Michael Smith insists Hearts won't 'just lie down and die' after admitting they are selling fans short

Michael Smith insists Hearts are ready to become renaissance men in Florence by making amends for selling the club short in recent months.

A crucial Europa Conference League clash against Fiorentina awaits on Thursday in the Tuscan capital against Fiorentina on the back of only three wins from their last dozen outings. That includes a dismal 3-0 loss to the Serie A side last midweek which Smith admits was an example of a sub-standard display from the Jambos which was followed with a share of the points at Kilmarnock on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman didn't hold back in his assessment of recent disappointments and he's convinced a trip to Italy is the chance to give their Group A qualifying hopes a major shot in the arm. He said: "We just feel like we are letting people down at the minute and that is on us, the players. We have not been good enough and we know that. It is down to us to turn it around.

"We worked our socks off last season and even the season before to get to this level and we all feel that we are maybe letting ourselves and the club down a little bit with some of the showings we have given. That is down to us. Things have happened and we have put in poor performances but we need to regroup. We have still got a chance of progressing so we can’t just lie down and die. We go away again to Florence this week and we know what we are up against but we have to go there and give a better performance."

Robbie Neilson 's side sit on three points with La Viola one better off in second spot behind Istanbul Basaksehir who lead the table on seven. But a win for Hearts this week would provide genuine hope of progressing beyond their first European group-stage campaign in 18 years. The evidence from a superb Fiorentina