Hearts head coach Ian Cathro has no doubts his players understand their responsibilities but knows they have to prove it to supporters.

The Edinburgh side lost 2-0 to Partick Thistle on Saturday, just days after a painful Scottish Cup exit at the hands of city rivals Hibs.

Cathro brought in nine new players in January, most of whom had no experience of Scottish football, but he said he believed they were committed and understood how important the club was to its supporters.

"I think what we have to say is that the players on the pitch have no option," Cathro said.

"They must know. I don't feel any uncertainty about whether they do or whether they don't.

"Everybody understands clearly the size, the importance, how much love and passion there is for this football club."

He added: "We talked about it this morning. This is tens and tens of thousands of people's Real Madrid.

"It's reality. That's what brings us this responsibility. I want that and I'm pretty sure that the players do, too."

Cathro said questions about the squad's passion were inevitable given back-to-back defeats.

"What we've allowed to happen through poor performances and results is that we've allowed people to question those things about us," he said.

"That's one of the things that hurt us most, when people are allowed to ask those questions of us: 'Do we know what this football club means? Is everybody understanding of the importance of what it means to be a Hearts player and fight for the Hearts shirt?'

"The only way that is resolved is on the football pitch."