Hearts new manager unlikely to be Scottish as chief Andrew McKinlay details process used to name next boss

Andrew McKinlay says Hearts' new manager is unlikely to be Scottish with the club looking to take a “different route” with their next appointment.

The Tynecastle club have narrowed their search for Steven Naismith’s successor to seven candidates and are currently holding talks with those individuals aimed at drawing up a final shortlist to present to the board. Around 100 names were put to the club for the position while Hearts have trawled the football world with the help of Tony Bloom’s Jamestown analytics tool. But while Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes and Alex Neil have been quoted among the favourites to take over the Jambos, chief executive McKinlay all but ruled both out.

Vikingur boss Arnar Gunnlaugsson - frontrunner for the position with the bookies - is also “not a name we are looking at” according to the CEO. McKinlay gave an update on the manager hunt ahead of this evening’s Europa Conference League clash with Dinamo Minsk in Azerbaijan and said incoming sporting director Graeme Jones has been helping the process despite not officially starting his role until November.

Hearts hope to have a new man in place by the end of the international break when they return to action at home to St Mirren. And McKinlay said of the new boss: “Probably non-Scottish, but not 100 per cent on that yet. There's a mix then after that of people from different countries.

“What I would say is the list doesn't contain anyone that I've seen quoted anywhere, I don't think. It's not the same old same old, to use that phrase. Although I think sometimes that's a bit disrespectful to managers.

“I’ve got no issue with some of the managers that are being mentioned, it's just not what we're looking for. We're looking to go down a different