Andy Halliday questions why Hearts star has ‘all of a sudden’ disappeared from the starting XI

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Andy Halliday has suggested Zander Clark’s omission from the Hearts starting XI under Steven Naismith may have created unrest in the dressing room.

Hearts hero and 41-year-old Craig Gordon has now reclaimed the No1 jersey after Clark had started the first two competitive games of the season.

Clark picked up an injury before the first leg of the Europa League play-off tie against Viktoria Plzen and Gordon hasn’t missed a minute of action since.

Naismith decided to keep the experienced Gordon between the sticks when Clark returned but Halliday, who played for the Jambos between 2020 and 2024, has questioned this call.

Naismith wasn’t able to settle on a consistent starting XI this season and Halliday feels decisions like the Gordon-Clark one might be something that unsettled the dressing room.

Ex-Hearts star Halliday questions Zander Clark call

Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard a day after Naismith was sacked as Hearts manager following a 2-1 defeat to St Mirren, Halliday said: “(We talk about) the number of changes Hearts make from game to game, the changes in system and I’d argue the changes in style game to game as well.

“But I’m just looking at some of the names on the bench. And listen, we all talk about how we want strength in depth and two players for every position.

“But I’m looking at a lot of big, big characters sitting on the bench at times and knowing how difficult that can be in a dressing room when you feel that you should be in a team every week and you’re not getting game time or coming off the bench or not even making the squad.

“And I’m looking at some. For me, and I know he’s a Hearts legend (Craig Gordon) and he’s thought of very highly, but Zander Clark all of a sudden being No2 three or four games into the season after missing one game.

“I think Craig Gordon’s came in and made two or three errors for Craig Gordon standards over the last few games. And I’m not trying to make a big deal out of nothing but I know what that’s like in a dressing room when these big calls are being made – some will agree, some won’t agree.

“That sort of – I don’t want to say toxicity because I know Zander as a person and I know he’s not that type of guy – but these things spread through a dressing room when you’re making that many changes game to game.

“I think boys like Lawrence Shankland, they want that best XI where they’re going into every single game with. Listen, they are dealing with a lot of characters and it’s a big healthy squad.

“I do think there’s players in place that, whoever the next manager is to come in, they’ve got a lot of quality within that to get better. But they must find their best XI and stick with it.”

What Liam Fox has in his Hearts in-tray

Liam Fox has taken over as interim manager at Hearts until a new boss is found and one of his main priorities will be to get the best out of a severely underperforming squad.

The Jambos, on paper, recruited very well in the summer and have quality in almost every position. But like Halliday alludes to, Naismith wasn’t able to settle on a style or have a consistent starting XI and that has ultimately hampered Hearts.

They sit rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership table after six games and have just one point gained against Rangers to shout about this season.

Fox will be under pressure to secure victory at home to Ross County on Saturday before very tough games against Dinamo Minsk and Aberdeen ahead of the next international break.

Then, you would imagine, Hearts will appoint Naismith’s successor and will look to kick their campaign into life after such a dreadful start.