Steven Naismith praised his side’s pre-season workout at Burnley, as the Jambos netted comprehensive game time for the full squad in Lancashire.
Behind closed doors at the Clarets’ Barnfield training ground, two matches of 75 minutes were played simultaneously, allowing both sides to get minutes into a significant number of players within the respective squads.
Watching tight and competitive games against the EFL Championship outfit, with the returning Kenneth Vargas also back in the fray, the boss says the Jambos are in a great place ahead of next weekend’s final pre-season foray at Fleetwood Town.
“It was really good,” he told Hearts TV.
“We had two teams playing at the same time for 75 minutes, so everyone got more minutes on the pitch. Coming down to play big clubs in England has so many positive aspects to it.
“Can we press them, win the ball back, and create chances? I think today I saw good bits and other elements where I’d like to see us being bolder. Overall, it was a really good performances in very tight games.
“Similar to Spurs, you need to accept there are times where you won’t have the ball and you need to work out when you’ll have the opportunity to win it back and work through the pitch in such a way to create chances.
“We’re in the final stages of pre-season now where we’re past the slog and can look forward to getting back into a rhythm. We’re now building the sharpness and getting ready to go for the first game of the season.
“We’re in a good place, in good spirits, and it shows with the quality and competition for places that exists within the group now.
“There’s a couple of days off now so they can take their minds off football and let themselves recharge a bit. We’re then into a normal schedule with Fleetwood next weekend and then the first league game the following one.”
