7 key takeaways from Derek McInnes’ Hearts unveiling.

Derek McInnes has been named head coach of Heart of Midlothian, ushering in a new era. The 53-year-old has agreed to a four-year contract, becoming manager of his fourth Scottish club after St Johnstone, Aberdeen, and Kilmarnock. McInnes will now work at Tynecastle Park alongside sports director Graeme Jones, with the goal of returning the team to the Scottish Premiership top division. What did we learn from his first day at work and his introduction news conference?

Delight at managing Hearts

McInnes has been waiting for a chance to take over Heart of Midlothian for quite some time. He has sought this job for a long time and believes it is a good fit. He said as much near the end of his introduction, grinning when asked how it felt to be at the club. McInnes could not be happier with the scenario, and he was anxious to emphasise how delighted he is about the potential. It was evident that he felt quite privileged to be in this position. “Delighted, absolutely delighted,” he told me. “Obviously, the previous several days have been difficult and not straightforward. This is often the case when things shift. To be honest, the opportunity to manage Hearts was all I hoped for.”

Tynecastle will be a nightmare

Much of what McInnes said resonated with fans. None more so than when he discussed his vision for Tynecastle Park. He brings up the teams of Craig Levein, Jim Jefferies, and George Burley. Fans frequently use these examples to demonstrate how Hearts should play or, at the very least, how they should approach home games. McInnes remarked that teams were too comfortable coming to Tynecastle, which had been sanitised. It seems that he had a strong desire to make his home field imposing and threatening, making opponents uneasy. Doing so will instantly endear him to Hearts fans.

Pace and physicality

Following on from the foregoing, fans may expect the Hearts club to have greater pace and physicality next season. In the coming days, McInnes will meet with sporting director Graeme Jones to assess the squad at his disposal. “When you come out here to Tynecastle, you get hit between the eyes pretty quickly, both physically and with aggression and a pace and an intensity,” he told me. Pace was one part of the team dynamic and balance that many fans perceived to be lacking. McInnes will work to change it, particularly in the broad areas.

No extensive overhaul?

It could have been a means to avoid irritating the existing team, but McInnes stated that there is no need for a clear out, as some may have thought. He plans to resolve the fates of Lawrence Shankland and Craig Gordon as soon as possible, although he stated that there is much to appreciate in the current group. “I’m going to make sure I put together a squad that can meet the demand,” stated the leader. “And a lot of the current players are a huge part of that, there’s no doubt about it.” Of course, there will be a few roster changes, and who knows what the next several months may bring.

Strong personality

Successful Hearts managers have shoulders strong enough to handle the pressure, responsibility, and demands that come with the club. People, including those in Scottish football, will talk about the demand and pressure at Hearts without fully realising how strong it can be.

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