Gordon's return has taken Clarke's game 'to another level', says Naismith

Hearts boss Steven Naismith says having Craig Gordon fit again has taken Zander Clarke’s game to another level, but refused to say who’ll be in goal against Dundee on Tuesday night.

After 13 months out following a double leg break, Gordon made his comeback in the first team against Spartans on Saturday. Clarke has made 28 appearances this season.

“What I’ve been saying clearly, without repeating myself, with players you need to be honest, you need to give them an understanding and give them a reason what you are making decisions for,” he said.

“I think we are a close group. Everybody understands where they are and what their position is and we’re all good, we’re comfortable with it all.

“Yeah, every week there’s decisions that can upset them.

“But I go back to being honest. Everybody understands where they are.”

“I think the last month before the break, Zander’s level had went up from where it was, which was already very good. And I think that’s because Craigie came back and was fit.

“At every club, I think the players, play their best when they’ve got competition and they know what the risk is. That’s the same here.

“We’ve got an area of the pitch that we’ve covered very well and I’m confident, very confident, that we’ll all be happy and we all understand where everybody is.

“I don’t think there can be any player in any sports sitting there going, ‘we’ll I’m playing every week, I deserve to play every week no matter what’.

“There needs to be a level of drive to be successful – individually as well as collectively as a team.

“They are two really good characters, they are two big characters, and they’ve got a wealth of experience and so they understand that.”