Is there such a thing as a Heart of Midlothian strongest XI? In the eyes of Steven Naismith, probably not.

The Hearts head coach knows and understands the importance of a squad, the group, the collective. 

Take last season for instance. How many changes to his starting XI did he make across the campaign? Around 150. What was the average number of changes from game to game? Just over three. How many times did he keep the same starting XI? Once.

When Hearts Standard recently asked Naismith about going through a whole season without a full complement of players at any one point, he turned it around to look at the squad as a whole, pointing out that it is rare for a manager to have his squad fully fit for a sustained period of time.

READ MORE: The lowdown on Hearts target Gerald Taylor: Strong defender & standout attribute

Rather than dwell on their absence across what was a successful campaign he spoke of the collective and the clarity of everyone knowing where they stand especially with a hectic season coming up with a demanding schedule. He will lay out his plans for each member of the squad for the season ahead. Some players will be first-team regulars, others will be squad players and some may be on the periphery but still be relied upon. Then there are those who may not have a future at Tynecastle Park.

"In my whole footballing career, you don’t go many weeks where you go with a fully fresh squad," Naismith told Hearts Standard. "That’s why I take the stance that when a window shuts the players that I want around the squad and who will be part of the squad will be part of the squad, they will play and they will be called upon. Whether it be once, whether it be every week, they will be there to play a part.

"If they are not within that group they will not be with us and if they are still with the club they will be with the B team. That’s how I work it, that’s how it’s got to work.

"It also gives everyone within the group an understanding of, ‘Yeah, I am valued here and needed’. It might not be every week, it might be three games at a certain point if there are injuries and suspensions and how you do within those games will depend on how much you stay in the team. But when the window shuts the group with the first team is the group that will be relied upon.

"You need them all. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned as a player. You can feel as if you have no hope of getting a game and very quickly it can change. It happens all the time and that’s what I’ve been clear with the players all season and said that. I think it has shown in our selections."

Craig Halkett, Liam Boyce and Barrie McKay all missed a chunk of last seasonCraig Halkett, Liam Boyce and Barrie McKay all missed a chunk of last season (Image: SNS)

Not only should Naismith be boosted by summer arrivals with pre-contracts agreed with four players and a deal progressing to bring right-back Gerald Taylor to the club but he will hope to have Craig Gordon, Craig Halkett, Barrie McKay and Liam Boyce available for more games. The three outfielders have already begun their preparations for returning for pre-season later this month.

"The biggest part was early on," he said of missing key players at times this past season. "You don’t have the experienced players that get through those first few months where things are different, the change is there and it feels uncomfortable to players.

"We were relying on some new signings, some younger players when it would have been easier to have Boycie, Baz, Halks and Peter Haring all available to play, that would have helped."

Which leads to the topic of injuries. It has been a frustration for Hearts fans going back years. Naismith does not take the view it is a major issue at the club, noting the way players have been managed across the past 12 months.

Read more...

"At the end of every season we have a review of everything," he said. "I think the way we have worked with players there have been times where players have been 50/50 and they could potentially play and they have not. I’m very much against that.

"I’m very much of going back to what we have as a group. If somebody is not 100 per cent then I will go to the next guy. It is not a case of wheeling someone out to gamble they will be fit and 10 minutes in they break down. I think that has been a big positive for us this season that we are not forcing anyone back, we’re not risking anyone.

"The two cases of Liam Boyce and Calem [Nieuwenhof] and their hamstring. These wee things happen, you get one injury that is similar and another couple follow, that’s been the case for those two. What looked on the surface was a muscle injury wasn’t actually a muscle injury, that disrupts things and gives you a false sense that we might have the player back.

"Most of the other injuries we gave sufficient time. Not many times did players come back into the team and break down which shows what we were doing was right."