Neil Critchley insists he won’t lose sleep over Hearts’ failure to secure a top-six finish — as the Tynecastle boss shifts focus towards salvaging silverware from a season of frustration.
The Jambos missed out on the Scottish Premiership’s upper half on a dramatic final pre-split weekend, after a goalless draw at Fir Park left the door open for St Mirren to snatch sixth spot with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Ross County.
Critchley, however, has refused to accept full responsibility for the club’s league struggles, pointing to the dismal position he inherited when he succeeded Steven Naismith in mid-October.
“Does it [the criticism] bother me? No. Is it fair? Well, you could say that because there’s evidence of that. But it’s a small sample size. I’ve only been here six months,” said Critchley, addressing reporters ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.
“If we are still talking about this after a lengthier period of time then... fair enough. The team’s evolving, we have to keep moving forward, we have to keep showing progression, and I believe we have and we are moving in the right direction.”
Read more:
-
Hibs slash Rangers ticket allocation for high-stakes season finale
-
Reo Hatate opens up on Celtic stat he wants to change at Hampden
Critchley, whose side have struggled in head-to-heads with teams above them this term, was bullish when challenged on Hearts’ record in decisive fixtures — insisting the long view shows steady improvement.
“If you said that in points per game, we would be comfortably in the top six if I was here all season,” he added. “But I wasn’t, and the reason I am is because of what happened. I can only deal with the here and now, and the group that’s in front of me.
“I think we’ve shown progress, and the next step is for us to go and take a big step forward on Saturday and progress to the final.”
The cup now offers a shot at redemption for Critchley’s men, as they prepare to meet an Aberdeen side who have had a rollercoaster campaign of their own under Jimmy Thelin.
For Hearts, the season’s defining moment may yet lie at Hampden Park.
