Peter Haring has witnessed and experienced plenty during his time at Heart of Midlothian. Since joining in 2018 he has - deep breath - made 129 appearances, played in three Scottish Cup finals, worked under four managers, appeared in the Conference League group stage, missed an entire season through injury, seen the club relegated and played his part in winning promotion. 

The Austrian is currently the longest-serving continuous player. The only member of the first-team squad still at the club from his first season? Steven Naismith. Now his head coach.

No player is better placed to provide an evaluation of the current squad. After all, Haring has had 95 different teammates play in the Hearts first-team during his time at Tynecastle Park.

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"It's as good as it has been since I've been here," he said. "We've got a lot of numbers and the manager has got a lot of options. I think the results, especially in the last couple of months, prove that.

"There is loads of competition and the team has been doing well. We've probably been one of the most in-form teams over the last 10 games so if the team is picking up points there's no reason for the manager to change too much."

Haring didn't quite finish there. He added: "That's the tough side of football. You have to accept it and keep working hard."

His start against Livingston was his first since a 2-0 win over Aberdeen in September. It was his first appearance since the end of October. The team's recent form, unbeaten in five and just two losses in the league from the last 11, has seen him play the role of an onlooker from the bench.

Haring revealed he has had conversations with Naismith but is aware of the current situation.

"I think I have always been speaking to him," he said. "There's nothing special, it's just the way the situation is.

"You know when you're not getting game time it is the most frustrating thing in football, especially when you are fit. Trying to do everything right, it's frustrating, but I'm glad I could help the team."

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Haring grew into the game against Livingston which is understandable considering how little football he has been playing. In the end, he played a key role to ensure Hearts saw the win over the line.

"It was not a pretty game as everyone could see," he admitted. "But we knew when you come here, on that pitch in those circumstances, it is always going to be a scrap and a fight. If we show our quality and play better football we can make it more enjoyable. I think, especially first half, we weren't really good enough on the ball and made it hard for ourselves.

"We were lucky not to be 1-0 down with the offside goal. I think that gave us another push that we needed. I thought from 15-20 minutes we did better. We weren't in control or anything like that, we weren't good enough on the ball for that, but we accepted the circumstances and what the game was going to be like and it was better."

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It also helps when the team have someone like Lawrence Shankland. He may have missed the penalty but he scored what proved to be the winner.

Haring said: Eventually [he put the penalty miss behind him]! You know, you've seen last season, when you have Shanks on the pitch he almost guarantees you a goal a game. It doesn't matter if we are playing badly or better, he is always there and can take his chances."

And what's it like to have a player like him on your side?

"Brilliant! What do you want me to say, he's proven it again," Haring said. "Even on [his] worst days, he can decide games."