GROW A PAIR
MICHAEL SMITH insists Hearts need to grow a pair after suffering a Betfred Cup semi-final battering to add to their Premiership pain.
The full-back admits the 3-0 defeat to Rangers was nowhere near good enough – and claims a lack of bravery on the ball was their biggest downfall.
Managerless Jambos have no time to feel sorry for themselves with a massive bottom of the table clash against St Mirren just five days away.
And Smith, who voiced his dismay at seeing Craig Levein lose his job
BY FRaSeR WilSoN three days before the Hampden clash, reckons it’s down to the players to turn around a wretched run of form which has seen them win just once in the league all season. He said: “It was poor, very poor. We had a good game plan but we did not do it well enough. We never laid a glove on Rangers.
“We didn’t show up today and it was really poor, really disappointing. It’s hurting me.
“People need to be brave. They need to want the ball and at the minute I’m not seeing that from a lot of my teammates.
“It’s a real problem at the minute. People need to stand up and be counted – and grow a set. “I still believe we are a good set of players but when confidence is low you need people to step up and be brave, but there’s not enough people doing that. Flying into tackles should be a given, 50/50 challenges should be a given. For me, that’s not bravery.
“Bravery is wanting to get on the ball and pass the ball. Showing and moving for the ball is real bravery.
“That’s what gets you somewhere in football. Just look at Rangers today – every single player of theirs wanted the ball and look what happened.”
Smith reckons Austin MacPhee can turn things around if given the chance by a Jambos board currently poring over a list of candidates to replace Levein.
But the first thing any new boss needs to do is to change the mentality in the dressing room,