Steven Naismith tells Hearts squad he's not there to make friends as Craig Halkett opens up on extended injury hell

Hearts will fly off to a Spanish training camp on Friday and Craig Halkett admits he'll finally have some sunshine on the horizon.

The Jambos defender is battling back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained against Dundee United on Boxing Day which brought a shuddering halt to his season. It's now five months down the line on the 28-year-old's lonely road to recovery but the defender told Record Sport he's pencilled in a September return and he spoke of the frustrations at being sidelined during months of turmoil at Tynecastle.

Months of frustration of having a powerless watching berth as Hearts parted company with Robbie Neilson following a horror run of results before Steven Naismith stepped up as caretaker and then permanent boss. Halkett revealed the former Scotland striker has warned his squad he's not interested in winning any popularity contests with a Europa Conference League third qualifying round looming.

He said: "One of the first things the manager said when he was appointed caretaker towards the end of the season was that he would manage and coach in the same style that he played the game. He wasn't here to make friends and he was going to be on the top of the boys in the exact same way he was as a player.

"He also pointed out that nobody should take anything personally.. He just demands the highest of standards in the same way as he did as a player. That's one of the reasons he had such a great career so he was laying a marker down from day one the way he would be working. It worked pretty well over the last six or seven games.

"The end of the season was difficult for everyone and not claiming third place was frustrating, especially for me as I missed the majority of the European games last