“It’s nice to see…” - Steven Naismith reacts as Millwall job claim made | OneFootball

Highlights

Hearts boss Steven Naismith insists he isn’t bothered by reports linking him with the Millwall job, although he did acknowledge it’s ‘nice’ to be recognised for the work he is doing.

Steven Naismith impresses with Hearts

The 37-year-old finished his career with the Jambos as a player, and he was given his first opportunity in management by the club in 2023, and it’s a move that has worked out well for all parties.

After his spell as interim boss, Hearts finished fourth, but they’re on course to go one better in Naismith’s first full campaign in charge, as they’re on course to come third, which will bring guaranteed European football to Tynecastle.

A 2-0 victory against Celtic on Sunday was the second time they had beaten the Glasgow giants, which is another feather in the cap for Naismith.

Steven Naismith linked with Millwall job

Therefore, the ex-Everton player is developing an exciting reputation as a head coach, and it was claimed that Millwall could look to bring him in during the summer.

The Lions, who are battling to stay in the Championship, turned to former boss Neil Harris to replace Joe Edwards, and he sparked an instant response, with the team collecting seven points in three games.

Nevertheless, his long-term future is unclear, and Harris only signed a deal at The Den until the summer of 2025.

So, Naismith could be on the radar as they consider a manager to lead the club in the years to come.

Steven Naismith reacts to Millwall speculation

Yet, it’s fair to say that Naismith wasn’t giving much away, as he told the Edinburgh Evening News that he is loving life at Hearts.

“Since I've retired from playing, I've had a picture of the route I want to take and what I want to do. Through my playing career, I had an understanding of the steps to take to be successful. This is my first year taking a team at senior level. It's the first step, and it's probably a big first step.

“I could have made a choice to take an easier first step regarding the demand and size of the club. I'm enjoying every minute of it at Hearts and our focus is on being successful.

“You get linked, and your name gets put towards different stories at times. That either happens when you are doing really poorly, and you're due the sack, or you are doing really well and people are noticing. In some respects, it's nice to see, but I'm not really taking much notice of it.

“I'm at the very early stages of my managerial career. It takes time to get your point across and get your understanding of the players. We are in a good moment, and we've done loads of hard work to get to this point.

“I want to continue that. The uncertainty of the football world is there and that is what it is, but I've experienced enough of it to understand what is good for me and what is not.”