After the euphoria of a last minute-winner in Azerbaijan night to kick off their Conference League campaign in style, the harsh realities of football were once again thrust upon Hearts at Pittodrie on Sunday.

A gallant performance, probably the best of the season, was delivered but the footballing gods were not looking down favourably on the Tynecastle club.

It’s now time to take stock and prepare for some huge matches after the International break. And the burning question is who will be in charge by the time St Mirren come to Tynecastle on Saturday week?

CEO Andrew McKinlay has been holding a series of interviews over the past week with a view to identifying two or three candidates worthy of chatting to a second time.

He has said it won’t be a Scot who will be handed the role on a permanent basis and some Hearts fans will be pleased they are looking further afield for a replacement for Steven Naismith.

The importance of this appointment, though, cannot be underestimated. Every new head coach or managerial appointment can be looked upon as a risk but on this occasion there is very little room for error.

Scottish football is littered with people who arrive feeling they can reinvent the wheel and take their club to the top end of the game. But this will be tough. With Hearts rooted at the bottom of the Premiership, the new manager will not have the luxury of a ‘honeymoon period’ to bed himself in.

He must hit the ground running and somehow find a way to get a winning tune out of the players at his disposal.

In the meantime the focus is on the board and who they choose. Time is not on their side but similarly this is not a decision that should be rushed.