Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon admitted that he and the rest of the Jambos squad were stunned by the omission of skipper Steven Pressley from the 1-1 draw with Falkirk.
Pressley Shock
Pressley was reportedly also stripped of the club captaincy ahead of the clash with the Bairns, with Gordon hoping his team-mate is back in the fold in the near future.
He said: "It was a strange team meeting. I don't think anybody could believe what they were seeing.
"The manager wanted to change things about. He felt he wasn't getting enough from the experienced players and it almost came off for him.
"I'm sure Steven will come back into the reckoning for a start soon enough. He is a massive player for us.
"I just hope he can come back as soon as possible. This club can't afford to lose players like him."