Neil Critchley Previews Heidenheim Clash, Discusses Team Readiness and Ball Control

Head coach Neil Critchley recently spoke to reporters in advance of Hearts’ upcoming Conference League fixture against Bundesliga team Heidenheim. The main points from his address are as follows: Critchley stated that his team is “refreshed” and “ready for a big challenge” when they play at Tynecastle on Thursday. The coach expressed confidence in his squad’s ability to maintain their flawless Conference League record, provided they can “play the game we want to play”. The Hearts manager described Heidenheim’s ascent from Germany’s seventh division as “incredible” and “unbelievable”. While Critchley acknowledged that “you could say they’re not in a great moment,” he believes they are “very hard to break down” and “very dangerous” when launching counter-attacks. He further advised that Hearts must be “very good with the ball,” and should possession be lost, they must “make sure we’re losing it in certain areas,” given that Heidenheim is prone to counter with “aggression and intensity”.