Critchley: Letting Fans Down is ‘Worst Feeling in the World’

Neil Critchley expressed no objection to Hearts receiving boos in Belgium, stating that disappointing the supporters is “the worst feeling in the world.” A crucial late penalty miss by Lawrence Shankland, occurring when Hearts were trailing by a single goal, proved detrimental as Cercle Brugge secured a 2-0 victory, leaving the Tynecastle club awaiting confirmation of a place in the Conference League knockout rounds. “I understand their frustrations. I get it,” head coach Critchley informed BBC Scotland. He further articulated the team’s aspiration: “When you travel and come in big numbers we desperately want to give them a goal and a victory and see them celebrating.” Acknowledging their failure, he added, “We have not done that. That is the worst feeling in the world, feeling as if you have let them down. But we have to bounce back.” Critchley also conveyed to his players that despite the decreasing number of fixtures, their current situation is “not like a knockout competition and are out.” He highlighted the remaining chances, remarking, “We have two more games to go, so in two weeks’ time when we go to Copenhagen we have another opportunity to produce better than what we are doing at the moment.”