Frankie Kent and Neil Critchley have previous. The Heart of Midlothian centre-back and head coach were once promotion rivals in League One. Both would gain promotion but it was the latter who came out with the better record against one another.

When news emerged that the 46-year-old would be replacing Steven Naismith it wasn't just Ryan Fulton and Yan Dhanda who had the inside track. Kent was also on hand to provide information gathered first-hand.

“I played against him a couple of times when I was at Peterborough and obviously he was at Blackpool," the defender said. "I didn't have a very good record against his team, actually. I think we lost three out of five.

"I said to the boys, because obviously they were asking me if I knew him and stuff like that, I just said straight away, his team is so hard to play against, from my experience of playing against them. They had a really good team at Blackpool. I think you've seen from the first game, I know it's still early doors, but he's trying to put that into us.

“Rigid team and structured team, it was just simple in terms of we knew what they were going to do, but they were so good at it. There weren't any real weaknesses in how they played or anything like that."

Kent revealed Critchley, in his week in charge, has given a clear indication of wanting to bring that structure and solidity to Hearts with the balance of being "on the front foot".

It's that balance that will help Hearts become a very difficult opponent it is hoped. Especially at Tynecastle.

As every manager tries, the aim is for Tynecastle to become a fortress. To be used as a weapon.

"He sort of touched on that in training today and yesterday in training, building up to this game is that we need to use the crowd," Kent explained. "I feel like we used it a bit on Saturday in terms of our pressing and how they got behind us and just doing the basics as well.

"I think that's just always the main thing and the main priority is you get them right, you always give yourself the best chance.”

Blair Spittal's closing down in the first half on Saturday and the response it generated from the fans was mentioned, noting how simple tasks can see the support respond positively.

“What probably people didn't see is that when Blair went over and done that, someone filled into his spot," he said. "So I know it's all detailed and stuff like that, but these probably things were probably going against us towards the start of the season in terms of trying to get that going.

Read more

“But like I said, they'll always get behind you in terms of if you're doing that and you're showing your work and doing the basics well then we always give ourselves the best chance.

"With the crowd behind you it's not an easy place to play [for the opposition] when we're on it and when we're performing well. Whereas if it's the other way around and we're not performing up to the standard then they'll let you know, but then also that probably gives the other team an advantage in thinking, 'Oh, we've got them on the ropes here'."

The players have now had a full week of working with the new head coach and Kent confirmed he is a hands on training ground manager.

“He is, him and his assistant Mike Garrity," he said. "It's been good. He is hands-on and he gets involved and he's very clear and his instruction, I think, is very good.

"We've worked on stuff building last week and then today, every game is different, but he just reiterates that it's all about us and it's going to be about us. So, yeah, that's been nice.

“I think he's tried to work his way around everyone, in all fairness. He was just asking me, family-wise, if everything was all right and this, that and the other, just touching base and then that was it, really.

"Nothing too formal, just a quick pullover on the training ground. It's been good."