BBC Sport Scotland analyses the reasons for Steven Naismith's sacking and considers what might come next for Heart of Midlothian.
No wins in nine matches in all competitions and eight successive defeats. That dismal early season form spelled the end for Steven Naismith as Heart of Midlothian head coach, despite the 38-year-old former Scotland striker signing a new contract as recently as August.
"Eight straight defeats, out of the cup to a Championship club in Falkirk, continually losing goals from set-pieces - it was relentless and it simply wasn't good enough.The statistics behind the rather unpleasant results do not make pretty reading either. There also never appeared to be a settled back-line. Naismith switched between a back four and a back five almost on a weekly basis and made 17 changes to his starting XI in total - hardly the sign of a coach confident in his players.There has also been criticism of Hearts' transfer business over the summer.
Hearts have held talks with Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom about potentially using the entrepreneur's analytical company for player recruitment in the future as they search for a higher success rate in the transfer market.
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