the opener and doubling Rangers’ lead from the penalty spot early in the second half before Dessers grabbed his second to put the home side into the semi-final draw.
Fans showed their appreciation in the 81st minute when Tavernier made way for the debutant Neraysho Kasanwirjo and Clement said: “Maybe after the Celtic game we have a few individuals who crossed a certain line, which is not good. I understand the frustration. But there are a lot of people who understand the value that Tav has for this squad and that’s also good for him to feel that.
Jimmy Thelin insists his Aberdeen side must remain focused on their league campaign after booking their place in the semi-finals in Saturday’s other game.
The Dons were dominant from the start against Spartans, and when Pape Habib Gueye fired home the opener after 14 minutes, there was a feeling Thelin’s men could score as many as they wanted. But Spartans reacted well and it was the 44th minute before Kevin Nisbet turned home the second. Leighton Clarkson added a third a minute after the break and Ester Sokler capped the scoring with a close-range finish.
A smiling Thelin said: “We were 4-0 up and when we lost the ball everyone was sprinting to try to keep the clean sheet. We need to keep that hunger.”
Motherwell beat Dundee United 2-1 on Friday to make the last four. PA Media
“With our Conference League campaign about to commence, and the spotlight on our league position, we cannot afford to stand still.
“That is why we, as a board of directors, have made the difficult decision to part ways with the management team, who go with our thanks and best wishes.”
Hearts started the season with a goalless home draw against Rangers but then lost to Dundee, Motherwell, Dundee United, Celtic and St Mirren in the league, Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup, and home and away against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League playoffs.
after newsletter promotion
Speaking after the game in Paisley on Saturday, Naismith appeared to realise that the writing was on the wall for his job. “I’m realistic to understand that the more games we pass, the more pressure builds,” he said. “It will be what it’ll be. The one thing I’ve felt my whole time at the club as a player, as a coach and as a manager, is that the board are realistic, they’re sensible, they understand it. They make good decisions, in my opinion.”
Hearts next host Ross County on Saturday in the Scottish Premiership.