Tuesday 1 August 2017 21:57, UK
Ian Cathro has lost his job at Hearts and will depart the Scottish Premiership club with immediate effect.
The 31-year-old only became head coach last December and his team has endured a difficult start to the new season.
Last Tuesday they were beaten 2-1 by League Two Peterhead in the Scottish League Cup, and four days later drew 2-2 with Dunfermline in the same competition.
This match was played at Tynecastle where the Pars rubbed salt into the Edinburgh club's wounds by securing the extra point after winning the subsequent penalty shoot-out 3-1.
A club statement read: "The board wishes it to be known that this was a very difficult decision, reluctantly made, as every member of the board recognises that Ian is an extremely talented young coach with a very bright future ahead of him.
"We thank Ian for all of his efforts and wish him well in the future."
Hearts won just six of 26 matches under his charge last season and a Scottish Cup defeat by local rivals Hibernian piled on the pressure.
Hearts open their league campaign this Saturday with a trip to holders Celtic, which is live on Sky Sports Football.
