Wouter

Despite conceding six goals across two legs, Hearts impressed going forward in spells but lacked a clinical touch in front of goal, failing to score from a combined expected goals value of 2.6.

With only a couple of competitive games under their belt, there was a sense of unease around Tynecastle, where many fans left well before the final whistle.

The defeat was Hearts’ first at home in 15 months and supporters can be forgiven for expecting more from a side assembled with the aid of lauded recruitment tool Jamestown Analytics.

Regardless, it is still just two games into the season for a new-look team who will be expecting to compete for domestic honours and still have a chance at Europa League or Conference League football.

“It’s early days, but if you look at that squad, you have to be a big character to go out when things aren’t going well to demand the ball and drag the team forward,” Stevenson added.

“How long does the manager get if they come under pressure? What do Jamestown do? Do they stick their heels in? And then it becomes ugly.

“It’s like an absolute freefall, it’s totally a new team. There isn’t a connection between the team and the fans. Again, it’s the first game, so I’m being totally critical, but the signs for me just now are worrying.”

With no competitive warm-ups before their Champions League journey began, Vrancken insists his players weren’t ready.

However, in the first leg, nine of the starters were at the club last season. And in Tuesday night’s second leg, eight starting players remained from last season.

They looked like strangers at times, particularly in the final third and when high balls were launched into their box.

“Physically, yes,” Vrancken said when asked if these games came too soon.

“When you see both games again, what we did with the ball was really good until the moment that you physically cannot bring it any more and that made it difficult.

“I hope everybody starts scoring. It doesn’t matter who, as long as the goals come.

“It comes together with physical preparation too, then you make the better decisions, and in the final moments you’re there to finish it. I cannot blame the players in intentions and how they did it at all.

“It’s not about quality. When you play against Sturm Graz who are experienced in Europe, and you play like that in the first half in both games, then it’s not about lacking quality, it’s more about we have to make some steps physically.”

Hearts are moving closer to appointing Belgian football’s manager of the year, Wouter Vrancken, as the club’s new head coach.

The 47-year-old left hometown club Sint-Truiden this summer after leading them to third place in the Belgian Pro League – their highest finish in 60 years – in his first full season in post.

Derek McInnes departed Hearts for Rangers last week after taking the club to second place last season, missing out on a first title since 1960 on the final day to Celtic.

Hearts are now close to confirming his replacement. Vrancken is set to take charge of a first club outside his homeland after impressive spells at Sint-Truiden and Genk, whom he took to the brink of the Belgian title in 2023.

Having started his coaching career in Belgium’s lower leagues, his return to the top flight was as assistant at another of his former clubs, Kortrijk.

He took over as boss of Mechelen in 2018 and led them to promotion and the Belgian Cup in the same season before three top-eight finishes in the top flight.