Sky Sports Stunned Joe Savage blasts back at Hearts critics as he reveals two Celtic transfer close calls.
The former Tynecastle sporting director spoke on our Hotline Live and revealed some fascinating details.
Joe Savage is as shocked as anyone that the Hearts side he helped construct and guide into the European group stage is now lying bottom of the Scottish Premiership.
The former Gorgie sporting director defended his tenure at Tynecastle during a grilling on Hotline Live.He stepped down in the summer after guiding the Jambos from the Championship to two third-place results, a fourth, and two appearances in the European group stage.
Savage has encouraged new manager Neil Critchley to stabilize Hearts and return them to the top of the league standings. The team had planned to sign two high-profile players, but Celtic outbid them. Savage stated, “If you had told me back then that Hearts would struggle this season, I would not have believed you. Not given the caliber of their team and our performance last season.
“I didn’t see it coming, and Stevie Naismith and a few other employees ended up losing their jobs. They had to bring in Neil Critchley and Graeme Jones as new sporting directors. This is fantastic. They should not be in this position, yet they are there for a purpose. They haven’t performed well enough, have they?
“Hearts are now the weakest team in the league due to their position at the bottom. It is a reality, but it is not pleasant to mention. I don’t think it’s where they’ll finish up this season, but they can all perform better. I know the majority of the staff, and they will fight and do everything they can to get up the league.”
Hearts have faced criticism for a lack of goals this season, as Lawrence Shankland has struggled to match his previous form. Savage confirmed before his departure that Stevie Naismith had another striker on his summer wishlist.
“I’m not sure how that worked. Liam Boyce, Kenneth Vargas, and Musa Drammeh may all play forward. Hindsight is beautiful, and if you asked Steve now, would he sign another striker? “Then I believe he would.”
Savage said that the most difficult task was attracting elite targets, but Hearts were frequently pushed down their lists due to a lack of financial resources and the allure of other major leagues. He confessed that Oh Hyeon-gyu and Luke McCowan were on Tynecastle’s radar but were blown away when Celtic came knocking.
The former Preston recruiting head stated, “We had an interest in Luke McCowan (for a pre-contract in the summer), but we were never going to get him.” Let’s not kid ourselves about what he’s accomplished at Celtic.
“The South Korean striker Oh, who Celtic signed. We were also on him and watching him before Celtic came in, and he went for a few million, so we wouldn’t have been able to spend the same kind of money that Celtic did.”
Hearts has subsequently collaborated with Tony Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics. It occurred after Savage had departed, but he would have welcomed the relocation. The first study has raised issues about some aspects of the Hearts team, but Savage understands his and the club’s track record speaks for itself.
He remarked, “I don’t know a club that finished third, 12 points ahead, and had no speed in their lineup. You do not finish third in the league if you are sluggish, cumbersome, and play behind other teams.
“I would have really embraced it (Jamestown). Would it have influenced my thinking about quitting? Probably not, but what Tony has done with Brighton and USG in Belgium, as well as the other clubs he has signed on with, has definitely succeeded.
“He has gone and identified things that other clubs would be desperate for.”It will benefit the club in the long run, but there is also a transfer window coming up, and they expect to recruit a few of players to assist them move out of their current situation.”
Shankland scored 31 goals last season, but Savage said that throughout his tenure at Hearts, he never got a phone call regarding the captain. Savage stated there was nothing. We kept hearing that the Rangers were on their way, but no one approached us. No club approached and said, ‘What would it take to obtain Lawrence Shankland?’ We were extremely astonished by that.”
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