Latest news with #Jambos'
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Derek McInnes makes early Hearts confession as he looks to avoid familiar Kilmarnock 'strain'
The Jambos' boss is looking towards the campaign and what will help the Jambos' get off to the perfect start Derek McInnes would love nothing more than to have a Hearts Euro adventure to look forward to. But the Tynecastle gaffer admits their failure to qualify this season could HELP his bid to get them off to a flier domestically. McInnes has been hired as Neil Critchley's replacement in Gorgie after they finished in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership last term. That means no European football for the new boss, which he's gutted about. But having been there with Kilmarnock a year ago, he's realistic enough to know that having a clear run at the Premier Sports Cup group phase - as well as the league - could be beneficial as they look to hit the ground running. McInnes said: 'I'd rather have to deal with European fixtures, the congestion and all the disruption that can cause. 'That's what I want us to be and where I want us to be. But unfortunately, we've got to look from the outside in this season. 'And when you don't have European football to contend with, it's important you try to make hay at the start of the season and get off to a strong start. 'At Killie, there's no doubt that we suffered a wee bit last season. There are many advantages if you're playing in Europe. 'But I think, from a new manager's point of view, just focusing on one game a week can help. 'Europe does put strain on you and unless you've got a really strong squad to deal with it, it can cause you issues. If you are playing Saturday, Thursday, Sunday, your opponents domestically are focusing solely on you - whereas you are only turning your eyes to them on Friday. 'The team you are up against, unless they are in Europe, always have an advantage.' Before league business starts, McInnes and his team must navigate a League Cup group stage that features games against Dunfermline, Hamilton, Stirling Albion and Dumbarton. And the manager insists he'll be playing the strongest team he's got ahead of the Premiership kick-off. He said: 'I will play the best team possible. I might have the luxury of being able freshen the team up but there will be no playing about with the team – it will be the strongest Hearts team in every game." You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp, where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Bloom completes investment in Hearts
Tony Bloom has completed his near £10m investment in Hearts and James Franks will now join the Tynecastle club's board as a non-executive director. Andrew Mckinlay, the Jambos' chief executive, confirmed the move and said the announcement was a culmination of the club's fans belief and support. He added: 'When Tony's investment proposal became public in May, it captured the imaginations of our supporters as demonstrated by Foyundation of Hearts members voting 98.5 per cent in favour. 'A tremendous amount of hard work as gone on behind the scenes to turn a proposal into a reality.' Bloom, who is the majority owner and chairman of English Premiership side, Brighton and Hove Albion, and now has a 29 per cent stake in the Gorgie club, said that he firmly believes in the club's ability to disrupt the pattern of domination of Scottish football. It has, he claimed, been in place too long and he added: 'This great club has a bright future and I look forward to seeing that unfold in the months and years ahead.' Like this: Like Related
Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Lawrence Shankland and Craig Gordon see Hearts futures tackled head on with £10m cash boost awaiting McInnes
The new Jambos' boss has some big decisions to make following his Tynecastle unveiling Derek McInnes wants Hearts to be ANIMALS in the hunt for silverware – and he wants Lawrence Shankland to provide the bite up front. The new Jambos gaffer was unveiled at Tynecastle on Monday and admitted the first task on his list was typing down the skipper on a new deal. And the former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock boss is getting straight to work and he revealed he's planning talks with powerhouse investor Tony Bloom. McInnes said: 'The intention is to try and deliver silverware, bring sustained success on the pitch, and just be the biggest animal we can be and try and meet the expectation that's there from everybody. 'As soon as we finish this, I can get going with that sort of stuff. Lawrence I know better than Craig (Gordon). "They are both more than capable players who are proven. I just want to work with good players. These conversations will be had. 'I do believe that working with Lawrence would be brilliant. We've got someone already there who can give us what we are looking for at the top end of the pitch. 'If we've got an opportunity to keep him then we should do all we can to keep him, because he's Scottish, he gives you 20-odd goals a season. He could maybe get more than that if you give him the right service and get him closer to the goal.' McInnes signed Shankland for Aberdeen when he was a kid at Queens Park – but the hitman didn't make the grade at Pittodrie. Shanks was a late bloomer but the Hearts manager is hoping he can continue to flourish in Gorgie. McInnes said: 'We felt Lawrence was the kind of signing we should be making at Aberdeen. He was a young player who'd scored goals in the lower leagues, and he had potential. He did brilliantly for the reserves. 'But it just never happened for him. I think he thought Adam Rooney was too far ahead of him at the time and it didn't really work out for him. 'Maybe a lack of belief, maybe a wee bit of lack of everything at that time. 'It was only when he went to Ayr United under Ian McCall. He made him feel important. 'The penny dropped with Lawrence. It looked as if he was enjoying his football again. 'He looked leaner, more confident and scoring goals again. The goalscorer in him has always been there. He thrives on service. 'He became a Scotland international, he goes to the Euros, he becomes a really relevant player in the Scottish Premier League and a player that I would love to work with, because he's a boy that I'm really fond of. I know his family. I would love to continue with him.' Hearts are poised for a £10m cash injection from Bloom – with the innovative business guru's Jamestown Analytics set up already up and running at Tynecastle. McInnes believes it's a thrilling time for the club with modern thinking and serious investment. He said: 'I haven't spoken to him (Bloom) but I have to people who have worked under him. 'I've looked closely at the work he's been involved in, everyone at the club is excited about the partnership, the collaboration and the added investment. 'There's real evidence, USG in Belgium will likely win the league next week and that's a great story. 'Brighton, everyone knows the improvements there over the last while. 'I think there's a lot of people out there who scoff at it all and are sceptical of it all because it's not the norm in Scottish football. 'But for me, having that expertise, knowledge and infrastructure is important because they can help me build a squad. 'It's up to me and my staff to build a team within that. 'Having them on board with us is a real comfort as a manager and I'd rather have them with me than against me.'
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Hearts can deliver in big games
Manager Neil Critchley has dismissed the suggestion his Hearts side have failed in the big games this derby defeat to Hibernian extended the Jambos' winless run against their capital rivals to four matches, three of which Critchley presided taking charge in October the Englishman has steered Hearts from bottom spot to seventh, but has failed to record a win against Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen as well as though, insists his team have delivered big Hearts prepare to host Dundee in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals on Friday night, Critchley said: "They're all big games when you play for Hearts."Every game is a big game and if you look at the situation when I came in, I think we had two points after 11 games. Every game from that moment was a big game and we've won some games, regardless of the opposition."We're under pressure to perform at this football club and there's an expectation going into every game. Some games are more important than others and if you look at some of those games, we've performed well."But sometimes the result goes against you. You don't get everything that you always deserve."We didn't deserve, with our second-half performance last week, to win the game. It still took a brilliant strike to separate the two sides and there was nothing in the game when you analyse it."We were better first half, they were better second half, but we lost. That's the reality of the game and the reality of football. But that won't derail my focus and my belief in this group of players."Critchley is seeking a strong response from his players after the derby defeat as they look to secure a semi-final spot."When you're trying to build something that's long-term and sustainable, you're going to have bumps on the road on the way. Progress is never linear," he said."I think we've definitely shown progress and until the second half of last week, we've been playing quite well, in good form, winning games and we have to make sure that we now show the right response tomorrow night."
