What Hearts manager situation means for Lawrence Shankland’s future.

Lawrence Shankland’s future at Heart of Midlothian is unclear due to the club’s current head coach situation.

Neil Critchley stated a week ago that talks would continue once the team’s focus shifts away from winning games and avoiding relegation.

Seven days later, with four games remaining in the season, Hearts is looking for a new head coach.

Shankland remains in the dark.

“I’d assume so,” he said when asked if the manager situation affected him. “I’m not sure how the club will handle that going forward.

“Obviously, there is all the new analytical stuff they are doing as well, so that may change the format of some things, whether it is the club making the signings or the manager. I am not sure how it will all work.

“I will speak to whoever needs to speak to me when they do, but for now, for myself and the club, we need to concentrate on these games and once these games are out of the way and hopefully we have got the results we need we can talk about the rest of the stuff.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Shankland’s future throughout the season, he has remained the team’s captain when available.

It has been a source of contention for some fans who believe he should not wear the armband, with others questioning the player’s leadership and influence. But has that hurt Shankland?

“That’s the opinion of supporters who are not in the club every day,” he said when asked if the suggestion that he be stripped of his armband stings. “They don’t notice us working in training.

“Listen, I have no doubt in my mind that if I came to training every day and sacked it off, I would not be able to play on Saturday. I know myself; I come in and work hard, and on game days, I try to do the same thing I’ve done for the past two years. My effort and output are present.

“People watch football and sometimes see what they want to see. They can create a narrative in their heads that you are not trying, and if you are watching someone and think they are not trying, you will most likely believe that 99 percent of the time.

“But I know I work hard in training and during games, and my teammates are aware of this. I don’t think they’d have someone on the pitch with them if they were in our situation, and I wouldn’t want to be in it either.

“There are no issues with my application or the team’s application in general. I’m fine with that; it’s just that other things haven’t come together this season, so we’re where we are.”

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