Robbie Neilson shrugs off Hearts 'worst week' poser as he points to Premiership standing comfort

Robbie Neilson pulled up a chair before flashing a grin that says he’s seen it all before. And of course the Hearts boss has.

The flak that’s been aimed at the Tynecastle gaffer in the wake of last week’s defeat to Kilmarnock, his side’s fifth in their last six games, is nothing new to the 42-year-old. From air-borne banners to this week’s graffiti on the ground scrawled outside the club’s new main stand, a small but angry element of the Gorgie support continue to take every opportunity to aim a pop at their manager.

But just as Neilson refused to get carried away with the praise when his side were rampaging clear in third place, neither will he allow his spirit levels to sink now that their advantage over Aberdeen has been slashed back to a single point. The Jambos chief understands perfectly well the fans’ frustrations with their recent slip - but given his team still remain in the box seat for third place and a return to European action you won’t catch him reaching for the panic button just yet.

Sitting down for yesterday’s press conference, he responded with a laugh when it was suggested this past week might have been among the toughest he’s faced in his two spells in charge of Hearts. “Not yet, no,” he smiled. “We are sitting in third place and everyone is like, ‘God Almighty, it’s the end of the world’.

“When I look at the league, we’re third. We’ve had a difficult four games and we played Celtic back-to-back, which is always tough. Then we went to Pittodrie and didn’t get the result.

“Last week (against Kilmarnock) was a real disappointment because we took the lead. We have an opportunity on Saturday (against St Mirren)’. If you get three points, it takes you into the derby (with Hibs).

“Win that, and then