Steven Naismith recognises Rangers style in Rhys McCabe as Hearts and Airdrie bosses silence the naysayers

Steven Naismith recognises Rangers style in Rhys McCabe as Hearts and Airdrie bosses silence the naysayers

Naismith recognises the Rhys McCabe he knew at Rangers in his Airdrie team.

The old Ibrox teammates face off on Sunday for a place in the Scottish Cup’s last eight,

with Hearts visiting New Broomfield in the weekend’s penultimate match.

The capital club enters as favourites, but were forced to sweat in the previous round against Spartans on a plastic pitch.

This weekend, they face one of the Championship’s top teams, coached by one of Scotland’s most promising young managers.

Naismith has been quite impressed with McCabe’s approach to his business with the Diamonds.

And he finds comparisons between the two, as both were met with suspicion during their respective appointments.

However, Airdrie are now firmly in the play-off hunt,

while Hearts are sprinting away with third place in the Premiership thanks to their current ten-game undefeated streak,

which Naismith aims to prolong against McCabe’s men.

“He’s doing what I’d call considerably harder work in terms of playing, coaching,

and management. He probably didn’t get much support from the football community at first, as no one does these days.

“But he’s worked hard and continuing to do incredibly well at a club where there is quite a deal of change this season  on season with the playing staff. So I’m delighted for him.

“I have a fantastic relationship with him from when he was a young youngster at Rangers and I was there.

It’s impressive that he’s still playing, maintaining his health and participating in practices while still managing and coaching the squad.

“That said, we know it will be difficult since they are a strong football team.

 

“He had good game intelligence as a player. He wasn’t the fastest,

but he was a good footballer with good touch and the ability to see a pass.

That is demonstrated within his team. They play as he did.

“I saw it firsthand at the beginning of this season; things need time to adapt and alter.

However, in the end, you must have a clear concept of what you want to do and stick to it.

“If you do, players and fans will pick up on it, and you will become involved.

He’s stayed true to his beliefs, and at times, they’ve been comfortably beaten.

“But most of the time, they’ve performed well and won games.

None more so than their penultimate round match against St Johnstone, who they also faced as underdogs.

“It’s very impressive. He’s a genuinely decent man who works incredibly hard,

and it’s because of him that they’re doing so well and playing such a good brand of football.”

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