JAMBOS SMILES BETTER
Lee says new regime make the Hearts glad
LEE McCULLOCH took a thinlyveiled dig at the previous Hearts regime last night and claimed the new management team have already put smiles back on players’ faces.
McCulloch and Gordon Forrest have reunited with Robbie Neilson after leaving Dundee United.
And the trio have been charged with repeating their feat of last season, when they guided United to the Championship title.
A cloud has hung over the Gorgie club since their relegation, which came with eight games still to be played when the season was called amidst the coronavirus crisis.
Daniel Stendel’s intense style, which also saw skipper Christophe Berra sent out on loan to Dundee, wasn’t to the liking of everyone in the Jambos’ dressing room.
But McCulloch insists any negative thoughts lingering from last season have now been buried for good. He told Hearts TV: “I’m delighted to be here. The way the boys have responded and reacted has been brilliant.
“It’s our job to make Robbie’s life or job as easy as possible. Hopefully we can help get some success this season. We have a good chemistry, different ideas and different personalities.
“But we have the same belief in how we want to approach the game and the culture we want to set. There’s been a difference so far according to the feedback we have had from the players.
“They are coming in with a smile on their face and not being down on anything in the past – that’s obviously in the past and it’s about what we do from now.
“With a 27 league game season we have to hit the ground running. Standards are high and we look to continue the good work we have started.” Meanwhile, striker Conor Washington last night finalised his move to Charlton, as first revealed Record Sport. byAnd as one player checked out another checked in with keeper Ross Stewart arriving on loan from Livingston until January. The 25-year-old spent the second part of last season on loan at Queen of the South after falling down the pecking order at Livi. But he’s determined to push Craig Gordon for the No.1 shirt at Hearts. Stewart said: “When I got the call to tell me Hearts were interested I was absolutely buzzing. “Craig is No.1 – me and Bobby are here to push him all the way and see what we can do.”