Levein hails leadership skills of in-form forward Naismith

Hearts boss Craig Levein believes Steven Naismith deserves not only the player of month award – but the manager’s prize too.

The Scotland frontman was rewarded for a stunning September which saw him net six goals in seven outings for club and country.

But the 32-year-old’s leadership skills have also impressed his manager, with Levein insisting his job on the sidelines is made easier by having Naismith guiding the team from the middle of the pitch.

The Tynecastle chief said: “He was good for us last season but we probably aren’t as good a team as we are right now.

“It’s taken a bit of the pressure off him the fact we have other people in the team who can carry a bit of responsibility.

“His performances this season have been fantastic and he’s a great guy to have around, helping the players on the field. Maybe he could get manager of the month for doing my job on the pitch. That would be a first.

“He’s a great lad. He’s so humble and also – and I don’t want to put words in his mouth – he’s grateful for all football has done for him. You can see that in the way he trains every day and how he encourages other players.

“So I’m thrilled for him. He’s one cap away from reaching 50. That’s testament to his longevity.”

Levein will have to rely on Naismith even more over the coming weeks after losing two more key players to injury.

With skipper Christophe Berra already ruled out until Christmas with a hamstring tear, there was fresh bad news this week when it was confirmed both John Souttar and Uche Ikpeazu have been sidelined for up to six months.

The timing could not be worse as the Jambos prepare for a huge run of fixtures that see them host Aberdeen on Saturday before travelling to Dundee in midweek. They then have an Edinburgh derby battle squeezed in with a Betfred Cup semi-final and league double-header with Celtic.

And with the pain of those injury setbacks still stinging, Levein admits he cannot plan any further ahead than for facing Derek McInnes’ Dons.

“We’re looking forward to a big few weeks,” he said, “We start with Aberdeen on Saturday but I don’t want to start talking about other things.

“There is a reason why people talk about ‘one game at a time’ and that’s because focus is really important.

“We can’t allow ourselves to think about Dundee on Tuesday or even the semi-final against Celtic.

“So all I’m thinking about is Aberdeen.

“They are all big matches. Aberdeen are a tough team to play against.

“Derek’s record in recent seasons is fantastic. It’s quite difficult if you’re at a club for any length of time to maintain a level of consistency, particularly if you’re not one of the clubs with the most, or second most, money in the league.

“But everybody has to recognise the great job he’s done up there. They are evolving again from what they were last season.”