Hearts missed a trick with Derek McInnes and Rangers would be STUPID to make the same mistake - Ryan Stevenson

Everyone knows that I was a bit of a sceptic where the appointment of Neil Critchley as Hearts boss was concerned.

I can’t sit here in good faith now and pretend otherwise. The idea of using analytics and data to decide the best man for the job might have worked well for Brighton in recent years but, yes, I was worried that ignoring the most obvious candidate could backfire on my old club.

It’s still early days too where Crichley is concerned and ultimately the proof will be in the pudding but, despite all of my initial negativity, what I will admit is that the Englishman’s first impressions are starting to win me over. I’m happy to say, I’ve been impressed by the way he has come across and relieved to find out he’s not one of these new breed coaches who talks in soundbites and buzzwords. If anything, he’s gone back to basics and the side has benefited from it.

By going back to a 4-4-2 formation Critchley is giving the fans what they want. I don’t care about philosophies, breaking through lines and all the other jargon from the latest manuals. The DNA of the club is that the home supporters want to turn up at Tynecastle and see a team that’s up and at the opposition - right in their faces.

In fairness to Critchley he said that was what he wanted the team to play like from his first day in the job. That tells me he’s a very intelligent man who took the time to research the club and understand its specific demands.

Every club has its own identity. And he was clever enough to plug into what makes Hearts and the fans tick.

That’s given me a lot of comfort because, as I made clear at the time, I was very much in the Derek McInnes camp from the moment the job became available. Del was the obvious choice and, for that reason,