OPINION  McInnes knowing what Hearts need was music to my ears and it should be to Shankland too – Ryan Stevenson.

Just look at McInnes’ previous squads, and they are tailor-made for Lawrence Shakland.

Lawrence Shakland has a lot to think about in terms of his future. At least he knows one thing for sure. If he returns to Tynecastle, he will be greeted by a team and manager who will give him every opportunity to reclaim his best form. The new boss gets it. He understands what Hearts requires, and hearing him pinpoint tempo across large areas was like music to my ears. It should have been music to Lawrence’s ears as well. Just look at how McInnes has previously set up squads. It is custom-made for a Shankland.

Consider how he employed Adam Rooney in the early stages of his Aberdeen career, and how he set up the team to make the most of him. I played against that team, and it was murder when Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn went into full swing. Having to deal with those boys was a nightmare. They maintained their width and gained service from Rooney. If McInnes believed Hayes and McGinn had their full-back under control, they would just continue to pummelled them down the flanks.

But if he thought they couldn’t get away, he wouldn’t hesitate to switch sides, and they’d come inside and cause havoc, creating and scoring their own goals. The second thing about them was that they worked their tails off and weren’t afraid to put their foot in if necessary. McInnes’ Aberdeen team evolved, but the foundations remained the same. Fast and aggressive in the wide areas and, when Rooney left, not many would have given Sam Cosgrove much hope of filling the void, yet he did it brilliantly in the end.

That was down to service. Gary Mackay-Steven and Scott Wright were wide players who embodied that mindset, and Kilmarnock was no exception. Marley Watkins and Kyle Vassell both had fantastic seasons, qualifying for Europe and finishing fourth in the Premiership. Much of this was due to the excellent service provided by Matty Kennedy and Danny Armstrong. Two boys who maintained their width. McInnes’ strategy was to get the ball to those two youngsters as soon as possible and let them offer service. Kennedy was also with him in Aberdeen, but Mackay-Steven went to Rugby Park instead. Listen, I’m always accused of being old-school and advocating for direct football, but I keep saying it.

It’s more than just kicking the ball up the pitch; it’s getting it to your offensive players fast and allowing them to cause damage with speed and quality. Football has vanished into obscurity. I hear people talking about breaking lines and all this lingo. Players have been breaking lines since the game was created. Running off the ball is also known as committing a player by taking him on. Some coaches nowadays could sell cars if they didn’t have employment in the sport. I’m not saying McInnes isn’t up to date on modern techniques; he is, but he also recognises the importance of certain fundamental characteristics.

Hearts are about speed and aggression. Being in people’s faces, going the extra yard and making the extra tackle to let your abilities shine. That is the ethos and DNA of the club. Hard work and quality. McInnes understands this. Various portions of the pitch will require maintenance and adjustments, but those broad places are critical. It has been sorely lacking at Hearts in recent years, and Lawrence should have been the first to protest about it. This is a man that guarantees goals when you deliver into the box for him, but it felt like teams were almost deliberately denying him that.

Dropping him deep and expecting him to connect the game. That’s fantastic, but why take away your main weapon? McInnes wants lads to hug touchlines and take chances, and Jamestown Analytics can assist the coach uncover some choices. Lawrence had a forgettable year, but I am confident that if he continues at Hearts, he will resume scoring goals as part of a McInnes squad. He’ll have options, as I mentioned. However, a World Cup will be held next summer, and Scotland may participate.

It may be worthwhile to consider where you can maximise your potential in the coming months. He is aware that McInnes holds high regard for him. He was the one who brought him to Aberdeen, and he had to wait on the sideline while stars like Rooney went wild. Lawrence has indicators that his new boss will finally utilise his abilities. McInnes and Shankland can be viewed as the faces of Hearts’ recent success.

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