Ross Grant set piece coach has left Hearts to take up a position at Celtic, ending a spell that began last summer. Hearts said the move was made public on Sunday night, three days after Wouter Vrancken replaced Derek McInnes as head coach.
Hearts and Celtic
Hearts thanked Grant for his time at Tynecastle, saying: "We can confirm that Ross Grant has departed to take up a position at Celtic." They also added: "The club thanks Ross for his contributions during his stint at Tynecastle."
Grant had arrived at Hearts last summer as the first dedicated set-play coach in the Scottish Premiership. Before that, he spent four years at Dundee United, giving Hearts an experienced specialist when Austin MacPhee had previously worked in that area.
Set-piece numbers
The departure comes after Hearts put up the league's strongest set-piece return last season. No team scored more than their 18 goals from set pieces, and 15 of those came from corners, a Scottish Premiership high.
Hearts also carried defensive value from that work, with only Motherwell conceding fewer goals from corners. That record explains why Grant's exit matters beyond a routine staff change: Hearts lose the coach linked to a phase of play that delivered goals at one end and control at the other.
Vrancken's coaching staff
Vrancken's own background gives the move a wider coaching context. Under him, Sint-Truiden were one of the most productive sides from set pieces last season, and assistant Sepp De Roover was tasked with overseeing set plays. De Roover has remained part of the coaching staff at STVV.
For Hearts, the immediate change is simple. A specialist who helped shape a key part of last season's output has gone to Celtic just after a change in the dugout, and the club now has to cover that role around its new head coach.
