Ryan Stevenson has come out swinging for Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay, who is being blamed for the club’s failure to sign at least two strikers in the summer.
Musa Drammeh was the only new forward added to the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign with Lawrence Shankland, Liam Boyce and the emerging James Wilson also in the ranks.
All four haven’t been firing on all cylinders this season, particularly captain Shankland.
He’s scored just one goal this season and that is evidenced by the fact the Jambos are the joint second lowest scorers in the Premiership so far with 16 goals.
Stevenson says Hearts have been crying out for extra striking options for the last 18 months, never mind since the summer transfer window.
And the former Tynecastle midfielder says McKinlay and the club’s board must take the blame for this, as Hearts sit bottom of the table heading into the busy festive period.
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Ryan Stevenson criticises Hearts CEO McKinlay
Stevenson wrote in his Daily Record column: “If Jamestown Analytics comes up with a big list of goalscorers Hearts can sign on January 1, it could well become game-changing.
“Tynecastle chief executive Andrew McKinlay described their new partnership as “a game-changer” at the club’s AGM earlier this week.
“He has also said it could take Hearts to the next level. Andrew better hope it is because, as it stands, we are bottom of the Premiership.
“How can he be talking about game-changers when we are at the foot of the table? I can’t wait to see between January 1 and February 3 the goalscorers this computer programme is going to bring to our attention and send us flying back up the league.
“I just don’t buy it. I hope I’m wrong but I don’t buy it just now at all. They could have brought in Bill Gates or whoever they wanted, it doesn’t matter.
“Results on the pitch are the only thing that matters and, as it stands, we’re sitting bottom of the table. Who is taking responsibility for that?
“I don’t see many other goal-scorers in the team. My fear is we could actually lose ground on teams in the run-up to 2025. I genuinely do because I look at all the other teams and they are all picking up points.
“St Johnstone always find a way of getting through things. They’ve got boys who are determined, boys who are used to being in that situation. Ross County are the same and Dundee too, with a good manager.
“I look at Hearts and I don’t see too many people ready to step up to the plate to take games by the scruff of the neck or to score goals.
“Yes, some of the signings they made in the summer were good but it was never enough. Nobody can argue that players such as Blair Spittal, Yan Dhanda and James Penrice aren’t good.”
Hearts needed ‘two extra strikers’ in summer
“The thing for me was I still felt we needed to bring in two extra strikers in the last window. We didn’t and so, for me, they have let this situation materialise.
“I’ve been banging the drum for more striking options for the last 18 months but it has fallen on deaf ears.
“Andrew and the board should have been advising Steven Naismith and telling him to look at his options because if Shankland doesn’t score, who does? As we are seeing this season…
“So, for me, the board need to take the responsibility. We’ve now entered the festive period and we’re sitting bottom of the league. No matter how the board try to dress things up, it’s shambolic.
“For a club the size of Hearts, with the budget and players they have, to be sitting bottom of the league is completely unacceptable. It all comes down to our lack of goals. The decision to go with just two experienced strikers amazes me.”