Defiant Steven Naismith comes out fighting as under-fire Hearts boss refuses to walk away and insists players are onside

Steven Naismith insists he won't walk away from Hearts' struggles after the Jambos fell to a eighth straight defeat in all competitions with a 2-1 loss to St Mirren in Paisley.

The pressure on the former Scotland striker has intensified after the Tynecastle club lost their fifth Premiership match in the first six games, a dismal run of form that has left them rock bottom of the table. Sections of the Gorgie support that made the trip to the SMISA Stadium were once again calling for Naismith's head, with Hearts also suffering disappointing exits in the Premier Sports Cup and Europa League earlier this season.

But speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, the 38-year-old is confident he is the man to get the Jambos out of their dire rut, and says he would only call it quits if he didn't have the support of his players. He said: "My relationship with the club and the board is very good. I have said consistently that if I felt I had lost the players or they had lost the understanding of what we are wanting I would walk away. I don't think we are at that point.

"There are small parts of the game in both boxes that are costing us. I am definitely up for the fight and love the job, the intensity and the pressure that comes with it. I fully believe I can turn it around and if I didn't I wouldn't be here.

"There is not a better club for me to be at to get as much (time) realistically as I can get. But I understand fan opinions are going to be strong, they are disappointed and you heard that today. But the club are sensible and have made loads of good decisions in the last five/six years. I really believe that we can turn this around."

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