Derek McInnes paints clear Hearts vision as new boss plans to tap into past Tynecastle experiences

The new boss has long fancied the gig in the capital and admits missing out would have been a kick in the teeth

Derek McInnes has always fancied the chance to make Hearts great again and admits it would have been a kick in the teeth to miss out on the chance yet another time.

Now he’s finally here, his top priority is to make Tynecastle horrible again.

McInnes has long fancied this gig. He’s been linked with it often enough. Every time the managerial revolving door at Gorgie has spun in recent years, his name has been thrown into the mix.

This time Hearts finally took the decision that had been long staring them in the face.

Whether it was the fabled Jamestown Analytics super-computer or just common sense from the sporting director Graeme Jones, the Jambos have got their man and right from the first minute it already looks like he belongs.

McInnes has endured an awkward week with the slightly bumped move from Rugby Park.

But now he’s in the door, the ex-Aberdeen gaffer is more than comfortable in his surroundings. Which is exactly what he doesn’t want for visiting teams.

McInnes has been at Tynecastle countless times as a player and manager and in years gone by there was one thing that stood out. It wasn’t much fun coming here.

Unfortunately for Jambos, in more recent times visiting teams have enjoyed the place rather than feared it.

And that is something the new boss is determined to change. McInnes said: “I think of the best Hearts teams that I’ve come up against as a player and as a manager, whether it was Jim Jefferies’ first team, George Burley’s teams, Craig Levein’s first teams.

“When you come out here to Tynecastle you get hit between the eyes pretty quickly, both physically and with aggression and a pace and an intensity that sometimes I feel when teams come here now, teams are starting to kind of, it’s a bit sanitised.

“Once the kick-off goes, teams enjoy it, bed themselves into the game. I’d like it to be the opposite.

“I would like players to think that they don’t like going to Tynecastle as much as they have previously, and it’s such an intimidating place.

“For that, we need to have our players enjoying the atmosphere and thriving on that as well.

“You turn up at Tynecastle at 3pm and the fans are here, they’ve done their bit, so then it’s up to us to give them a game to enjoy.

“The Hearts teams I have played against in the past could hit you with intensity, hit you with aggression and the noise would get louder and louder.

“That’s something we have to tap into because I’ve come here as an opposition manager looking to quieten the crowd.

“We have to recognise the responsibility we have to bring the crowd with us in games, bring an energy and mindset to games.

“We want teams to feel they are not okay coming here – that’s an easy thing to say but a more difficult thing to work towards. But that’s something I feel is important.

“Hearts teams when I was younger always had a strength about them, not people who would just kick you, but fitness and energy. You had to stand up to that.

“So while you want to be technical and good on the eye with players who can handle the ball, there’s also got to be that other dimension.”

McInnes doesn’t just want hard men to throw their weight around. He’s seen as something of a dugout pragmatist but in reality the 53-year-old has always sent out his teams to attack, usually with a couple of wide men leading the assault.

It’s just that he wants an intensity and aggression to match the flowing football – to get fans excited again. Just like he is with this job.

Some would say it’s about time he had a maroon scarf above his head. McInnes has been one of the top bosses in Scotland for more than a decade and should be in one of the top jobs.

He has been touted for this one often enough.

And while he wouldn’t have given up hope of one day landing it regardless, McInnes admitted it would have been sore to miss out yet again this time – especially with the club heading in a thrilling new direction with Tony Bloom’s injection of cash and expertise.

He said: “If I’d been looking from the outside whoever got this job I’d have been gutted, to be honest, because this is one I felt I could really make a good fist of.

“With the added investment, it’s a job I felt if I was staying in Scotland this could give me everything I wanted.

“There’s no sense of entitlement getting it but there were times when it came up I hoped I’d get the opportunity to speak to the people here.

“But this was the first time and everything happens for a reason, it’s worth waiting for and I believe it’s the right time now.

“Did I think the chance had gone? No, not at all. All you can do is just work away as a manager, sometimes seasons are better than others.

“It’s ironic that last season was a far better season, getting into Europe with Kilmarnock, getting Manager of the Year.

“This season was more challenging, a bit more difficult.

“But sometimes you hope the body of work you’ve had helps when it comes to a decision.

“However the club arrived at their decision, I’m just glad they have. I’ve always thought this was one which would be a good fit and was certainly one that I always wanted.

“I used to come here as the Aberdeen manager and it was a similar club, the size, the ambition and the demands.

“Hearts have a lot in place, the stadium, the training ground and the fans. It’s quite unique in a lot of respects, given how much the fans put in here. I don’t think there’s anything like it elsewhere.”.