I want to emulate the Class of '98 - Gordon

PAUL KIDDIE

HEARTS star Craig Gordon today targeted emulating the club’s Scottish Cup heroes of 1998.

As we revealed yesterday, the 21-year-old has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal which will keep him a Jambo until 2007 - by which time he hopes to have participated in his own victory parade through Edinburgh.

Gordon took part in a youths’ penalty shoot-out competition during the half-time interval of the Tynecastle side’s historic win over Rangers at Celtic Park.

The following day, though, he was busy starring in a Hearts Boys’ Club Under-15s cup final win and had to miss the team’s open-top bus tour which memorably drew 250,000 celebrating fans onto the streets of the Capital.

Six years on from joining the Tynecastle ground staff and the Balerno shot-stopper is embarking on his first season as Hearts’ first-choice goalkeeper - and he sees no reason why the current squad cannot go on and also play itself into the club’s history books.

"There had been a lot of speculation in the papers about my future but I never made any secret of the fact that I always wanted to stay here," he said.

"It took a wee while to sort out but I was happy to extend my contract and who knows what may happen in the future. I still have a lot to learn and am happy to do it at Tynecastle. It is up to me to progress from here.

"I have signed a new three-year deal which takes me up to 2007 by which time I will still only be 24 years old. And that is still early days for a goalkeeper.

"I have always dreamed of the opportunity to be No.1 keeper at Hearts. It is here now and I am determined to make the most of it and push on from here.

"We have a strong team here and although we have done well over the last two years, the manager is right when he says that counts for nothing and have to do it all over again.

"We have to push for third place again this season but it would be nice if we could lift a cup while I am here. The question for all clubs outwith the Old Firm is ‘can they win a cup?’ and that has to be what we are looking at.

"I think that is a realistic aim as we are good enough to beat the Old Firm on a one-off occasion.

"I’m not sure if we could challenge for the league regularly but I think we have shown in the past we are capable of beating them so you never know what may happen in the cups."

Gordon’s father David was a huge influence in the earlier stages of his career. But as he moved through the ranks in Gorgie so he was able to tap into the considerable knowledge and expertise of Tynecastle legends such as Gilles Rousset and Antti Niemi. He may still have a lot to learn - and plans to continue that education at Hearts - but he has already been capped by Scotland boss Berti Vogts, his first senior appearance coming in the win over Trinidad and Tobago at Easter Road in May.

He is set to be named in the German’s squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Hungary at Hampden Park and with the first-team prospects of Celtic’s Rab Douglas and Paul Gallagher at Norwich City appearing uncertain at the moment, there is every chance that if he is playing well at club level he could find himself thrust into the limelight when the Scots kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Slovenia next month.

Such talk, however, brings little of an over-excited response from the laid-back youngster but there is no denying he is keen to stay involved in Vogts’ plans if at all possible.

"I was surprised to be involved with Scotland last season but I’ve had a taste of it now and want more," he said.

"That has to be the aim with the World Cup qualifiers coming up and hopefully my performances for Hearts will help my prospects with Scotland."

International aspirations apart, for the time being the priority remains keeping Tepi Moilanen out of the team after starting with a clean sheet in the SPL opener at Dundee on Saturday.

The Finnish star did well on the pre-season tour to Vancouver in the absence of his injured team-mate - Gordon missed the first two games of the trip with a thigh injury and knows he cannot afford to allow the standard of his performances to drop.

"I know I can’t rest on my laurels," he said. "Tepi has been playing well and is putting me under pressure so I can’t relax over the next few months. I will have to keep my level of performance high otherwise he’ll be there hoping to take my place.

"I am by no means the finished article and there are things we will be working on throughout the season."

Taken from the Scotsman