Robbie Neilson breaks silence on shock Hearts sacking
ROBBIE NEILSON has broken his silence after being dramatically axed by Hearts on Sunday night.
His second spell as Tynecastle boss was brought to an end by club chiefs amid a dismal run of form.
Saturday's 2-0 defeat to St Mirren was a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
It was a result that saw the Jambos - who for so much of this season had looked more than comfortable in third - allow Aberdeen to leapfrog them in the table.
That led to the board pulling the trigger, with B team boss and former Hearts forward Steven Naismith placed in interim charge until the end of the campaign.
The 42-year old, who had been in charge since 2020, has now broken his silence via the League Managers Association.
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In it, Neilson paid tribute to everyone at the club and praised the "unwavering support" he received from those around him.
In a statement released through the LMA, Neilson said: "I would like to thank Ann Budge and all of the board for giving me the opportunity to manage Heart of Midlothian over the past three seasons.
"We built a fantastic relationship and I will always have the utmost respect for them.
“My thanks also to the players and staff for their hard work and dedication. I have enjoyed working with you all and seeing you develop as both a team and as individuals. To my assistants, Lee McCulloch and Gordon Forrest, thank you for your unwavering support and dedication.
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“Everything we achieved together, winning the Championship, two Scottish Cup finals, a third placed finish and securing European group stage football was with the superb support of the Hearts fans and the Foundation of Hearts. I thank you all for that. I am immensely proud of what we were able to achieve together. It has been an honour to be your manager.
“I would like to wish everybody at the club the very best of luck as they seek to finish the season strongly and build on the strong foundations already in place.
“I’m now looking forward to having a chance to reflect, recharge and prepare for the next opportunity."
Naismith has been installed until the end of the season, with Neilson's former assistant Forrest staying on too.
The new interim boss' first game in charge doesn't get much bigger.
The Jambos head to Easter Road on Saturday lunchtime to take on Edinburgh rivals Hibs as they look to get their bid to finish third back on track.
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