Steven Naismith learned crucial Hearts lesson from Craig Levein as he makes Tynecastle reception prediction

Steven Naismith admits watching Craig Levein keeping his cool under Tynecastle fire has helped him cope with the Hearts hot seat.

The Jambos boss will come up against his old Scotland and Gorgie gaffer in the St Johnstone dugout today. Naismith learned a lot from Levein – especially in dealing with the huge pressure that comes with the Hearts job. The pair hooked up with Scotland and then again at Tynecastle but the strong relationship will be parked for 90 minutes this afternoon.

Naismith said: “I’ve picked up a lot from him. There’s not one thing I could sit here and say but I’ve certain I’ve picked up things from his coaching and leadership. When you look back and think about what he was like as a coach and that was one thing, under all the different pressures, he never showed it. He never at any moment made a knee-jerk reaction to anything and appeared very calm and calculated in his decision making.

‘That had a positive impact on the squad, I felt. He is somebody who is now seen as an old school manager and he has that fear factor but I think it’s his honesty and his willingness to allow you to speak and have your point made that we’re big positives for me when I was a player.”

Levein took a step back from the dugout after a difficult second spell at Hearts when he ended up back in charge after being in a role upstairs. The former Scotland gaffer had carved out a new career as a popular pundit – but Naismith wasn’t shocked to see him return to the frontline with Saints.

He said: “I’m probably not surprised because of the character he is. He likes a challenge and he always seemed to like this environment.

“There was no time, even when there was the most pressure on him, did he show that he was under that pressure. He