What Hearts fans learned from Naismith's coach presentation

Football clubs can be reluctant to reveal too much of what goes on behind the scenes and in training. That was not the case in the Gorgie Suite at Tynecastle Park on Wednesday evening in a Foundation of Hearts-organised meet-the-management-team event. Naismith, alongside assistants Gordon Forrest and Frankie McAvoy, provided more than a peek behind the curtain as they gave extensive detail and answered questions from the 350-strong crowd over the course of 90 minutes.

At one point, a fan suggested a tactic for the management team to consider when defending set pieces. It involved leaving a player wide, the rationale that it would take just one pass and Hearts would be set up for a dangerous attack. It followed a query around the ploy of bringing all players back to defend corners, despite the team having not conceded a goal from a set piece this season in the league.

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"We'll do it on Saturday and see if we concede, you are getting it!"

Naismith joked that he would take on the tip with the caveat that if they are now to concede it will be the supporter who will have to take the responsibility. It was just one moment of an event that further endeared the current head coach to those in attendance, including the one who had the suggestion.

The Hearts boss was very keen for the event to take place to provide fans with information, giving them a better idea of what the management team are looking to achieve and how, and to essentially not only bring the support closer to the team but on the journey with them.

"We hope it will give you a better understanding as to your conclusion to a game on a Saturday or where we finish in the league or what is success," he said. "That, to me, is a really important thing."

With that in mind, what did those in attendance learn from their evening in EH11?

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The 6 key areas

After some initial technical issues were encountered and then sorted, Naismith outlined the six key focus areas that shape the team's playing model: Out of possession, in possession, defensive transition, attacking transition, set plays and game management.

"Every detail falls into one of these categories, this is effectively how everything works," he explained. "Every player in the squad understands what each category means which gives them a bit more clear information."

Naismith spoke about game management as something he took for granted as a player and is now more wary of having to implement it within a group as a coach.

Training

After the introduction of the key areas, Naismith provided extensive detail of what training looks like, both for players and the coaching staff. 

One of the slides he provided showed an example of training from Sunday past. It focused on the intensity of the press, possession play, defensive recovery and quick transitions.

The sheet is something the players see in the morning so they know what the coaching staff want from them and it gives them a clear understanding of the session ahead.

It is clear from Naismith's presentation that so much work and detail goes into training and preparation. All sessions are videoed with a drone. The coaching staff go through the training from the previous day and clip anything relevant to show players, whether it is in a team meeting in the morning or sent to individual players via WhatsApp.

"It's loads of information but sometimes it will be three clips we send to individual players through WhatsApp or a group meeting to get feedback from the players," he explained. "This group of players are really good at buying in and being receptive to this detail and happy to ask questions. Ultimately they want to improve."

Players are given plenty of information but are not overloaded, instead, it is drip-fed through group meetings, unit meetings or individually.

Naismith spoke of the team's principles of play that never change. 

"How we press, what happens when we lose the ball to what we do in our deep defensive third," he said.  "Whoever we are playing, what are the main things we need to do to hurt them and what are the main things we need to guard against? That is how our sessions and week work."

Clips of training were shown and included pressing, hitting the wide areas, playing forward, how the team are going to press and how aggressively they do so. There was one where a second ball was dropped into a session when a goal was scored to see how the defence reacted.

They were all small examples of what goes happens on the training pitch as the team work on the principles of play with a view to the next opponent. A lot of it is done in games, which last anywhere between five and 20 minutes, with intensity to improve decision making which should, in turn, improve the team's attacking output. There is a desire for width high up the pitch. It helps the team to keep the ball and then, when the moment is right, to increase tempo. Naismith wants the team to be brave on the ball and make passes but not to force it.

"When I turned up at the club as a player I was amazed at the number of turnovers that happened in games," he said. "It comes from bad decision-making on the pitch. It is about making the best opportunity rather than an opportunity."

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It is not a case that the team train in the morning and the players are then off home. There are afternoon sessions that could be on the pitch, perhaps in specific units, or a gym session, while the coaches finish with a meeting as they review the day's training and look ahead to the following day.

There was also an interesting insight into some of the data that is collated via the GPS monitors players wear. What appears on a GPS report? Total distance, duration, high-speed running distance, sprinting distance, number of sprints, max velocity. 

Sunday's training session, for example, saw Stephen Kingsley, Beni Baningime and Alan Forrest cover the most distance. Finlay Pollock, Macaulay Tait, Forrest and Yutaro Oda had the highest high-speed running distance. Kenneth Vargas had the highest number of sprint efforts. The max velocity (metres per second) was Tait followed by Pollock and Forrest.

"Everything is monitored," Naismith said. "If somebody is not on it, their numbers are down, it is highlighted. Ultimately it keeps the standards high."

Essentially, there is no place to hide.

Analysis

When it comes to analysing an upcoming opponent, Hearts have three separate meetings regardless of who the opponent is. In possession, out of possession and set plays, with subcategories within each that the coaching staff think are the most important to focus on.

Naismith provided the win at Celtic Park as an example. So the in-possession focus was on goal kicks, open play build-up, runners and rotations, and attacking transition. Out of possession included goal-kick press, high press and space behind the defence.

The head coach highlighted the press as key in the win over Celtic rather than "just rushing out". He was not keen on the wing-backs putting pressure on high up the pitch because Celtic want that space in behind. 

Several clips from their analysis of Celtic were shown. It included how they press and force teams to go long. Naismith called them the "best pressing team in the league". He explained the staff "really focused on centre-backs being brave enough to keep possession". He gave examples of Kye Rowles and Stephen Kinglsey playing out from the back and not taking the easy option as well as examples of the team keeping the ball higher up the pitch. In possession, "the most important thing when playing the Old Firm is when you have the ball, you must keep the ball".

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It was explained that it doesn't always work as well as it did against Celtic but highlighted the amount of work that goes into preparing for games. The coaching staff and analysts watch copious amounts of games and footage and if Hearts are not playing on a Saturday the management team will all be at a game. Even though teams play each other upwards of three times a season, there is little complacency in the approach to scouting teams.

Conversely, Gordon Forrest explained that as soon as Hearts are finished playing, the game is available for the management team to watch when they get home that evening or on the bus back from an away fixture. 

"Naisy is looking at the in possession, I'm looking at the out of possession and Frankie is looking at the set plays," he said. 

It will be packaged together for the Monday meeting with players coming in later and, Naismith revealed, they get "good engagement from players when watching games back... they are self-critical".

Player pathway

"This is something the three of us are really passionate about," Naismith said. "The one thing I say to every young player that is here: You will get the opportunity. If you are doing well you'll get a chance."

It was shown that 22 players have trained with the first team under the current management team with nine making the bench in a competitive fixture and two - Aidan Denholm and Tait - making their league debuts.

All three of the management team had their views on the development of players and ensuring Hearts have that pathway to the first team.

"I don't want you to impress me, I just want you to survive," Naismith said. "We've got really good talent but it takes time. I want to get as many guys through the academy as I can but it is not straightforward. It's not going to happen overnight but we work really hard to give them an opportunity."

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McAvoy believes Hearts have got the best coach in place to give the young players a chance. He also spoke of the importance of keeping James Wilson, noting "he's a Hearts boy, he wants to play for Hearts and he is in the right place to develop". He also addressed the "politics" within Scottish football regarding B teams and how they are used around Europe.

Forrest picked out the likes of Lawrence Shankland, Frankie Kent and Craig Halkett as players at their peak and their importance in helping develop young players and creating a positive culture and environment. He said Hearts have a "fantastic group of players".

Hearts have the structure in place to help young players in various areas, including a nutritionist and psychologist. There are opportunities for all players to tap into it. 

Stats

Hearts fans were shown a variety of stats of the league season so far, both good and bad. Naismith believes they help provide an indication of how a team is operating in possession, out of possession and the transition. 

The aim for the team is to be in the top four in the Premiership in each metric. "Anything out of that is not successful," he said.

Naismith explained that "we are a good pressing team" when set up in their shape but the "areas where we can improve are in that top third of the pitch. When we've not got the ball in our attacking third we are not the best at getting the ball back". 

Hearts, it was shown, are good at preventing the opposition from entering the team's box and minimising the number of passes teams have in the Hearts box. But are not as effective in pressuring teams higher up the park. 

"We are good at going after the ball in our two defensive thirds of the pitch but the higher up the pitch when we lose the ball, going straight after it, triggering that press, is something we need to work on," he confirmed.

Naismith also highlighted the team need to improve the quality of chances they create. Hearts are good at creating opportunities but not the best opportunities. He believes the team could do with being more patient in the final third, making one more pass to create a better quality of chance.

"We've made progress," he said. "It's like everything, it takes time. It's hard work, it's making good strides forward."

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Q&A

Naismith and the management team fielded plenty of questions from host Robert Borthwick and those in attendance.

Attacking threat

Naismith explained one of the reasons for some of the attacking difficulties, and with Shankland scoring the majority of goals, is that the team is, in a football sense, "immature" middle to front with young players who are yet to reach their peak and are therefore inconsistent. He noted the absence of Barrie McKay and Liam Boyce through injury.

Interstingly, he tipped Denholm to score goals from midfield because his "timing of forward runs is excellent".

Recruitment

One fan asked about the recruitment, suggesting it has not been great despite the team sitting third in the league at this stage of the season for the third season running.

"We want to get to a place where we sign players and you don't actually see them for six months because they are settling in in the background," Naismith explained.

He spoke of how there are so many things to consider with signings and the club do enough work to minimise the risk of a transfer as much as possible.

He also had plenty of praise for Calem Nieuwenhof.

"I think somebody who has taken time to settle, who is progressing and I think will be a really good player is Calem Nieuwenhof," he said. "He is somebody who will take the ball anywhere, wants to take control of the game, can get up and down the pitch. He will be a good player here. He just needs time."

Clark and Gordon

There was significant praise for both goalkeepers. Naismith believes Zander Clark has gone up a level following Craig Gordon's return and the pressure that has put on the former St Johnstone star. He even mentioned the St Mirren game when Clark picked up a knock and the fan reaction to the possibility of Gordon getting on.

"I think he's pushed on with Craigy coming back," he said. "My hope is they both go to the Euros, I think they both deserve to be involved. A lot of credit needs to go to Zander with how well he's performed under pressure when everyone here cheers when he goes down injured and Craigy is ready to come on. That's no helpful! If you can for a minute, step back and think if that's you."

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Set pieces

Frankie McAvoy has been the coach leading on set plays and will often be seen shouting out directions from the edge of the technical area when the team are defending them.

He explained why the team have gone to a zonal marking system and why they bring everyone back.

"When Steven took over as interim we were the worst in the league defending set pieces," he said. "We tried man marking, leaving one up the pitch. We weren't good enough defending, to be honest. We worked with them through pre-season and we felt the best way to go was zonal. The biggest thing at the moment is we need to make sure we are structurally sound defending. I think we've got better at it.

"We might look further down the line about putting someone else up the pitch but we need to make sure that we are solid defensively. 

"If it was good enough for Manchester City last year it is good enough for us at Hearts at the moment!"

What it takes to be a Hearts player

"You need to have the mentality to deal with the pressure," Naismith said. "At times the pressure is brilliant and at times the pressure is a burden. When there is a wee bit of agitation comes from the crowd the players need to accept keep doing what they are doing and trust what we are doing." 

VAR/Referees

The Hearts head coach was asked a few questions about refereeing and VAR, including why so many are from the West Coast. "Too many from the East Coast don't want to do it!"

Naismith would like to see referees become professional but admitted it is a non-starter due to the finances involved. He is a supporter of VAR but it needs to get better and referees need to be helped out more.