I knew that they'd struggle to break us down this time Says Jambos boss Jim Jefferies

JIM JEFFERIES last night lifted the lid on the tactical switch which resulted in the greatest moment of his life.

The canny Hearts boss, having watched Rangers knock 13 goals past his side in four league games, decided to bin the Jambos' attacking style for a more modest defensive game.

And the move worked a treat as Rangers failed to break down the stubborn Hearts defence, in which David Weir and Paul Ritchie were outstanding.

Jefferies, a Hearts man through and through, was beaming after ending his club's 36-year wait for a trophy.

He said: "I told the players and backroom staff all week that this could be the greatest day of their lives - and it is.

"We talked about the four games we've played against Rangers this season and how they'd scored 13 goals.

"Our style of play suited them hitting us on the break.

"So we decided let them have the ball and try to break us down - I thought with the players they had out,and having lost Gascoigne, they'd struggle to do that.

"They didn't have many serious chances in the first half other than long- range efforts. The players' adrenalin was pumped up by scoring so early and they started overhitting passes.

"They were also sitting back too deep and allowing Rangers to come on top of us.

"You're never out of it at 2-0 and I was always concerned about what would happen if they got a goal back.

"They did with 10 minutes left and, I can tell you, that was the longest 10 minutes of my life."

Jefferies was a Hearts player and has been a supporter all his life.

So the former Falkirk boss knows what it meant to the supporters that the trophy famine is now over.

He said: "The ovation we received when we went out to warm up was special.

"We said that the supporters have waited long enough.

"Last week we were wheeling out Hearts greats like John Cumming and Bobby Kirk for interviews because they were the last team to win the Scottish Cup in 1956. Now you can speak to the likes of Neil McCann because they've won it."

Jefferies arrived at his beloved Tynecastle three years ago and set about rebuilding the club.

Those long hours of toil and sweat were all made worthwhile by Saturday's win but the soft-spoken Borderer handed the credit to his players.

He said: "When I came to Hearts the club had been in the doldrums.

"We've progressed over the three years and made a good challenge in the league this season but we needed to bring silverware back to Tynecastle.

"What can you say about Paul Ritchie? The best move he made this week was to make a decision on his future.

"He signed a two-year contract but, even if he had been moving, at least he would have made a decision because it had obviously been weighing on him.

"He hasn't played like that for a few weeks now although he was a wee bit tentative as well because he was sitting on the threshhold of a ban with 15 penalty points. Gilles Rousset made up for his mistake in the final two years ago with two or three great saves as the pressure mounted."

Jefferies admitted he thought referee Willie Young had given a penalty when David Weir brought down Ally McCoist with the score at 2-1.

"I could see the referee looking across to his linesman and I think Walter Smith thought it was a penalty - I was glad he was disappointed.

"The fact Brian Laudrup was taking the free kick worried me but he didn't connect."

Jefferies pinpointed sheer professionalism as the key to the Jambos Cup run.

He said: "We've not really had too many highs in the cup run.

"We were very professional against teams when all the pressure was on us.

"Cup ties are all about being in the next round. It doesn't matter how you play.

"We played better in the Coca-Cola Cup final last season and didn't win but we got the tactics right today." Jambos penalty-taker Colin Cameron also made a vital change.

He stepped up when ref Willie Young pointed to the spot just 25 seconds into the game after Sergio Porrini and Ian Ferguson brought down Stevie Fulton.

Cameron, 25, said: "I changed my mind on the run up, I thought he was going to dive the way I normally put it so I went the opposite way and was delighted to see it go in.

"You shouldn't really change your mind when you're taking a penalty but in the end it worked out.

"It was a great run by Neil McCann in the first place then he played it to Stevie and he burst in the box like he's done all season, and he was taken down and it was a penalty."

There was some controversy over whether the challenge was made inside the box.

And the feeling of many was that neither the Hearts spot kick nor the Rangers free-kick on the edge of the box in the final 10 minutes warranted a penalty.

Cameron added: "I couldn't honestly tell you whether it was definitely in or outside the box until I've seen a replay but, at the end of the day, it is the referee who makes the decision.

"Neil McCann wanted to take the penalty but I'm the normal taker and I told him no chance, I'm taking it.

"Normally it's John Robertson who takes the penalties but he's been on the bench so it's been up to me.

"Luckily I've scored every one I've taken so far for Hearts and I've only missed one in my career. "That was a great start for us and so important to get the first goal.

"Rangers have shown that, if they go a goal up, they are very hard to pull back and you have to take the game to them.

"When you do they they've got the players to destroy you.

"So it was other way around this time, we got the goal and that let us sit in a wee bit and made them come to us so we could try to hit them on the break.

"We played some good football, there might not have been many chances and I don't think Andy Goram had many saves to make, but it was entertaining stuff

"Gilles Rousset pulled off a couple of great saves and it was important for us to get the second goal.

"Stephane Adam showed a great awareness to get onto it and he finished it superbly."

Now Cameron feels next season is going to be an even bigger challenge for the Jambos who will no longer be going into top-flight matches as the underdog.

He said: "We have won a trophy, something Hearts have not been able to do for 30-odd years, and we've come third in the league, challenging Rangers and Celtic right to the last half a dozen games.

"But we are an ambitious club and are going to have to look towards doing even better than we did this season.

"We've got a good bunch of boys and I think you can see that on the park when we're up against it we pull together and work for each other.

"They had a couple of near chances but in the end we held out and the Cup is now finally coming back to Gorgie Road."

CRAIG GALLOWAY