Steven Naismith will have the final say on whether he is fit enough to captain Hearts against Ayr United this weekend, according to Robbie Neilson.
The Tynecastle boss is leaving a decision over the 34-year-old’s fitness in his hands after limping out of the draw at Inverness with a calf issue.
Naismith played no part in the Jambos’ halting their run of draws with victory over Dundee in Gorgie last weekend and is yet to return to full training since tweaking the injury.
He could make a return to the first team group at Riccarton towards the end of the week, but his status for the visit of managerless Ayr remains in doubt.
The Honest Men parted company with Mark Kerr following defeat to Arbroath and were held to a goalless draw at Raith Rovers on Tuesday evening.
Former Greenock Morton and Livingston boss David Hopkin has been strongly linked with the vacancy but no appointment has been made yet.
Caretaker manager Davie White could remain in the dugout for the trip to the capital, but Neilson is unsure whether Naismith will make the game.
“Naisy has been running and we will have a look at him today to potentially train on Friday,” he told the Evening News.
“We will just see how hethinks his calf is and whether he feels 100 per cent ready to be involved.
“You miss his experience in the team because he is great to have about the place. His calf has been a problem for a wee while now. Before I came in I think he maybe came back too early from certain things and it flared up again.
“We will just help him through it. Naisy will make the decision about whether he is right or not.”
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