Hearts head coach Ian Cathro faced the media for the first time on Tuesday morning alongside his new assistant Austin MacPhee.

His appointment, which will see him take charge of a club for the first time in his career, has had supporters, journalists and footballers talking.

He responded to his critics, dismissed claims his move from coaching is a radical change and outlined his mentality and expectations at the club.

Cathro's first game as Hearts' number one will be a trip to Ibrox on Saturday to take on Rangers before his home debut the following weekend against Partick Thistle.

Despite his work at Dundee United and the Scottish FA, Cathro is still a relatively unknown entity in Scottish football.

He is, however, known to think outside of the box and emphasised this when discussing his lack of limitations.

"There isn't a limit to what you can do unless you believe in the limits that everyone else has set for years and years," he said.

"I think you already think I don't live with those limits in my mind.

"I'm willing to make the statement that I believe a little bit further. My limits are maybe a little bit different.

"I believe there's room for improvements to be made here. There's space to grow, there's space to develop."

After leaving Scotland, Cathro coached in Portugal and Spain before joining Newcastle as Steve McClaren's assistant manager.

While he is the first to take charge of a Scottish club with no professional playing experience, he doesn't believe it is a radical move.

"All the words that seem to be attached to me, they're not words that I've ever used about myself," he said.

"All I've done and all I want to do is work and certainly in the environments I've worked in - it's nothing radical.

"Maybe slightly different in the same sort of degree every manager and every coach will have a preferred way of working and managing certain aspects."

Cathro was criticised for his "laptop coaching" techniques this week by Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd but responded by saying it's different opinions that make football what it is.

"If you met me when I was 18 you would have thought 'what a boring 40-year-old he is'," he said.

"Comment on football is one of the reasons football is what it is and that's part of what makes the game so beautiful, so interesting.

"It drives the power behind it and makes it something which we all go and talk about and love.

"It's one of the reason stadiums are full, people can make comment and be involved, have an opinion and that's completely fine.

"It's something that makes the game what it is and I love the game."

The 30-year-old is excited about making a home at Tynecastle and familiarising himself with the supporters in the stands.

Cathro will make his bow in front of the home crowd on Saturday, November 17, and he believes it will be a special experience.

"I've been fortunate in Valencia and Newcastle, they're clubs that mean so much to people," he explained.

"People live their lives through the football club and that makes it real, that makes it a special place.

"The reaction by the fans and the incredible support that was poured into this club when it had a dark day tells you this is one of those clubs that has a real connection with people.

"That adds to my inspiration and my desire to be able to bring them bright days."

Cathro displayed some of his ambitions when he spoke about the mentality his new side will take into games on a Saturday afternoon.

He believes defeat is unacceptable and will be driving his players on to win all three points week-in-week-out.

"I think the responsibility is to make sure that prior to the first whistle in the game we expect to win," he said.

"I'm using the word expect and that takes a lot of work. It's difficult but that is our responsibility.

"To help the players improve on a daily basis, that's my vision. The guys are at different stages in their lives, some of the improvements won't be visible but that's part of my responsibility, to help and support that."

STV Sport's Paul and Jamie took to Facebook Live after the media conference to dissect what the new coaching duo had to say.