Stendel needs men who are fit for purpose
PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Where to begin? Hearts have had a ghastly few months.
In fact, 2019 couldn’t end quickly enough for the troubled Gorgie side.
Last January, then still under the charge of Craig Levein, they were a very respectable fifth in the table.
To be fair, even that position represented a slip in standards.
In November, 2018, they briefly led the Premiership.
Compared to what was to come, however, it was an excellent place to be.
In the 12 months that followed, they were to win just half-a-dozen games, comfortably the worst return of any of the country’s top-flight teams.
When Hearts return to action against Ross County at the Global Energy Stadium in Dingwall on January 22, they will do as the bottom-placed team – five points behind Hamilton Accies, and six behind St Mirren.
From their 21 league games this term, they have managed just two wins.
One was against the Paisley Saints, and the other a somewhat fortuitous derby success over Hibs at Easter Road in September, Aaron Hickey’s late winner finding its way into the net with the help of a deflection.
It bought Levein a little time, but only a few weeks .
At the end of October, he was sacked as manager, yet remaining at the club to see out his deal, working “to develop and improve the structure of the backroom and youth operations”.
In addition, after five weeks of wrangling, they got their No. 1 choice to be his replacement, former Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel.
After four straight defeats, the German oversaw a gutsy draw against Aberdeen just before the break. made a point of praising him for his skill and positive attitude on the pitch, so it would appear his future is bright.
Indeed, the only blot on his longerterm horizon would be Scotland’s notorious embarrassment of riches in his position, with Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Greg Taylor and Barry Douglas all blocking the way to a call up.
Time, though, is clearly, is on his side.