Heart of Midlothian are now hunting for a new manager after recently parting company with Robbie Neilson. On Sunday 9 April, the Edinburgh club announced that they had made the difficult decision to relieve the 42-year-old of his duties at Tynecastle, with Hearts sitting fourth in the Scottish Premiership table.

The team are in a slump after five successive defeats and a 2-0 home defeat against St Mirren saw the board act decisively, with Chris Wilder and Steven Naismith now the favourites with the leading sports betting sites to replace Neilson. The former Scotland international is currently in caretaker charge of Hearts, while Chris Wilder will remain with Watford until the end of the season but might be tempted to go north of the border.

However, the club might cast their net far and wide for a successor to Neilson. There's a crunch clash away to Hibernian this weekend that gives Naismith an instant chance to impress, although Frankie McAvoy and Neil MacFarlane are other names being linked to the vacant position, according to the best bookmakers.

Wilder Could Seek Watford Exit For Hearts (2/1 with BetVictor)

Chris Wilder is currently employed by Watford Football Club, although we know that this managerial position is almost always a temporary one. The former Sheffield United manager hasn't quite steadied the ship at Vicarage Road and is being linked with the vacant position at Heart of Midlothian, and he could be tempted by a fresh start at Tynecastle.

The 55-year-old transformed the fortunes of the Blades, where Wilder steered the Yorkshire outfit from League One to the Premier League. Since then, he had a chequered spell in charge of Middlesbrough that started brightly but then struggled to get a tune out of the team in the early part of the current season.

Wilder is still highly regarded as a manager in the football world, and he will aim to try and get the Hornets into the Championship play-offs, although a move to a new club is on the cards this summer, and there's support for him at betting sites as far as the Hearts job is concerned.

Could Naismith Make The Step Up at Tynecastle (5/1 with BetVictor)?

Steven Naismith has never held a managerial position since retiring as a player, although it could be that the 36-year-old is given the opportunity to become the permanent manager of Hearts. After Neilson's departure, the former striker now steps into the breach and will hope to convince the club's owners that he's the man to take the club forward. Given he has the first opportunity to impress, he is the current favourite with most new betting sites.

Naismith might be seen as something of a gamble considering his lack of managerial experience and much might depend on the outcome of this weekend's Edinburgh derby, with this being followed by a home clash against Ross County. Naismith will know the club well after turning out for them as a player on 37 occasions, scoring 10 goals before hanging up his boots.

The former Scotland international retired officially in June 2021, and he was quickly appointed as development manager by Hearts, with Naismith also having experience of coaching within the Scotland national team set-up. Until becoming caretaker manager at the Edinburgh club, he was in charge of the B team at Tynecastle.

Frankie McAvoy Could Be Ready to Take Charge (8/1 with BetVictor)

Frankie McAvoy is currently second favourite with many soccer betting sites to replace Robbie Neilson at Hearts, with the 55-year-old currently Academy Director at the Edinburgh club, and it might be that the Scottish Premiership plump for someone with plenty of experience. The Scot did have a brief spell in charge of Preston North End in 2021 and could be willing to offer his services.

McAvoy has been coaching at a high level for around 20 years despite not playing football at a professional level. He has had spells with Dunfermline and Hamilton, with the Scot becoming first-team coach at the latter when Alex Neil departed. He then joined Neil at Norwich City, and the pair were joined at the hip at Preston.

Although McAvoy was given the opportunity to be his own manager at Deepdale following the sacking of Neil, the 2021-22 season didn't go well and he found himself back north of the border. He can claim to have a lot more coaching experience than Naismith, and perhaps he's a serious contender.

MacFarlane and Robinson Also In Contention (20/1 with BetVictor)

Neil MacFarlane might be a popular appointment with Hearts supporters, with the 45-year-old having turned out for Hearts on 73 occasions between 2002 and 2006. Since 2019, he has been part of the coaching staff at Brentford and is currently in charge of the B team, although he could be open to an offer north of the border.

MacFarlane has the Hearts connection, with the former midfielder having been the caretaker boss at Coventry City back in 2015, and he was in charge of Kidderminster Harriers between 2018-19, with the Scot beginning his coaching career in 2012 when being assistant to Steven Pressley at Falkirk.

Stephen Robinson is another viable candidate, according to betting apps, and the Northern Irishman is currently in charge of a St Mirren side who recently inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Hearts. The 48-year-old is faring well at St Mirren Park, and he has previously enjoyed spells at Oldham Athletic and Morecambe.

Robinson also had a longer stint with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership, and he had a 42% win record with the club, winning 71 and drawing 30 of his 169 games in charge, with the manager now potentially open to a spell at Tynecastle.