Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes insists there has been no contact from Hearts about their vacant managerial post.
The Tynecastle club are looking for a new boss to replace the sacked Neil Critchley and much of the speculation has been focused on the Killie manager.
However, McInnes, speaking after Kilmarnock secured their the William Hill Premiership status with a 3-2 win over Dundee at Rugby Park, said: “I’ve heard speculation as much as you.
“But anybody who knows me knows how much I’ve got a brilliant relationship with the club and Billy Bowie (majority shareholder), and I’m sure that if there had been contact, Billy would have told me, and there’s been no conversation club to club.
“You can never, ever as a manager or player stop speculation.
“So I’m well aware of it. I’m well aware of the chatter and a lot of people have come up to me.
“But I speak to Billy and the club regularly, nobody has said there’s been any contact.
“I’m just delighted we’ve managed to get a real highlight today.
“I loved seeing how the players responded to the supporters. It was bathing in sunshine out there.
“We’ve put the fans through the wringer a wee bit in the last few weeks, but you could see the relief clearly from the stands.
“I think there was also a bit of pride in the performance as well.
“We got three goals and we could have scored more and it was a good day for us and we needed a day like that today.”
Danny Armstrong scored from the penalty spot in the 31st minute but Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron levelled with 15 minutes remaining.
Striker Bruce Anderson restored Killie’s lead a minute later before defender Robbie Deas headed in a third in added time before Cameron drove in his second.
With two fixtures remaining Dundee are in 10th place, two points ahead of Ross County and five ahead of bottom side St Johnstone and their fight for survival goes on.
Boss Tony Docherty was left confused by a VAR incident which involved a possible Dundee penalty at 1-0 when striker Simon Murray was pushed to the ground by Kilmarnock substitute Kyle Vassell.
Referee Don Robertson ignored the claim but was then sent to his pitchside monitor by the VAR team and Docherty claimed the official was unable to see an image before the game continued with his original decision.
Docherty said: “I’ve just been seen speaking to referee Don Robertson himself and he couldn’t clear it up for me.
“And there’s still confusion 15, 20 minutes after the game as to exactly what happened.
“The explanation to me was that the referee was called over by VAR and the sequence they went through was to first check if it was onside.
“It was onside, and then the decision made was that it was outside the box.
“But they never showed the referee an image. I don’t know if it was to do with technology.
“I’ve watched the image and it’s inside the box and by the letter of the law it’s a penalty kick.
“I don’t want to be the manager that comes in every week and talks about referee decisions, but it’s for the betterment of the game.
“The game gets stopped, the referee gets called across because VAR indicated there may be an error, but then they don’t show him an image.
“And I could tell from my conversation with the referee, he’s not comfortable with that either.”
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