Hearts getting hit with Celtic and Rangers sore faces shows Steven Naismith must be more streetwise - Ryan Stevenson

Most boxers would never plan on going toe-to-toe with Floyd Mayweather.

It would, most likely, just result in a brutal battering. I understand there are times when you need to come out swinging, to land a few blows. But there are other occasions when you just have to stand there, stick the guard up and try to hit with counter punches.

In a footballing sense, Hearts have to do that at Ibrox on Sunday because dropping the arms and trying to have a square go will likely result in another sore face. I’d play 4-5-1 and try to play on the counter. For me, it’s pretty simple in terms of scenarios when you are facing the Old Firm. When it’s at Tynecastle, it’s a tighter pitch and you can get out there and get after them, try to make it a scrap and a battle and see if they fancy getting into it with you and having a slug.

At Ibrox and Parkhead, I see things a little more differently. You have to go there, sit down, keep the guard up and make it difficult for them. Ask them questions in front of their own fans and see if you can put pressure onto them by nabbing a goal first or keeping the scoreline blank.

I get that Hearts are trying to instil a philosophy into their play under manager Steven Naismith and that is to be commended. You want to see that sort of thing and, for the majority of matches, seeing a clear pattern is good.

But, as I’ve said, there are times when you need to adjust and cut your cloth accordingly and, sometimes against the Old Firm, you need to think about a different way to getting a positive result.

You can call me a Neanderthal or old school if you want, but whenever I recall Hearts getting results against the Old Firm, they were always in their faces. They were always up and about them. Not trying to