Cammy Devlin tells Hearts fans what they 'don't want' to hear with Hampden return on the line

Cammy Devlin accepts Hearts fans probably don't want to hear it just now, but he insists the players believe in under fire boss Steven Naismith and asks them to "stick with us."

The Jambos boss is feeling the heat after a dismal display from his team during Saturday's 1-0 defeat away to St Mirren. Naismith was confirmed as the club's head coach during the international break, having been given the title of technical director to get round UEFA rules, which state managers must have their Pro Licence to be in the dugout for Euro ties.

After being dumped out of the Conference League by PAOK, Naismith got a job title change and followed it up with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen. But there was a feeling of back to the drawing board for the capital club as their wretched away from continued in Paisley. Now they face Kilmarnock in the quarter-final of the Viaplay Cup at Rugby Park.

And Devlin, fresh from penning a contract extension that will keep him at Tynecastle until the summer of 2025, has asked the fans not to abandon the side just yet as he vows to do everything to deliver a return to Hampden.

"It's understandable when you're at a massive football club like Hearts," he said. "There's expectations on you every game and there's no hiding, especially away from home.

'We know we haven't been good enough as a playing group. It's probably cliché and something they don't want to hear but us as a group, we believe so strongly in what we're being taught on the training ground by the coaching staff.

"We have so much faith and I believe in Naisy and his staff so much. I'm loving working under them. It's helped me as a player and given me a freedom to go and play and as a group we're the same. We believe in what we're doing.

"It's about us