Liam Fox faced the media for the second time as interim manager of Heart of Midlothian FC, but the first occasion since Neil Critchley and Mike Garrity were relieved of their duties following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Dundee at Tynecastle.

The 41-year-old coach told the packed media briefing that he had no hesitation in taking the role after a call from the club at around 7.30pm last Saturday night.

Fox, who was an assistant to Critchley, was speaking at The Oriam ahead of Saturday’s key clash in the relegation zone with Ross County at Dingwall (15.00) and he declared that whenever a manager loses his job there is always uncertainty.

But Fox, who started his coaching career at Tynecastle, added: “They(the players) have got back to work on the training pitch and we have full focus on Saturday.

“Football management, it is the nature of the beast, there can be changes quickly and everybody who walks into this role as a coach knows that that is how society is.”

Edinburgh-born Fox is in control of first team affairs “in the short term” and he added: “I am an employee of this football club and people know what this means to me, personally, you never like doing it on the back of somebody losing their job.

“Earlier in the season Steven (Naismith), Gordon (Forrest) and Frankie (McAvoy) lost their jobs but, unfortunately, that is the nature of the beast.”

He admitted that taking the interim role was a risk and he said: “Is there risk involved, of course, but I believe I can help, I believe I can bring some positivity back and win some points and take us out of the position we are in.

“There is no hiding from it, there is no point in making excuses, we know it is not good enough. My focus is on this weekend and we will see where we are after that.”

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