Robbie wants a Savage success on signings
Hearts manager Robbie Neilson admits he is looking forward to working with Joe Savage.
And the Tynecastle boss insists the club’s new sporting director will play a key role in shaping the team’s success on the pitch
Savage is set to officially begin his new role on tomorrow after leaving his post as head of recruitment at Alex Neil’s Preston North End.
The former Arbroath and Montrose player’s first task will be to find a new winger and striker for Neilson during the January transfer window.
Craig Levein previously oversaw the club’s signing strategy as director of football, and then manager, before being axed over a year ago.
Club legend Jim Jefferies has since been helping out as an advisor to the Board, and owner, Ann Budge, since last summer.
But Neilson is relishing the prospect of tapping into Savage’s vast contacts south of the border.
Neilson said: “It’s great. I spoke to Ann when I first came in about the importance of getting a Sporting Director in.
“Joe has great experience at Hamilton Accies, Norwich City and Preston, so his contacts down south are second to none.
“I’ve had a good few conversations with him about the targets we’re going to go after, and about moving some of our players out as well.
“I think we need some freshness, and another hit to get us through to the end of the season – but also to start building for next season.
“We’ll both be involved in identifying players.
“I’ll speak to Joe, and say I’m looking for X-type of player, how the player fits into our structure, what kind of player he is.
“Joe will go and source four or five of them, we’ll sit down and look at them and then I’ll make the decision.
“Then hopefully Joe will go and get the deal done.
“It’s great to have someone like that. The recruitment side of it is so important nowadays, and you need someone there that can deal with agents.
“That allows me to focus on winning on a Saturday.”
Hearts’ recruitment strategy has come in for criticism in recent years, especially during last season’s controversial relegation from the Premiership.
For example, Frenchman Loic Damour signed a four-year deal under then boss Levein in the summer of 2019, but has only made 13 league appearances.
Hearts are desperate to get the high-earning midfielder off their books, and Neilson admits every new signing carries an element of risk.
He added: “Recruitment in any club has it’s good and bad periods.
“Over the course of the past few years, we’ve recruited well at times.
“But there are always ones that don’t make it. The thing for me is that you have to tick as many boxes as you can, in terms of the signings that we make.
“No matter who you bring in, it’s always a gamble. However, by getting Joe on the staff, hopefully we can improve in that area.
“You take a player from one club to another, and it’s a totally different environment. There are a lot of ifs and buts when you bring any player in.”