Steven Naismith believes Wednesday’s glamour friendly against Tottenham Hotspur will provide the perfect test for his players.
The Jambos are into the full swing of pre-season now with one friendly under the belt following Saturday’s meeting with Leyton Orient at Tynecastle.
Premier League giants Spurs are up next, with the Hearts boss underlining the importance of playing quality opposition ahead of a blockbuster season for the club on the domestic and continental front.
“It’s about getting as many minutes into the players as possible, as well as putting them in situations where they feel pressure,” he told the media ahead of the game.
“We have the friendly on Wednesday and then another behind closed doors on Saturday. We’ll then get to a stage where the sharpness returns and then the match sharpness comes, with the mistakes reducing after that.
“I’m expecting to see a few of their bigger names based off who was away on internationals and who wasn’t. The quality of their side will undoubtedly be at a high level. Defensively, we’ll have to really be switched on.
“Just like in big games in Scotland and Europe, you do need to be switched on when you don’t have the ball. That will one of the key areas we need to focus on.
“Ange Postecoglou’s teams are always full of energy, right the way through pre-season. We’ll need to deal with that and, hopefully, have the ball for periods where we can deal with that pressure.”
Various members of the first team squad had a busy summer representing their countries on the international stage, with players jetting off to compete in Euro 2024, the Copa America, and friendlies.
The boss confirmed that most of the players are now back in the building as the pre-season program ramps up.
“Kenneth’s not back yet and has a wee bit more time off, but Gerald is in. Due to his work visa, he has to be in the country so he’s into full training now,” he explained.
“Shanks and Zander are back in with the group from this morning having returned to the building whilst we were away in Tenerife. The most important thing for them was rest and they’ll probably be ahead of most of the boys in terms of fitness after being away with Scotland.”
Supporters can purchase their tickets for the match, presented by LNER, online at Hearts eTickets or in person at the Hearts Ticket Office.
