Big club, massive tradition, great fan base ... Hearts are full package & signings like GMS will get us back to where we belong
Director Joe says Tynecastle has a bright future after bringing in winger
JOE SAVAGE completed his first piece of business as Hearts sporting director with Gary Mackay-Steven’s arrival at Tynecastle last night.
And Savage reckons signing the former Celtic and Aberdeen star sends a message to the rest of Scottish football that the Jambos mean business.
It’s Robbie Neilson’s first signing of the January window.
Mackay-Steven penned a two-and-a-half year deal as he returned to Scottish football after an 18-month stint in the MLS with New York City.
Savage described the winger as a “top-four Premiership player”.
And that, ultimately, is where the former Preston, Norwich and Hamilton talent finder hopes to see Hearts in the not too distant future.
Savage said: “We feel Gary is an excellent player. We can show we mean business with that calibre of player.
“Look at the level he has played at, he has won the Scottish Premier League. In our opinion he is a top- four Premiership player.
“So for us to get him to the Championship shows you the size of this club. It’s a good statement from us.
“The proof will be in the pudding. Hopefully he produces and does what we expect him to do.
“He fits the profile of what Robbie wanted from a winger. He is quick, he is direct, he can create goals and score goals.”
Savage, who left his job as Preston head of recruitment to move to Tynecastle, began work in Gorgie on Monday and has targeted returning the Jambos to the top of the game as soon as possible.
After a playing career spent scrambling around the SPFL basement and junior leagues for goals, the only target in his sights now is the very top of the Scottish game.
He has no doubt that’s where Hearts belong and with his contacts, eye for a player and networking skills, he hopes to help Neilson fast-track the club back to the top.
The 36-year-old’s role will be a broad brush – taking in responsibilities with the academy, the women’s side, recruitment, analysis and with the medical and performance departments.
But after lengthy spells at Preston, Norwich and Hamilton – all under the charge of close friend Alex Neil – he has finally landed the job he craved.
Savage said: “I’m Scottish so I know how big a club Hearts are. I have been around the game long enough to know the history of the club, the fanbase, the tradition. Everything is there for this club to go again.
“They were relegated, harshly in my opinion.
“If Covid- 19 hadn’ t happened, they wouldn’t have been relegated.
“From the outside looking in, I thought, ‘Big club, massive tradition, great fan base.’
“You think, ‘This is good.’ But it’s only when you see it, you realise how big it is, how professional and organised it is. The infrastructure is great.
“The stadium is magnificent, the city of Edinburgh is beautiful, the training facilities are great. You’ve got a management staff that have won the league before.
“They know what they’re doing. I looked at the full package and felt, ‘ Wow, thi s is unbelievable, are you sure you want to hire me?’
“I look at this is as a big chance at a great club. Let ’s see how we do.
“Where do I see Hearts in three years? In the Premiership, competing for top si x, competing in cup finals, trying to get into Europe and then hopefully winning cups.” Savage counts James Maddison and Nelson Oliveira at Norwich and Darnell Fisher at Preston among his top signings. A new striker is the next target for Hearts. And the Sporting Director will be using his wideranging contact list south of the border to help the search. He also hopes to have a lasting relationship with his old boss Neil which could potentially see more Preston players head to Gorgie on loan – just like current playmaker Josh Ginnelly. He said: “A big thing for Robbie probably was t h e contacts and the number of people I have dealt with in England and throughout Europe. I hope that’s something I can really touch on. “This is not just about me, Robbie has his own contacts, the coaches have their contacts, Jim Jefferies is still working with us, John Murray. It’s a team game.
“I’m not going to tell Robbie what to do, I’m there to help him.
“I ’ ll try my hardest to make sure I get what Robbie wants. I’ll try to provide him with everything he needs. He is an experienced man and knows what he is doing.
“Alex Neil was great for my career. I also like to think I helped Alex in his career too.
“Going forward if we feel there is a player at Preston that they might not want, I like to think Alex can contact me. We’ve certainly got that with Josh Ginnelly.
“I’m hoping I have a lot of good relationships in football that I can turn to a lot of people and say, ‘We might need this, can you give a helping hand?’”
GMS fits the profile of what Robbie wanted from a winger JOE SAVAGE TELLS OF HIS DELIGHT AT GETTING GARY