Manager John McGlynn is confident he is still the man to revive Hearts.
Hearts relinquished their hold on the William Hill Scottish Cup, won in May by McGlynn's predecessor Paulo Sergio, at the first hurdle last Sunday, with a 1-0 Edinburgh derby loss at Hibernian.
Sergio and numerous players departed following the Hampden success as a result of cost-cutting measures and there is a hint of stability at Tynecastle following this week's announcements that a winding-up order has been avoided and an agreement has been reached over the repayment of another tax demand.
Amid the myriad of financial problems, Hearts have toiled on the field and sit ninth in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League ahead of Saturday's match with Aberdeen.
McGlynn said: "I've got a two-year contract. I intend to see that out.
"No one puts me under any more pressure than myself. I don't like losing, I don't like the situation.
"It's fire-fighting every single day. You just dust yourself down and get on with it.
"The biggest fight is for Hearts to survive. That is the priority."
McGlynn has taken encouragement from this week's off-field developments and believes he may even be allowed to delve into the transfer market next month, something he has been unable to do so far.
Hearts are currently under a player registration embargo, in force until December 23, for delayed payment of wages.
Former Raith boss McGlynn has taken encouragement from the way Craig Brown has stabilised Aberdeen in his two years at Pittodrie and believes it is a situation which he can emulate.
"I certainly do, if we're allowed to be able to bring in the players we feel are going to benefit, albeit on less wages," said McGlynn, who recognises some players may first depart.
"I think we can probably get other players that will do a good job, for probably less money.
"We have to recognise where players within our existing squad may leave, because of freedom of contract, and Sergejus (director Sergejus Fedotovas) says there might be something happening in January, so I take it some players will need to go then.
"If it's a position we find ourselves short in, we need to prioritise the positions we need. Striker is a priority."
The lack of goals - Hearts have scored twice and won once in their last six matches - has long been a concern for McGlynn.
"If we had the striker I feel that we need, I think we'd be sitting in a much healthier position," he said.
"We've done a lot of stuff right and I think we've played well in games, but we haven't scored goals."
Callum Paterson, who is 18, appears to be the man McGlynn is attempting to mould, while Lithuania striker Arturas Rimkevicius was today linked with a move to Tynecastle, but what about John Sutton?
McGlynn's reaction was terse when it was suggested he already has a proven SPL goalscorer in his midst in Sutton, who was signed from Motherwell by Jim Jefferies, but fell out of favour under Sergio and spent much of last season on loan at Central Coast Mariners in Australia and remains a peripheral figure.
McGlynn said: "How many goals did he score last year? Was he proven last year? No. How long do you want to go back?"
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