Ross County have the unique challenge of facing a managerless side for the second consecutive week. 

Don Cowie's men travel to face Heart of Midlothian on Saturday, who parted ways with head coach Steven Naismith earlier this week with the Edinburgh club rooted to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership on a solitary point. 

Liam Fox, who oversees the club’s B team, will take charge on an interim basis.

Cowie did expect Hearts to make a better start to the 2024/25 campaign given their strong recruitment over the summer yet he knows there's little surprises in modern day football - especially when the results just aren't going your way.

“I think everyone felt Hearts had recruited extremely well in the summer – including one of our best players, Yan Dhanda," the Ross County gaffer said. 

“For whatever reason, it has taken time for those players to settle at the club.

“Nothing surprises anyone now in football. This is us going into our seventh league game and we’re facing two teams who have already changed their manager.

“That just shows how frequently and quickly it can happen.”

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Cowie paid tribute to all that Naismith achieved at Tynecastle Park and admitted that he's avoiding reading too much into Hearts' lowly league position ahead of the clash.

“I thought Steven did an excellent job last year," he explained. "He’s an ex-team-mate and a friend, so I’m naturally disappointed for him to lose his job.

“But at the same time, I’m sure he recognises the expectation at a club like Hearts in terms of winning games of football.

“He’s been open and admitted it hasn’t quite been good enough this season and sometimes that means a change comes along.

“But we know going there this Saturday it is still a squad that’s full of talent. We’ll need to be at our best to get a result.

“There’s a real demand at Hearts to be successful, especially at home from their fans – we’ll have to be ready and prepared for that.

“Liam (Fox) is also someone I know really well. He was the coach at Hearts when I was there, so I know what he brings now he’s in charge.

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“He was manager at Dundee United, and possibly played a different style to what Hearts play now.

“We can look at what Liam has been doing in the B team since he has been there, and the shape he looks to play.

“It’s then about guessing whether that will be the shape he wants to play for the first team.

“They’ve got so many options personnel-wise, I don’t think you would get that bang on with what they will go with.

“But we will give it our best shot in terms of being prepared for that, and it’s about us then collectively being ready.”