What happened off the field was as meaningful as what happened on the pitch at the SMiSA Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Heart of Midlothian were trailing St Mirren 2-1. 

Liam Boyce, Alan Forrest and Musa Drammeh were warming up in front of the Hearts fans who were looking on at a team in desperate need of a win but, with just over 15 minutes left, had not attempted a single shot in the second half.

In the technical area, Frankie McAvoy shouted for Boyce and Forrest. It was the catalyst for the fans to respond with chants of 'Naismith, get to f**k'. It was very loud and very clear, to the point Craig Gordon could make it out at the other end of the ground.

Chief executive Andrew McKinlay and Foundation of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon will most certainly have heard it in the Main Stand.

It felt that Hearts simply had to score twice in those last 15 minutes to save Steven Naismith's job. A difficult task considering they had scored twice in eight matches coming into the game in Paisley. They would have just two attempts on goal in those last 15 minutes. Their only attempts in the second half.

And that has been the downfall of this team this season under Naismith. They haven't been productive or effective in attack. Naismith spoke about fine margins, and while he had a point in certain games, the lack of chances created coupled with cheap goals given up made the margin greater than fine.

When the news arrived on Sunday that Naismith, as well as McAvoy and Gordon Forrest, had been relieved of their duties it was little surprise, demonstrating the capricious nature of football having only signed contract extensions in August.

There was real hope coming into the season. Hope that the team would kick on and evolve under Naismith after last season's success. While third place and the latter rounds of the cups should be the bare minimum for Heart of Midlothian, the third biggest club in the country, that has simply not been the case in the club's history. And just because Aberdeen and Hibs were incompetent shouldn't take away from it either. Very rarely are Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs all bordering on competent at the same time. This season is another perfect example.

Last season, Hearts weren't great to watch but Naismith had made the team effective. A solid defence provided a foundation for an attack that centred around Lawrence Shankland and the season of his life. It brought the most wins since 2005/06, the most away wins since 1991/92, the most points in a top-flight season since 05/06, the most clean sheets since 1993/94 and the best unbeaten run since 1997/98.

It's a success that deserves respect even if an external review by Tony Bloom and Starlizard found the team to have overperformed. For example, concerning expected goals per 90 minutes, Hibs and Aberdeen, as well as the Old Firm performed better. As for expected goals conceded per 90 minutes, Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs, St Mirren Kilmarnock and Motherwell all performed better.

Still, the hope was for the team to build on what it had done, keep the likes of Aberdeen and Hibs at arm's length and become the front-foot attacking side that both fans and the management staff wanted to see.

Excitement grew in the summer when players were added early, including Yan Dhanda and Blair Spittal, two of last season's most creative individuals in the Scottish Premiership. Costa Rican and Colombian international full-backs were also added and the arrivals grew to nine.

There was a curiosity as to how Naimisth would keep a big squad happy and how he would make it work with Spittal and Dhanda as well as Liam Boyce, who all favoured the No.10 role. But many viewed the depth as a positive as the head coach explained why he didn't have a 'best XI'.

Later, there would be concern around the lack of quality added in attack, both up front and out wide.

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Players and the management team spoke positively about the group and the work during pre-season including plenty of graft in Tenerife ahead of games against the likes of Leyton Orient, Tottenham Hotspur and Fleetwood Town. The general consensus is not to read too much into pre-season but the loss to Orient was grim viewing. The Fleetwood town performance even more so.

A big crowd travelled to the north-west of England and even then fans' patience was being tested with more than a handful of shouts directed toward the head coach. Naismith explained after what Hearts tried to do against fourth-tier Fleetwood.

"We wanted to see, basically, if we think we are a good enough team to stick to a shape and know that there will be issues within that and can we get the better of the game? On today's evidence, we can't.

"We kind of got sucked into playing safe, going back to the goalie and not reading and understanding where the space was."

It is a fair argument to suggest Hearts didn't play enough pre-season games, allowing partnerships and relationships to build. To allow new players to settle within the group during games. While playing safe was a regular issue during Naismith's tenure.

Now, with regard to fine margins, it could have been very different had Hearts defeated Rangers on the opening day. The performance was full of energy and was encouraging. Or if the team had taken early chances against Falkirk. It would have eased pressure.

Instead, as each game passed without success or clear signs that success was around the corner, that pressure grew and grew. 

Fans railed against rotation and formation changes. But far more concerning was the nature of performances. Having struggled to break down deep defences last season, those issues not only returned but appeared to have got worse.

(Image: Rob Casey - SNS Group)In the last six games, Hearts have not had an xG of more than 0.86. That simply illustrates how poor the team have been at creating good chances. The most galling was the home defeat to Viktoria Plzen in the second leg of the Europa League play-off. A rousing performance was expected at a raucous and sold-out Tynecastle Park. The performance couldn't be further from what Hearts fans expect. Slow, tame and timid.

Hearts haven't been fun or exciting to watch. The team's style in general was a key issue. It didn't resonate with fans. It made Hearts unrecognisable.

The Hearts support are a demanding bunch but they are also easily pleased. They are not overly fussed about possession and patterns of play. Out of possession, they want a team that is aggressive, confrontational, full of energy and is a nightmare to play against. In possession, high-tempo, direct and aggressive.

Now, Naismith wanted his side to have elements of that but it was not seen often enough. And certainly not this campaign. 

As always, the players have responsibility for the position the team find themselves in. You can count on one hand those individuals who deserve pass marks so far. And you would still have fingers spare. But, as always, the buck stops with the head coach. 

Fans will rightly point to the lack of minutes for the club's most talented young players amidst first-team players failing to deliver. Naismith did have a strong desire to bring them into the first team but was reluctant to do it when the team were underperforming, not wanting to expose them to a difficult atmosphere and potential for criticism.

Doing so would likely have won him a wee bit of favour and provided a semblance of patience.

Hearts wouldn't have been worse for Finlay Pollock bringing his bravery, pace and directness to an attack that was crying out for all of those qualities. Or for Adam Forrester, one of the best and most consistent performers for the B team, playing at right-back instead of left-sided centre-back Stephen Kingsley.

In the end, Naismith delivered a successful season last campaign but failed to deliver on two key tenets of his management: an attacking style and faith in the academy players. He ultimately paid the price for the worst start to the season in the club's history and a run of results that no manager anywhere is likely to survive.

It is a spell that will make him a better manager and coach and he won't be short of offers in the future. But it goes back to a concern that a few Hearts fans expressed: this is not the role for a manager's first job. Experience is key.

So, where do Hearts turn next?

Those in charge would have not been doing their job if there hadn't been discussions or a shortlist created of possible replacements. But Hearts will lean on Tony Bloom and his expertise.

It is understood Bloom's Jamestown Analytics will play a key part in the manager search.

"Jamestown Analytics is the world leader when it comes to football player and head coach data analysis," its website says. "The bespoke data services we can offer to our clients can make all the difference in team performance.  We can assist with player valuations, player recruitment, head coach recruitment and opposition team analysis.

It makes complete sense for Bloom and his data-led approach to lead the managerial search considering his possible investment and the shake-up of the recruitment department. It would be foolish for the club to appoint a manager who is not comfortable operating in a structure that is going to be installed. It is expected that it will open a whole new avenue of potential candidates.

Unsurprisingly, plenty of names have been kicking around. In normal circumstances, Derek McInnes would have been a key frontrunner owing to his success at every Scottish club he has managed. Alex Neil would have been an obvious fit if Joe Savage was still at the club while a few fans have spoken about attempting to get David Moyes. Ambitious.

There were a few unknowns as well. Arnar Gunnlaugsson, Tiernan Lynch and Kim Hellberg were named on the bookies list owing to work they have done at Icelandic side Vikingur R, Larne and Hammarby IF respectively. Scottish coach Stevie Grieve would fall into a similar category. He is currently head coach of the Finnish side SJK, a young side on the cusp of European qualification.

As things stand, however, any names being touted are mere speculation.

(Image: Roddy Scott - SNS Group)

Whichever way you look at it, it is a fascinating time for Heart of Midlothian. What is vital is the next appointment isn't rushed. The club must take time to get the right man, even if that means pushing the boat out financially to an extent. 

In the meantime, it is left for Liam Fox, assisted by Lee Wallace and Angus Beith to turn around the season in the short-term.

Under Fox, Hearts B have played some really good football with a key focus on the wide areas with full-backs playing high and central aiming to dominate possession and keep opposition teams pinned in.

There is plenty of talent in the first team to work with. The winless run and the position the club are in in the Premiership can't be allowed to go on much longer. The fans need something to cheer ahead of the next head coach in the Tynecastle Park hot seat.