Hearts have parted ways with head coach Steven Naismith following eight consecutive defeats, with CEO Andrew McKinlay citing a “lack of evidence of any potential improvement.”
Assistant coaches Gordon Forrest and Frankie McAvoy have also been relieved of their duties, while Hearts B team head coach Liam Fox will step in as interim manager.
Naismith, 38, initially took over in April 2023 on a caretaker basis, guiding the club to a third-place finish in the Scottish Premiership last season.
However, the team currently sits at the bottom of the league with just one point from their first six matches.
In addition to their league struggles, Hearts were knocked out of the League Cup by Championship side Falkirk and dropped into the Conference League after losing both legs of their Europa League play-off against Viktoria Plzen.
Despite the poor run, Naismith and his staff had signed new contracts in August, set to run until 2026.
Confirming the “difficult decision” to dismiss the management team, McKinlay said it is “clear for all to see that things are not working this season”.
He added: “They worked tirelessly in their roles and without them we would not have enjoyed the successes of last season.
“However, things can change quickly, particularly in football. Results and performances have fallen below the standards expected at this football club and, unfortunately, there is little evidence of any potential upturn in fortunes.
“With our Conference League campaign about to commence, and the spotlight on our league position, we cannot afford to stand still.”
Naismith, who ended his playing career at Tynecastle, was promoted from B team boss when Robbie Neilson was sacked.
He did enough to earn the job on a permanent basis in June 2023.
However, the pressure has been building amid a wretched start to the season. Travelling Hearts fans called for Naismith’s sacking in Paisley after Saturday’s 2-1 loss at St Mirren.
Following that defeat, which proved to be Naismith’s last match in charge, he insisted he could still turn things around but was “realistic” about potential consequences of the losing run.