Ex-Hibs star admits he was ‘so happy’ Hearts won in Neil Critchley’s first game as boss.

Marvin Bartley has described why, despite being a “Hibs man,” he was overjoyed to watch Neil Critchley win his first game as manager of Hearts.

The former Blackpool and QPR manager was named Steven Naismith’s permanent replacement at the Jambos last week. However, many Hearts fans saw Critchley’s arrival as underwhelming and uninspiring, with the club sitting at the bottom of the Premiership table with 0 wins. He put such misgivings to rest in dramatic form against St Mirren at Tynecastle, leading his new side to a 4-0 victory.

Speaking on the most recent Open Goal podcast, Bartley confessed he was thrilled to see the Gorgies deliver such a convincing result on Critchley’s debut. And that’s because he was perplexed by the reaction the Englishman received from Hearts fans following his hiring as manager. Bartley vehemently defended Critchley and called Hearts fans fickle. The former Hibee stated, “That was an odd reaction that he (Critchley) received. I didn’t get it at all. “And I understand that his second tenure at Blackpool was not particularly successful, and he did not stay at QPR for very long.

“But his initial tenure with Blackpool was fantastic. There’s a reason Gerrard signed him on as an assistant at Aston Villa. Obviously, with England and Liverpool, he’s a good coach! “He is a good coach. Yes, things did not work out for him at Blackpool, but that does not imply he is a bad coach. The reaction was dismal. “Listen, as a Hibs fan, it saddens me to say this, but I was overjoyed that they (Hearts) won so convincingly over the weekend. Because suddenly, football is so unpredictable, and now he’s fantastic. C’mon!”

What’s next for Hearts?

Critchley defeated St Mirren, a defensively solid side led by Stephen Robinson. As a result, the 46-year-old has set a high standard, and Hearts fans may look forward to their Europa Conference League match against Omonoia Nicosia. It will be the Jambos’ first league phase play at Tynecastle this season, and adding to their three points from their last match against Dinamo Minsk would be an incredible start to their European campaign.

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