Derek McInnes on his stance over Hearts squad and possible exits.

 

Derek McInnes has praised the “first-class approach” of his Heart of Midlothian players, particularly those who haven’t played much.

The Hearts manager inherited a squad of more than 30 players, and while a few have left or gone on loan, a steady stream of summer signings has kept the squad intact. With only 11 starting positions available and another nine on the bench, first-team players will inevitably miss out.

Musa Drammaeh and Kenneth Vargas have received no competitive game time under McInnes, despite the latter missing the start of preseason due to international duty. Others, including Yan Dhanda and Sander Kartum, have been used sparingly.

McInnes has been pleased with how motivated the fringe players have been, and he has insisted that no one is being forced out, despite the need to offload some before the transfer window closes at the end of next month.

“I’ve been speaking with the boys on a regular basis, and I can’t guarantee that certain boys will get a lot of playing time,” said the Hearts coach. “So these discussions have been ongoing. But, listen, I want to work with boys who are hard-working.

“There are many boys here, and they all want to stay and are motivated to do so. However, as you mentioned, when the games begin properly, it is difficult to keep everyone happy.

“We’re currently dealing with a few injuries, which means we’re a little more stretched in some areas than others. To be honest, I believe all of this will come naturally over the next few weeks.

“You know, players want to play, and not playing can be difficult for them. “But I’m not trying to shove players out the door. No player has demonstrated anything less than a first-class approach to their work.”

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