Steven Naismith says instant Hearts success 'ain't happening' as boss comfortable despite sack rumours swirling

Supporters may be getting restless – but Hearts boss Steven Naismith insists he is ‘calm and comfortable’ with the backing he is receiving at boardroom level.

Naismith takes the Jambos to face Motherwell on Saturday boasting just one win from their last five matches. Another defeat to Rangers at Hampden last weekend was a sore one to take for all down Gorgie way. It led to suggestions this week that some in the Hearts hierarchy are “losing patience” with the direction of Naismith’s outfit. But the former Scotland striker is adamant he is relaxed about the support he is receiving behind the scenes.

Asked about reports of boardroom discontent, he said: “I’ve not heard that. I speak to the board every couple of months, we have a board meeting. Most weeks I’ll speak with somebody at board level, just to check in, and obviously Andrew (McKinlay, CEO) is about every week as well.

“It’s very calm and comfortable. A lot of what we’ve discussed at the start, about what needs to change and what needs to get better, has shown up. That’s part of the process. This need for instant success ain’t happening. I’m comfortable with everything internally.”

Naismith has bemoaned the inconsistency that has cost his team this season, whether that is fluctuations in performance of individuals or the collective. He knows that expectations are such that losses lead to criticism.

But he has also responded to questions being asked of his team selections from within his squad after Cammy Devlin spoke of his frustration at being left out of the starting line-up for both the league and Viaplay Cup semi-final defeats to Rangers.

Naismith, who revealed Odel Offiah has returned to parent club Brighton for assessment after suffering a second medical issue