Dan proved he’s man with a plan to save Jambos

DANIEL STENDEL isn’t out of the woods yet but Hearts supporters have finally been given some tangible evidence that their manager could be capable of doing this job.

The German’s decision-making and tactical approach in the massive games with Rangers and Hibs have paid off massively. Key for him has been adaptability and getting the big calls correct.

Against Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarterfinal last weekend, the German came up with a plan which, given his previous statements and ways of playing, seemed against his nature.

Stendel, for want of a better phrase, went old school. On a junkyard of a pitch in a howling wind, he bagged the intricacies and turned it into a 1970s cup-tie.

Get it forward fast, get the opposition turned and start a battle.

He had heroes all over the pitch as they hustled and battled Rangers out of the competition.

Steven Naismith was a leader in every area and spoke his team-mates through the game.

Fast forward to Easter Road and you had to imagine the Scotland striker would have been one of the first names on the team sheet.

But Stendel pulled another fast one. Left Naismith out of the starting XI and replaced him with Liam Boyce, who was back to fitness after a bout of illness leading up the Cup tie.

Again there was bit more pragmatism within the system. Not quite as much as against Rangers, yet still enough to solidify.

It worked a treat and the 3-1 Edinburgh derby victory was as much a contrast to the gung-ho 2-0 defeat on Boxing Day as the mood of Jambos punters has flipped in the past week.

Stendel put trust in young Lewis Moore over the two games and was paid back. It’s such a shame that the kid had to go off injured against Hibs and this would be a good time to mention the part of Kevin Clancy in that situation.

Refs have been given new rules but there has to be common sense. Moore was clearly in trouble with a hamstring issue when he had to leave the pitch.

Clancy’s decision to make him go off at the nearest point to the sidelines and walk the long way around the pitch was bad enough. To ask him to walk past the Hibs

Key for the German has been adaptability and getting the big calls correct

section, where players have been attacked, is as far from common sense as you can get.

Sometimes the refs don’t help themselves. That’s before you even mention Marc McNulty’s apparent stamp.

No one is stupid enough to say Hearts’ problems are over after 180 minutes and two wins. They still have much to prove and are in the relegation mire.

But at least there’s signs it could happen and, given what’s been going on since the start of the season, that’s something to cling to.