The two things Liam Fox will demand of Hearts players

The former Raith Rovers midfielder steps into the role on a temporary basis as the club search for a replacement for Steven Naismith and his management team of Frankie McAvoy and Gordon Forrest.

Fox is in his third spell at Hearts. He was at the club as a teenager in the youth system and then returned to be part of the coaching team in his early 30s. His third spell started last summer when he took over from Naismith in the B team.

He spoke about the opportunity, the difficult situation, his Hearts past and much more ahead of the match.

What's the message been this week?

It was obviously a difficult start to the week, Steven, Frankie and Gordie losing their jobs. First of all, I think it's really important that I mention really good guys. I've seen how much effort and work and time they put into it, so there was a natural disappointment at the start of the week. Ultimately in football, sometimes you don't get the time. Every coach, every manager, every staff always ask for more time and unfortunately it's just the way that football is. I think when you step into this environment, you have to understand that that's the trade-off, that you might not get the time that you need. So that was a difficult start to the week, but I feel like the players have responded well every day that's gone past. Let's be honest, we're looking forward to what is a huge week, a challenging week, but it's a week that any player, any staff member is really looking forward to. It's a challenge I want us to meet head on.

You're just looking at this as a three-game block?

I'm actually focusing on tomorrow and then we can worry about Europe after that and then we can think about Aberdeen. The answer to the question is yes, a three-week block, but the full focus and the only focus is on tomorrow.

What message do you give to the players in a few days?

I think when you come in and you do this job, you have to put a wee bit of your own personality on it. I'm not going to go into loads of detail of what I've done and what I've said and what I'm going to do, or what we're hoping to do. I think that the real message for me is that there are some really good players in there. You don't become a bad player just because you have a poor run of results. It's about believing that we're good players and really accepting the challenge that we've got in the coming week.

Is there hope that you, the team and the Hearts fans will see a more Hearts-like performance than maybe they've seen this season?

I think the other thing I should probably mention there, probably a better answer to your question, is that I've only had a small period of time with them. Even if this was a longer period, I wouldn't be reinventing the wheel. So there will be small wee tweaks and things from my personality which we're hoping to see. But as always, we're playing in a league where every game is difficult. We're playing against top managers, some really, really good players. I think that the hope for me is that I understand the supporters. We've had a difficult period just now. The onus is absolutely on us to give them something, to bring them with us, to hopefully see some different things. Hope makes the world go round, so that's what I'm hoping for. And off the back of that, there will be moments in any game of football where things don't go right and we may be under pressure. We will be under pressure at some point. Passes may go astray. That's the game. I'm hoping if we bring the supporters with us early in the game that there will be moments when we're going to need them and they can hopefully pull us through. There's no doubt Tynecastle when it's full and it's rocking can be very, very powerful. So the onus is on us first, as players and staff.

How excited are you to lead out the team as head coach?

Hugely privileged, hugely honoured. The only sadness from it is that it's come off the back of three really good people losing their jobs. So there's always a balance with that because I had a great relationship with the three of them. But as the questioner asked, it's a huge privilege and a huge honour for me.

How easy is it to separate being a Hearts fan and being the Hearts manager?

Well, I think time helps you; being in the game for a period of time, having different experiences, working for some really good football clubs previously. I think that period has helped me be able to do it because you can get too emotional about these things. My main focus is to help the players, that's my main job. All the rest of the stuff, I hope I cover it off but it's a huge privilege for me. It's a huge honour. Did I ever think I would get here? No, but it's okay to dream, it's okay. People have got to have things that they're striving for, so I'm going to give this my absolute best shot for the players and do everything we possibly can so that when the new guy comes in I can hopefully pass the baton on. I understand it's only interim, I understand it might only be a week, but it's a huge thing for me. I want to do everything I possibly can to help the club and the players.

Can you tell us a bit about your family history here Liam? Great Grandad Dick Fox was in McCrae's Battalion?

Yeah, there's been a couple of bits and pieces about that. I can't lie to you and say that's absolutely, definitely for sure. But I did ask my dad yesterday and he's going to do some digging because you know what families can be like, they can be a bit harum scarum. So he's actually going to go and have a wee look for me. It wasn't something I knew about growing up. I'd be lying to you if I said it was.

How important has the fact that you've been involved with the previous management team when the B team haven't been there?

Yeah, well that was something that Naisy was keen for me to do - try and get the alignment through the whole club. And as I probably said earlier, it was really, really good of them guys to open the doors for me. And it was important, it's what Steven wanted. I think it's brilliant for me because I was about the other players a lot last year. I was about them on match days so I've got a good understanding of the things that they were being asked to do. What I will say is I'll be a wee bit different to Steven just naturally because everybody's different. Everybody's got different things that they want and they like to see or they're demanding from people. And that's not a criticism, but there's no point in me going and doing exactly the same again because the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results.

What's your reflection to stepping into the breach at Dundee United and elsewhere?

Yeah, listen, Dundee United was a brilliant experience for me. I think every experience that you have in football is an opportunity to learn, to evolve, to grow and adapt. And there's no doubt that that period will have helped me. There was a lot of challenges, there was a lot of bits and pieces going on in the background at that football club. But it's definitely helped me, especially in the last four or five days.

Is there a realisation from the players that they are as much to blame as anyone?

Listen, I think when you lose eight games or you lose that period of games that the previous guys have lost, I think if you're a decent human being you'll understand that everybody plays a part in that. Everybody. That's just my opinion on it. I sensed from the start of the week that they felt that they potentially let the [management] guys down. I think that what they can do now is that they can focus on the next week and attack the week and see where we go. Like I say, it's been a difficult start to the week but we've got to focus, we've got to pick ourselves up, we've got to go again, we've got to be us and see where we go.

What's the injury situation?

We're all good. Calem Nieuwenhof joined back in this week in training. The only real disappointment is we've lost Gerald Taylor for a real long period of time with a knee issue. That's a disappointment for him, it's a disappointment for us all. So that's one that will definitely be out for tomorrow.

You say a long period of time, is there any kind of timescale?

Again, I've got a rough idea but it's going to be a prolonged period.

Does that give an opportunity for maybe Adam Forrester or some of the youth team?

It gives an opportunity for everybody. One thing I've seen first-hand this week is the quality levels. The other thing that I need to say is the attitude and application of the players have been really, really good. I'd expect that though, to be totally honest with you. I think, as a coach or a manager or an interim manager. I'll take the stick for 98% of things. The two things that I always think are always on players are their attitude and their application. Nobody has shifted me off that. The rest of the stuff I'll take responsibility for, no problem.

Is Nieuwenhof available?

He's not available but he's joined back in with the group this week o he's getting there. He's getting better. It's good to get him back on the grass, it's good to get him back in with the boys, but he'll probably still be a wee bit away.

Lee Wallace and Angus Beith, what do they bring to it?

They know the club inside out. The two of them have been a massive help to me this week. They know me as well, which helps. Angus has obviously worked with me a period of time, I've had a long, long-standing relationship with Lee Wallace. Both of them, first of all, really good human beings, really good guys. Desperate to help, desperate to do well. Lee had an unbelievable playing career, so he carries that. Me and Lee actually played with some of this group. We both played with Barry McKay, going way, way back. I played with Craig Gordon, going way, way back, same youth team. Just how they are as people, how they engage with people. I think Lee and Angus moving forward in the future will be very, very good. Whatever they decide to do, their appetite for learning, their knowledge, their detail, how they are as human beings, they're going to be really, really good. At whatever route they decide to go on in football, whether it be coaching, whether it be managing, whatever they be, you've got two really, really potential high-level people there.”

Did you all still have enough time on your passports?

We did. We had a wee panic. I think the club had Lee's old passport when he was here before.

Just going back to your time as a fan, were you a week-in-week-out fan?

I was, yeah. We were in the Gorgie Road. I'm trying to remember when the new stand was built. We were at the back of the Gorgie, me and my dad and my dad's best mate, John, used to go every week.

Who were your favourite players?

Don't tell him this, but John Robertson was always my hero. Scott Crabbe, Gary Mackay, all these types of players. Then later on there was the group that came through, Gary Locke, Paul Ritchie, Gaz Naismith and all that. Then Colin Cameron, I could rattle out all the names, Stephane Adam. It's a huge privilege and a huge honour to be sitting here and looking forward to this week.

Did you ever think you would have one game in the dugout back then? 

It's important that you're allowed to dream. Did I ever think I'd get here? Nah, probably not. I'm going to try and enjoy it. The one hint of sadness in it is that three people have lost their job off the back of it. I always need to remember that and be respectful of that. Did I ever think I'd get here? No, I didn't. I'm going to do the very best I can to see where it goes. And hopefully pass it to somebody else in a better place.”