Steven Naismith reveals frank Hearts chat in 2017 that gave him hope future in Gorgie was bright

There's a refreshing sense of perspective about Steven Naismith as he takes time out from a family break in Portugal to talk about last season.

The Hearts boss had already squeezed in an early-morning gym session before breakfast with wife Moya and their two daughters – and he has also fielded a few work calls before resuming his holiday. A new campaign sits on the horizon and the 37-year-old insists he’s never consumed by the ‘what ifs?’ in life. He said: “Football isn’t everything in life, there is always a switch-off point. There’s barely been a day since the season ended that I haven’t had a conversation with a staff member, spoken to a player or watched something Hearts-related online.

“I also know that if the worst happens, and I get sacked, then I still have two amazing kids and an amazing wife who I love spending time with. I still have all of the same mates that I grew up with. These are more important to me and that’s why, when things aren’t going well, I have a clear understanding of the bigger picture. Football can be the wild west, I’ve always known that.”

The wagons were circling around Tynecastle last summer after a Europa Conference League exit and a difficult domestic league start. But Naismith just isn’t the type to hit the panic button as he prefers to back the process, with the Jambos climbing to a third-place league finish while reaching two cup semi-finals.

He said: “As a manager I have a clear picture of how I want things to work and what it should look like on the training pitch or in a game. What I won’t get carried away with is the raw emotion that exists in football.

“We could win a game but have played poorly and the players may have done nothing they were asked to do. But everyone would be