Steven Naismith will lead Heart of Midlothian out at Hampden Park on Sunday afternoon as the club looks to make history by beating Rangers at the national stadium for the first time ever in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

The Hearts head coach spoke with the press on Thursday afternoon to preview the game. He discussed the team's growth, what they have learned from previous matches with Rangers, injuries, Lawrence Shankland and his experience as a player.

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What is the injury latest?

Much the same as it was. Calem is still out. He is probably going to be out for a wee bit longer than expected. Boycie, Halkett and Haring are still out, everybody else is fit to play.

What is the issue with Calem?

Calem did come back into training but at a limited level. Pushing on became an issue so we've had it re-scanned. It's part of his tendon rather than just a soft tissue or a muscle injury. It's going to be a bit longer.

What is the timeline?

There is no timeline at the moment. We'll just see. That's probably the one negative.

You've said in the past that Hearts' cup record isn't as good as it should be for a club this size. Having been here as a player and now manager have you got a greater appreciation of why that is?

It's more the number of trophies won. We've been good at getting to the later rounds of the cups since I've been here. The hardest part is winning it. I still think we are a good enough team that each year we should have the expectation of getting to the later rounds and having a good chance of winning it. We are at that point where we are a good team, we have progressed and we have the tools here to win a trophy. It's hard work to do it. Sunday will be hard but we are going in with confidence.

Does that give you a greater appreciation of past teams who have come close?

I've been part of those teams. We were two penalty kicks away from winning the Scottish Cup. That's the small margins. If you are continuously in those positions, you give yourself a better chance of winning. That's where we need to be. That next step is winning on Sunday to get to another final.

Are the team in a different position now than in previous games against Rangers this season?

Compared to the last semi-final, yeah. We are more comfortable in what we are doing. We have won games different ways - comfortable wins, coming back from defeats, being tight and scoring late. We are definitely a better team now with a better understanding and we have confidence. Our record and form from the last semi-final until now is matching the Old Firm. There are three or four points between the three of us since the last semi-final. That tells you we have progressed and that we are challenging with them in terms of a consistent basis to stay at that level. The next step is playing in finals and winning them.

Does Rangers' form across the last week show they are vulnerable and give players more confidence?

I think for the individual it probably does, but for us the way we work and the way we have worked, we look at everything from players that are injured for the opposition, the way they play, their form. Two wins in eight tells you that they are not playing like they did before. But I would say that in the time since the manager has come in, they've ridden their luck a couple of times. The first game against us at Ibrox, they are lucky to get a point, never mind three. I think now, they are on the opposite of that and it's about how they are going to react to it. But for us, it'll be a tough game, because it's a chance for us to get to a final. It's the same for them as it is for us. The more you play teams, you get a better understanding of them, what mistakes you have maybe made in the past and maybe rectifying them in the next game.

Does it help having been to Hampden already this season?

Yeah, I think it helps with the occasion. We'll do our tactical work, the game will start, but it's the small margins, moments within the game that will decide the flow. If we start fast and we are putting pressure on, it puts a bit more nervousness on them to defend. If you get the lead and you are winning with ten minutes to go, the crowd are on them, as you've seen in the last two games. But if we're down, we're going to have the same effect from our fans. It's having the calmness in those small moments to get the upper hand in the game, which will dictate how it goes. We've seen the way Rangers play. They are a very direct team, they look to pick up second balls off that direct play or get in behind you. And I think in the last two games, Ross County and Dundee have been good at stopping that.

How do you rate Shankland's chances of the Player of the Year awards?

He should be mentioned. I think he's got a really good chance. For two seasons in a row, to score the amount of goals that he has, and then on top of that his performances. If there's one moment to look at, then it's the narrative of not making the Scotland squad, to making the Scotland squad, to 'Can he be number 9 and can he go to the Euros', to 'Is he going to be our No 9'. That shows you how far he's progressed this season. He has shown in the Holland game that he can be a target man as well as being a good finisher. If I'm honest I think he's in with a right good chance of winning it.

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Do you feel the technical side of his game is under-appreciated?

I first came across Shanks when I played with him for Scotland and he was just a finisher. From then until now, he's an all-round centre-forward. He's got real intelligence, a great touch, can score and his hold-up play is good. He's definitely progressed into an all-round forward.

How much harder is it for a non-Old Firm player to win these awards?

You don’t often see it but that’s the agenda of other people who make these decisions rather than people looking at it subjectively and looking at the stats, performances and all the rest of it. I think Shanks has a good chance of winning it this year and if he does it’s probably a bigger achievement than an Old Firm player winning it.

How much easier is it for you that he can not play as No.9 but as a No.10 or slightly wider?

We’ve worked a lot this season on that part of it. He’s been receptive to doing it. He’s not just wanted to be in the box and scoring goals. It’s taken his game to a different level. He’s a better player now than a year ago and it helps that he has that versatility. Very rarely can you go into a game just being the same and go and win it. So you need a bit of versatility and it’s just small changes. Shanks has got that understanding and intelligence to work it out.

With the assists lately, he has that awareness and vision of where the ball needs to go?

That’s because we work on it a lot. The midfielders running help him get assists and highlight the good play beforehand. It all buys into how we have improved as a team. As much as Shanks has taken the headlines and scored a lot of goals, I’m sure he will be the first to say the guys round about him and have helped him.

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What would it mean to you to lead this team to the final?

I want to win it, to be honest. It would be a good achievement to get there. You then understand the day that’s coming because I’ve been there. But it depends if you win it or not. Win it and it’s the best memories that live with you forever. If you don’t then you don’t remember them because you’re depressed.

Do you remember the penalty agony against Celtic?

When you start to think about it then yeah but I don’t remember as much as when I’ve won the trophies I have. I just know it hurts a lot and the biggest thing you reflect back on is how close you are. I got beat 5-1 off HIbs in the first one I played in with Kilmarnock. That was gone. But the ones that are close, small margins… We have a right opportunity to get to a final on Sunday first of all. But also I think we are in a good place that we can beat any of the teams that are left in the competition.”

The hurt you felt after the last semi-final may not be a bad thing because it will be fresh in the memory?

That is just a repeat of the first three months of the season. There was a lot of hurt there, small margins cost us big. So how do we deal with that? We dealt with it brilliantly. It’s another example of that. For the longer-term success, you need to go through those moments. But you need to learn from them and learn from your mistakes.

Is Craig Gordon starting?

Yeah. He played last week to get more minutes and he will play on Sunday.