Jefferies wants more commitment from his side

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies slammed his players for a lack of application in the 2-0 home defeat to Motherwell.

"I was disappointed by the lack of fight in the first half. The first half wasn't good enough. In the second half, we were a bit better," he said.

"I've learned more about the players today than I have since the time I've been in here.

"Looking towards next season, that level of application isn't going to do so they know that."

The Tynecastle side were looking to move to within four points of their opponents and closer to the European places.

But defeat leaves them seven points off fourth place with three games to play.

"This is the level, you want to be at the top end of the table and you can see why Motherwell are there, because they work hard, they compete well, they have a hunger about them and they've got one or two decent players," said Jefferies.

"But, first and foremost, their application was spot-on today and that's why they won the game.

"They were more determined and, even at set plays, they had the will to go in there and win the headers and we've not got that.

"They're going to put good balls in, so you've got to defend it. They had more will to go and score a goal than we had to defend it and you can't do that.

"It's now a case of we've got to win the three games. Motherwell have taken a big step here, it was a crucial game, that's what disappointed me.

"Maybe it looked like some of them had accepted that we were just in the top six, that wasn't the case. We want to try and finish as high as possible. Motherwell knew that, Motherwell did something about it today and we didn't.

"That's the bit that I learned. That, when it came down to a real big match, we were found wanting. If you have a team of players who sometimes are found wanting then you're not going to be too successful.

I've promised I will be making sure next year that that type of performance does not happen Jim Jefferies

"You can take a bad performance now and again, but that's one of the reasons probably why they've been fighting to make the top six because it happens too often."

Jefferies, who returned to Hearts in January, stopped short of promising a clear-out of the squad as he looks ahead to next season.

"I'm learning about the players between now and the end of the season and when the time's right to talk about that then I'll talk about that," added Jefferies.

"First and foremost, it's only right that I let the owner know how I feel and hopefully we can try together to get it going the right way and I'm sure we will.

"I've told them what they've got to do if they are going to be part of the plans for next year.

"It's got to be better than that and it's got to be first and foremost that everybody that puts that Hearts jersey on is going to show a will to go and win a football match because Motherwell had it today and we didn't.

"You've got to get players who want to go and compete. With what Motherwell have got in terms of resources and what these boys will be on, we should be expecting better and if they want a chance to become part of it then I've only got to tell them what's required here and I'll do that.

"I've promised I will be making sure next year that that type of performance does not happen."

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