Naismith says ‘we’re there’ with permanent Hearts deal
● Striker and club’s player of the year to convert loan spell into a permanent move
Hearts strike r Steven Naismith has revealed he has agreed a contract to convert his loan deal into a permanent arrangement this summer.
The Scotland inter nationalist, who has scored 14 goals in 27 appearances this term, has become a key player at the Gorgie club both on and off the park during two loan spells from Norwich City over the last 18 months.
Such is the impact the 32- year-old has made that he was named both players’ and fans’ player of the year at the club’ s award ceremony on Sunday, even though he has missed more than four months of the season following two knee operations, the most recent two months ago.
Naismith will become a free agent this summer and had considered a move to the MLS in America. However, the forward says negotiations with Hearts have reached a successful conclusion and he expects news of his new deal to be released in the near future. The former R angers, Everton and Kilmarnock player, who also acts as a mentor to Hearts’ young players, said: “To be honest, we’re there. It’s literally just the official side of things that needs to be crossed and dotted, if you like.
“The whole time I’ve been at the club it’ s been pretty relaxed, the manager, has been great with me. We’ve got an honest relationship and it’s one that when I say I’m going to do something I’ll do it and vice versa. The club have worked really hard to make me feel welcome and offer me something that I feel is acceptable and in return I hope I have given myself everything that I have to offer and hopefully that can carr y on for many more years.”
Naismith is not expected to play in the Scottish Cup final against Celtic on 25 May after undergoing his latest knee operation in March and says he is disappointed he has not been able to contribute more to a disappointing Premiership campaign that is set to end with a sixth-place finish.
“It’s very frustrating I’ve not managed to be involved in a lot of times when maybe I feel I could have contributed and the squad could have done with me in the team,” he said. “But we’ve got a fantastic group and that shows in terms of what we’ve done in the cups. There is a lot of progress to be done but overall we are going in the right direction.”
Speaking about his awards on Hearts TV, Naismith added: “It’s ver y good, the fans come ever y week and watch good, bad and indifferent performances and it’s always nice to get a bit of recognition from them as it is from the squad.
“These are the guys you come to work with and you want to impress and make sure you’re a good team-mate, so to get an award from those guys is extra special.”
In the world of Old Firm conflict, short-term triumphalism often holds sway over any wider sense of perspective. The unrestrained jubilation of the R angers suppor ters at Ibrox on Sunday was testament to that. S eldom can they have marked the final home game of a trophyless season with such rapturous acclaim of their team.
The buoyant response to a commanding performance and victory from Steven Gerrard’s players, whose superiority over Celtic on the day was barely reflected in the 2-0 scoreline, underlined a growing belief among Rangers fans that the balance of power in Scottish football can finally tip back in their favour.
It is certainly a curious state of affairs that Celtic supporters, who could witness the completion of an astonishing treble treble of domestic trophies in 11 days’ time, are suddenly displaying greater anxiety about the direction of their club this summer.
As interim manager Neil Lennon has now made clear more than once, a major
squad rebuild is required by the champions, irrespective of who is handed the job on a permanent basis after the S cottish Cup Final against Hearts.
Sunday’s insipid and rudderless display in the final Old Firm showdown of the campaign, while having no bearing on the eight-in-a-row champions’ relentless pursuit of silverware, has hardened the views of many Celtic fans that Lennon’s second stint as manager should not be extended.
While major shareholder Dermot Desmond and chief executive Peter Lawwell have a big call to make on that front, they will do so mindful of a potential challenge from Rangers which is far stronger and more credible than at any time since their financial collapse seven years ago.
There was more than an element of risk for R angers in appointing Gerrard last summer and, by his own admission, the 38-year-old has made mistakes in his first year in management. The former Liverpool captain will surely nurse a sense of frustration at what could have b een achieved this season but is entitled to take encouragement from the level of progress made.
It remains to be seen whether the consistent high quality of his team’s performa n c e s i n r e c e n t we e k s , p r o d u c e d i n a period when the pressure was effectively removed from their shoulders, can be delivered when it really counts over the course of a 2019-20 campaign which will be dominated by the narrative of Celtic’s bid for nine-in-a-row.
“We have made some progress and we have improved,” reflected Gerrard in an ex t e n s ive i n t e r v i e w wi th t h e R a n g e r s matchday programme.
“I’m satisfied at the moment but at the same time I’m disappointed that we haven’t rewarded the supporters with a trophy. So from the trophy side of it, we fell short and
‘WE FELL SHORT’ “I’m satisfied at the moment but at the same time I’m disappointed that we haven’t rewarded the supporters with a trophy. So from the trophy side of it, we fell short and we have to be honest and open about that and analyse it” STEVEN GERRARD
we have to be honest and open about that and analyse it. But in terms of where the team and the squad is now, 12 months in, I’m actually quietly pleased. When I came in I was hopeful, now I’m confident and really looking forward to producing.
“Next year with better players, a stronger eleven and a stronger squad and less changes, with people knowing what we are trying to do and not everything’s new, I’m hoping it’s a bit more seamless.”
R angers have already tied up the pre - contract signings of Kilmarnock winge r Jo r d a n Jo n e s a n d Mo t h e r we l l f o r -
ward Jake Hastie, while Gerrard’s recruitment strategy may also be determined by whether the club receive offers they can’t refuse for prize assets such as Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield.
“I don’ t think it will be like last summer,” added the R angers boss. “Obviously we felt we needed big changes in different areas and we wanted to freshen it up with a lot of newness, because we felt it was broken and fractured in certain areas as a club.
“There was a lot of negativity around, so that was the reason we made a lot of changes there. We feel as though we have a decent squad here and a good team but to get to the next level now, we feel it’s about having quality.
“At this moment we can only strike for the frees that are maybe out there, for the pre-contracts which we’ve done. When the window opens we want to go and strike for the areas of the pitch where we feel we need real quality to take us to the next level.
“You obviously want to make the team strong and successful as quickly as you can. But you’ve also got to look for the deals out there that will help your squad be stronger and also maybe players who are going to help the club for many years. When those players become available, you’ve got to strike.
“Jordan and Jake give us more options in the final third. They give us pace and they give us power. They can both create and they can both score.
“At times, and in important times in the season, when I’ve looked to change things or bring people off the bench, we’ve lacked a little bit of quality in the final third. So that’ s the idea and there ason behind it. They are two players with big potential who will come here and hopefully fulfil it.”