Michael Stewart has delivered his Neil Critchley sack verdict and thinks Hearts now need to make another managerial change.
Stewart has been critical of Critchley in recent weeks and doesn’t believe he has the managerial capability to turn things around at the club.
Hearts are in a dire run of form with Critchley overseeing just three wins in the last 15 games, two of which came against the Premiership’s basement boys St Johnstone.
The Jambos blew a two-goal lead against Ross County to take only a point when three looked absolutely certain – and fans are now raging with some planning a protest.
Stewart thinks it’s time for Critchley to go just two-and-a-half months into his tenure at Tynecastle because he isn’t the leader Hearts need at this moment in time.
Stewart wants Hearts to ditch Critchley
Speaking on The Scottish Football Social Club, Stewart said: “So there’s two points here. I don’t think the club will but I think the club should.
“Now that may well be harsh because I think Neil Critchley comes across as a very good guy, comes across as a football person and somebody you’d want as a coach.
“But there’s a very different thing to being a coach and a manager. Hearts – and it’s the exact same scenario when they got rid of Steven Naismith – they need a leader. They don’t have that.
“The analytics threw up Neil Critchley as the manager. And with the greatest of respect, what is it in Neil Critchley’s managerial record that would suggest he is the man for Hearts?
“I mean, purely looking at the data of his managerial career would not suggest to you that he’s the man to take over Hearts.
“And one of the things that was put forward was that he’s a good developer of players. Now, that shouldn’t be determined by a transfer window, that should be the squad that’s there.”
Stewart criticises Hearts board
Stewart went on to slam the Hearts hierarchy for appointing Critchley, saying: “This board at Hearts have not got a good track record when it comes to managerial appointments. This is a left-field appointment, another one.
“Cathro and Stendel were left-field appointments, disaster. And now Critchley, a left-field appointment, the fans become tired of it.
“They just want a leader, they need a manager. Neil Critchley has had 17 games in charge, he’s won five. In the last 15 games, they’ve won three and two of them have been against St Johnstone who are bottom of the table.
“This squad needs galvanised and I don’t think Neil Critchley is the man.”