Steven Naismith reveals Hearts endgame that may never come as he insists early season stick was 'unjustified'

Steven Naismith can seemingly do no wrong in the Hearts hotseat these days.

He has the Jambos flying high in third place with eight wins on the bounce in all competitions and favourites to reach the Scottish Cup semi-finals. The picture down Gorgie way looks very different from the start of the campaign. Naismith was appointed as "technical director" with Frankie McAvoy head coach in order to get round the UEFA requirement for a pro licence to be on the touchline for European competitions.

Patchy league form and a drubbing at the hands of PAOK in the Conference League playoff round meant Naismith came under fire, as did the board for replacing Robbie Neilson with a rookie boss. Fast forward and you'll be hard pushed to find a Hearts fan who still wants Naismith out. Contracted until 2025, there's already clamour to offer him a new deal.

But the Tynecastle gaffer still insists the stick that came his way was unjustified, as was that aimed at the club hierarchy. "If I'm honest, I don't really think I need to answer to it (criticism)," he said. "Everybody has got their opinion.

"People will now easily turn round and say: 'Oh, I got that wrong. He's doing well.' They will give you a bit of time. As much as, for me, the criticism at the start of the season wasn't valid, I've got 20 years' experience in football so I understand that game and what we are doing. If I was ever at a point where I thought, 'I can't do this, I'm not the right person,' then I would stand up and say so.

"You have others who do back you, give you credit and can see what you're doing. This is a great club. The board is brilliant. All they want is for Hearts to be successful. That is showing in all areas of the club now. There is a progression, there is