Hearts earn 'thinking outside box' praise as pundit rejects critics

The former Motherwell and Everton forward praised the club for "thinking outside the box."

Hearts announced Critchley as the new head coach on Tuesday following a process that involved Jamestown Analytics helping guide the search.

The club are closing in on a deal that could lead to Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom becoming a minority shareholder in the future. In the short term, Hearts would have a deal with an analytics company that will help different areas of the club, particularly with recruitment.

McFadden, speaking on The Warm-Up, William Hill SPFL’s weekly preview show, provided context and more measured insight into how the process and use of data works.

“Some people think they’re just letting a computer pick who the manager is," he said. "Football now, whether you’re a player or coach, you use data. You’ll look at certain stats to help you make a decision. You won’t be led by them but they’re there so you can look at the info and it’s up to you to decide. I think it’s different and because it’s different a lot of people are critical of it.

“It’s not that they’re going to be Brighton of Scotland but Brighton have had success of bringing coaches in that maybe other people wouldn’t have looked at. Certainly signing players that other people weren’t looking at and getting there ahead of people. It can’t be luck, they can’t fluke every single one."

Read more

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• Yan Dhanda gives inside Hearts track on Neil Critchley: Mentor, style, what to expect

• Neil Critchley's first Hearts XI to face St Mirren - and why it almost picks itself

• Neil Critchley delivers injury update with trio out and Hearts captain plans

He added: “It’s about getting the right people in place to use the data to their advantage.  Whether you get carried away or excited, I wouldn’t dismiss it straight away just because people keep saying 'supercomputer' and 'they’ve let a computer decide'.

"I think you have to let it play out and actually look at it and say it’s a bit different. It may well work, it may not but at least it’s thinking outside the box.”

James McFadden appeared alongside Charlie Mulgrew on The Warm-Up, the William Hill SPFL’s weekly preview show. Check out the full episode here: https://bit.ly/4058v2z