Steven Naismith playing 'angry' Hearts football as Lee McCulloch makes Robbie Neilson style confession

Lee McCulloch has hailed Steven Naismith for playing to Hearts' strengths, while admitting they maybe kept "possession for possession's sake" during McCulloch's time there.

The Jambos are out on their own in the race for third with eight wins on the spin and 11 from their last 12 games ahead of this Saturday's trip to Ibrox. After a sticky start, Naismith is flying, banishing the early criticism after being appointed as Robbie Neilson's permanent successor.

Neilson also guided the Tynecastle club to best of the rest status with a bit to spare in 2021/22. He should have repeated the trick the following season but suffered an early 2023 collapse, allowing Aberdeen to eventually pip them with a surge under Barry Robson. Naismith had been placed in caretaker charge by the time that was confirmed, but he's left the Dons and rest in his dust this season. And McCulloch reckons a change in style based on the personnel in the squad has been key, while admitting that's something that perhaps should have happened on Neilson's watch.

"Really positive," he told PLZ. "Nieuwenhof, Vargas and Kent really good signings. Joe Savage obviously a big part of bringing them in, deserves a lot of credit.

"But away from that, Naisy deserves a lot (of credit). Naisy is a good coach, said it from day one. I think the stutter at the start was trying to find the identity, the shape the players had been used to for about a year-and-a-half before that.

"He's got that continuity in the team. It's not all about Lawrence Shankland although he's flying, best striker probably in the league.

"Naisy has got them organised, playing good football. He's got them not just keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession, which arguably it was like a