The SPFL Premiership campaign is coming to an end

Cammy Devlin, a midfielder for Hearts, and Jamie McCart, a defender, both missed Saturday’s win over Ross County due to illness and injury. Devlin was ill in Riccarton last week, and McCart was unable to travel to Dingwall due to a thigh complaint.

The coaching staff at Hearts are hopeful that Devlin will be able to train without restriction this week and declare himself fit for Saturday’s Premiership match against Motherwell at Tynecastle Park. The Australian is regarded as an important member of the team and is making progress with his illness.

 

Riccarton interim head coach Liam Fox explained to the Edinburgh News why Devlin and McCart were unable to play against County. “It’s two big players for us,” he said. “Jamie McCart clearly has a thigh problem, and Cammy was sick earlier this week. I just didn’t want to take anyone up there who wasn’t really 100%. Cammy is a big player and a big influence. Both of them are in our group, but it wasn’t the day to carry people who weren’t completely committed.”

McCart’s thigh injury makes him doubtful for this weekend, but Hearts want to give the centre-back every chance to prove his fitness. He was replaced at halftime in Edinburgh’s 1-0 defeat to Dundee ten days ago due to a thigh muscle pull. With just over a week left in the Premiership season, he is racing against the clock to play again before the summer.

When asked if McCart would make the Motherwell match, Fox said, “We’ll have to wait and see.”

Ross County 1-3 Hearts helps Tynecastle side stay out of Premiership relegation zone.

Fox was overjoyed to get his second interim spell with Hearts off to a winning start in the Highlands. Ronan Hale’s first-half goal put County 1-0 ahead before Lawrence Shankland brought the visitors level before half-time. Shankland scored again after the break and then set up Alan Forrest to seal the victory late on. Getting three points means that the Tynecastle side are now unlikely to be dragged into the Premiership’s relegation zone with only three matches remaining.

 

A week after sacking head coach Neil Critchley, the Hearts players showed a level of response amid more turmoil. Critchley’s dismissal was the second time this season that the club had fired a manager following Steven Naismith’s removal in September. Fox explained what pleased him about the players’ reaction.

“Yes, the game is always about players,” he said. “Players are the ones that go over the white line. My job was to give them, in a difficult week, hopefully a wee bit of structure, a wee bit of clarity and hopefully give them a wee bit of belief and then they go on the pitch. I think we’ve seen moments of that and, again, it’s not about me. It’s about getting the results and getting the points for the football club. If I’ve helped in a slight wee bit with that, then good, but the credit has to go to the players.”

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