Steven Naismith said he has noticed a change in training at Hearts with a focus on the team playing their own way and stamping their authority on games.

Naismith has returned to the club for a second loan spell from Norwich after spending the second half of last season at Tynecastle. The Scotland international was one of the experienced heads in last season's team as young players were introduced to cover for long-term injuries and he's returned to a bigger squad and a new approach.

"Having had a few days now, what they're trying to do is going to be a lot more about how we're going to play in games and what we're going to do in certain situations and less about preventing the other team," he said.

"The management staff are able to do that because he's got competition for places and a lot of bodies in. That's what we'll be working on and it's good to go forward like that."

The 31-year old will still be expected to share his know-how on and off the pitch though, as Hearts continue to develop the young talent at the club, and Naismith says he's keen to help the next generation.

"Over the years of travelling and playing with some great players, you learn a bit and you want to give that on to the youngsters," he said.

"I've always said that I wanted to come back and play in Scotland. I got a taste in January and it was very good for me personally. I'm glad I got the chance to extend that.

"When I came to the club, the biggest things I noticed were the youth and how eager they were to learn and want to make a career for themselves, and also how well the club is run now.

"You can't not notice that when you come to the club and that's probably what gave me the good feeling at the start.

"It has shown ambition. The whole league has. It's a much more competitive league and one that's definitely on the up. It's been very entertaining for the last few years.

"It's probably the first time in my career where you get to the point that it is about re-emphasising what it is that the management team are doing.

"The manager especially puts a lot more on us boys that are in our thirties to lead by example, but also to coach within the games, coach within the training sessions. The balance last season was good and it's going to be the same this season, I think."

The forward has picked up 45 Scotland caps in his career so far and said he wants to add to that figure by impressing for Hearts. He revealed he had a conversation about going to face Mexico and Peru at the end of last season but felt he couldn't play, though he's keen to be involved in Alex McLeish's squad in the future.

"I spoke to the manager in the summer about going away and I had a niggly Achilles injury which needed a lot of work over the summer and I managed to do," he said. "It's something I want to be involved in and I love every minute of getting my caps.

"Going forward I'll be doing all I can to get a place in the squad."