Insight into Hearts team selection and decision-making ahead of games against Rangers, Hibs and Celtic

Keeping a 26-man first-team squad happy is a daily challenge for the Hearts management team. The fight for game time is intensifying as injuries heal and teenagers emerge from the Riccarton youth academy to challenge senior professionals. Competition for places is fierce, underpinning a run of 11 wins in the last 12 games. Head coach Steven Naismith is perfectly content with the situation.

He and his staff endeavour to create a balance between winning games, keeping players happy and developing youngsters. Juggling all three is demanding. Defenders Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson recently returned from international duty with Australia at the Asian Cup. Of the 26 players in the group, four are currently unavailable through injury - winger Barrie McKay, striker Liam Boyce, midfielder Peter Haring and defender Craig Halkett.

Those and other injuries have allowed opportunities for academy kids like Macaulay Tait and James Wilson. All the while, Hearts keep winning. Following Saturday's 2-0 victory over Motherwell [click here to watch the celebrations], they hold a 14-point advantage sitting third in the Premiership. It seems Naismith is mastering the balancing act so far.

The next three games will offer an indication of whether Hearts can get closer to Rangers and Celtic at the top of the league. They visit Ibrox on Saturday, then host Hibs at Tynecastle Park in midweek before a visit from Celtic the following weekend. It is unquestionably the most demanding period of the Edinburgh club's season so far. Team selection and formation will be key. Hearts changed from a four-man defence to a back three against Motherwell but reverted back to a four at half-time.

Naismith is not daunted in the slightest by the major decisions or by managing people's game time. There are 12 league games remaining for Hearts to home in on the top two. If that does not happen, 2023/24 will still be considered successful by securing third spot. The management team will continue to select their strongest XI, challenging players to improve every day in training and looking to reward those who do.

It is simply impossible to keep everybody happy given the size of Hearts' squad, so Naismith has been clear and honest with every player. His team selections against Rangers, Hibs and Celtic will be based on the same premise. "Recently, we have had quite a few younger players on the bench," he told the Edinburgh News. "That's partly down to numbers with some players away [on international duty] and injuries. Every day they are learning and they will train with us all the time. Some might drop and play in the B team, then they might be on the bench for the first team the next day. That will vary.

"Finlay [Pollock] is coming back from being out long-term so we need to manage him properly. There will be opportunities there for them, but at times there won't be. They need to keep working harder and harder to show that they deserve to be there. That's where the competition comes in.

"What I've said to everybody is: 'You are part of the squad. If you do enough and we need you, then you will be selected.' Everybody understands that. Some experienced boys are coming back and they are all desperate to play because we are doing well. We are in a good moment, but you need to be on top or you won't make the squads."

There is no fretting over key decisions. With assistant Frankie McAvoy, coach Gordon Forrest and goalkeeping coach Paul Gallacher, Naismith will discuss and debate matters before a final decision is made. Players are made aware that very few of them will feature in every game. "I'm quite decisive," said Naismith. "I've always tried to get the squad to understand that if you go two games where you don't start, it doesn't mean you are out of the picture. You are part of the group. There are games where certain players will play, and there will be games where they don't. I'm pretty clear with it but I'm honest with the squad."

"It doesn't weigh heavily on my mind in terms of a player not playing many minutes, or what he is going to think about it. Ultimately, the environment we are building is one where everybody is in it together. If you are not on the pitch, you will be disappointed and I would rather the players be disappointed. There are certain ways to show it and certain ways not to show it. When you are required, you need to be ready.

"Ultimately, it's an opportunity to show: 'This is why I should be playing.' As a player, I was big for that. One of the biggest moments of my career comes from being a sub at Everton and coming on after nine minutes to then score a hat-trick [against Chelsea] which everybody remembers. I want that from our players. I want that same understanding that this is an opportunity. 'I'm not happy, I'm p****d off, I'm going to show you.'"