Does Neil Critchley need the SCOTTISH CUP for Hearts after they have failed to lead them to top completion?
The draw in Motherwell, associated with the victory of St Mirren over Ross County, meant that Hearts slipped into the lower six in their last preliminary match, which means they are now in the descent rather than in the European Place race.
Their next match is the Scottish Cup semifinals against Aberdeen on Saturday because they are trying to achieve the final of the Hampden Park for the first time since 2022.
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The most important points from the Scottish match of the premiere between Motherwell and Hearts
The Tynecastle Park side was the bottom of the table when Critchley replaced Steven Naismith in October when the club won the game at the Scottish premiere.
This is, unlike Edinburgh’s Hibs opponents who spent part of the season that picked up the table before the undefeated run of 17 games raised on the third.
Paul Hartley, who won the Scottish Cup in 2006, believes that this weekend must defeat Donal to get fans back.
“To make the heart get into a top six, it was a huge shock to be quite honest,” he said Sky Sports News.
The heart of this season was fighting
“Supporters expressed their opinion on Saturday (in Motherwell). If they don’t get to the final of the cup, the manager will become more pressure.
“The bad start of the season, the change of the manager, had a charm where you looked as if things were turned and they just never really did.
“I just don’t think they showed the level of consistency.
“If you look at the group, the size of the club, the fan base to get to the first six, it is very, very disappointing. Saturday is a massive game for them in the season.”
Should Critchley be under pressure?
Neiil Critchley is time for Hearts?
Sky Sports Punits Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton clashed over their views on the future of Critchley in Tynecastle Park.
While Boyd is adamant that his inability to ensure the highest six place puts his position under the threat, Sutton claimed that their appearance under Steven NaiSith meant that survival was his only work this season.
Kris Boyd
“It was disappointing for them. Stephen Naismith lost his job because of the beginning they apparently had.
“Neil Critchley came and got a lot of praise, but for me it is under pressure now.
“They are the third largest team in the country and are on top, again six lower.
“Saturday (vs Aberdeen) is now huge, huge for the heart.
“The heart did not get this season, there is no fact that it does not get out of it and failed.”
Chris Sutton
“He had one transmission that he had; his goal when he came, was to keep the club in the top flight. The wheels were turned off (before the leadership took).
“The disappointment will be in their hands, they were at the first six.
“You can’t start throwing away managers if it’s really not his decision. It would be ridiculous to throw him away.
“At the beginning of the season he was not a manager when recruiting was one of the biggest problems in Hearts.”
