Neil Critchley will take charge of Heart of Midlothian for the first time on Saturday afternoon when they host St Mirren.

It will be his Tynecastle Park bow after being chosen as Steven Naismith's successor.

He sat down for his first pre-match press conference at the Oriam on Friday afternoon and discussed Hearts identity, developing young players, Yan Dhanda, his assistant Mike Garrity, and more.

Read everything he said below:

You've been in the door for four days now what are your initial impressions of the size of the club?

This is the biggest football club I've been at without a shadow of a doubt, managing, coaching, you feel it but what I say is genuine compassion towards me and people really wanting you to do well because it means the club does well. I've had a fantastic week, I've really enjoyed it and I just hope it's capped off tomorrow with a performance and three points and feel the Tynecastle atmosphere tomorrow, I can't wait for it.

What is it that makes you feel it's the biggest you've been at?

Well I'm not used to all you guys being here for starters and there were quite a few photographers out there on the pitch this morning, I thought they'd all come to celebrate my birthday! You look at the stadium, you look at the facilities, you look at the people, the attention, the media, there's an expectation here. This is a big football club and it's one that I want to work for and do desperately well for and I know I can do well at this football club with the right people who are behind me, the right support which I'm really confident that I'm going to get. I'm excited by the future but I am not taking my eye off it, I know it's a cliche, the next game. You have to take each game as it comes and the first game for us is St Mirren at home on Saturday.

How much did you know about Lawrence Shankland before he came up here and how important is he going to be for you?

He's going to be very important, obviously aware of his background and his career and we had a good conversation with him yesterday. His goal-scoring record in the last couple of seasons has been unbelievable. It's not gone the way that he or the team would have wanted so far this season. It's a two-way thing, it's not just down to me but if I can help the team to help him and if I can help him in any way that I can then that's what I'm here to do. I'm here to try and help all of the players to improve and get better.

You did a lot of research on the job and watched every game. Even before now, did you have an idea coming into the club, what your 11 this weekend would be or has that changed over the last few days?

We want to have, our principles of how we play in that position are going to be really consistent from game to game. That might change slightly in terms of adjusting our formation on the pitch, but not too drastic changes because I want it to be quite consistent and have clarity to the players. I had an idea of what it wanted to look like but I also think I have to come in with a fresh pair of eyes and open-mindedness. I'm asking the players to be learning and open-minded. I have to be the same so I don't really want to have too many preconceived ideas. It's important I speak to the right people around me and the staff and get their thoughts. It's important it's what I see and what I feel. It will be something close but maybe something slightly different than what I was thinking when I first came in.

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How important is it to have Liam Fox and Yan Dhanda from a coaching perspective?

It's been great to see Yan and catch up with him again. Fantastic boy, great family. Football is such a small world, you never know when you might come across these people again. I really enjoy working with Yan during my time at Liverpool and I'm delighted he's here now. You've not mentioned Ryan Fulton as well because he's another one that I know very well. It's been nice to see some friendly faces. Liam's been fantastic. It's been great to have him around and supporting us this week because he's got a great insight into the younger players at the club. He's a good link between the B team and the academy and the first team. He's been really supportive of me this week, couldn't have helped any better and he's a really good coach. If you look at his experience of what he's learned so far, he's been a really genuine help to me and I'm very thankful for that.

You mentioned the young players, a few have been involved this week. How important will they be in the long term but also short term as well? Can Hearts fans expect to see a bit of them between now and January?

We'll see. There's no better feeling as a coach than giving young players an opportunity and particularly Hearts supporters and when they're your own players and they've come through the academy, there's probably a little bit more meaning or feeling towards those players but they also have to be good enough. It's not a charity. At this moment in time, I always try to make the right decisions for the players at the right time and sometimes if that's been with us, sometimes young players need to play some games to develop. That means playing B team or if they're not quite ready for the first team and they go out on loan but then they come back. I think I've got good experience in knowing what's right for young players at the right time and managing their pathway.

Can you tell us a wee bit about Mike Garrity, your assistant that you brought in with Liverpool, QPR, and Blackpool?

I've known Mike for a number of years because he's sort of followed a similar pathway to me coaching in the young age groups at Liverpool when I was at Crewe so I'd known him before I worked for Liverpool. Then when I joined at Liverpool, he was with me at under-18s and then he was 21s, and then Blackpool, QPR. He's a fantastic coach, loves being on the pitch, loves football. He's someone I can bounce ideas off and he's not afraid to challenge my thinking and question some of my decisions which is a good thing.

Hearts style, what do you see that being?

That's something that will develop over time but I think it's important that we do develop a clear identity in who we want to be because it makes it easier then to make your decisions whether that's in the way of your playing, recruitment of players, retention of players, how you coach, how you train. So it becomes clear that takes time, perseverance, and skill.  I need to get the results in the short term which gives me that time. I'm under no illusions.

Do you think that's something that's maybe been lacking from what you've seen in the previous games? Do you think there's maybe been a lack of a clear identity?

I think it can be improved upon but I'd be saying that if I'd have been the coach here for the last 18 months or two years, improvement never stops. We're always looking to try and learn and get better. There should be never any complacency in how we work, drive, passion for your job, commitment to your job. That leads to continuous improvement. So I'd be saying that honestly if I'd have been sitting here this week and if I'm sitting here in two years' time, you'll get bored of me saying it, I'll be saying it again. We want to keep improving and driving this football club forward.

Is Liam going to be part of the team on a regular basis?

He has been this week and then that's a discussion that we'll have. It's got to be right for all of us and him but I can only repeat he's been fantastic for me this week and I think he's enjoyed being with us. He's been with us on the pitch every day so we'll see where that gets to in the future.

How much analysis have you had the chance to do on St Mirren?

A very tough test. I came across Stephen once when he was at Morecambe when I was at Blackpool in a pre-season game and I know how hard-working and organised his teams are and I know they had a great season last season, beat us obviously recently. So we know the test that we face and we know the type of team that they are and the difficulties which they can give you but it's about us. It's not who we play, it's how we play. I'll be looking forward to seeing how we play tomorrow.

How far away is Calem Nieuwenhof from being back involved?

Probably a few weeks yet I would have thought. I spoke to him in the gym the other day and you can see he's desperate to get back. He's had a setback and it's not been ideal so I don't want to put any due pressure on him. I think he has to just come back when he's ready because I know he was doing very well last year when he got injured so we'll be looking forward to having him back. I know he can't wait to get back but it's his first day back out on the grass today so let's just be patient and take our time with him.

Yan mentioned earlier that when he played for the Liverpool youth team he mostly played on the left. Do you see him in that position or would you say it's more of a central role?

Yan's got the flexibility to play right across the front. He can play right, middle, or left. What he has got is great technical quality and a good football brain so you know if you can get him in the right areas of the pitch he can be a very dangerous player. But he's not the only one. We've got a few players in those positions. There's some competition for places and that's a good thing.