McKenna uses his German contacts to track Schalke

MOIRA GORDON

NO-ONE seems quite sure what the main incentive is but, in the build-up to Hearts’ UEFA Cup tie with Schalke, the list of reasons the capital side and their supporters have for securing a victory just keeps growing.

As one of the two home games in the mini-group stage, it has been considered a must-win match for the Scottish team since the draw was made. Triumphs in both of the games at Murrayfield would guarantee them safe passage to the next knockout stage, but that thought is no longer the only one spurring them on.

A sense of injustice spawned from two dodgy offside decisions in Feyenoord has stoked the fire in the bellies, while the fact Schalke could only manage a draw with Basel the same night and failed to steal a march means victory would offer real promise of progress. Add to that the fact that the man who masterminded the success of the past few years, Craig Levein, has moved on to pastures new and the players are seeking the perfect going away present, mix in a determination to impress any new boss who has been appointed by then or an imminent arrival who would surely be watching, and it’s a pretty heady concoction of reasons Schalke should be fearful.

But while Hearts may have motivation by the bucketload, desire is not always enough.

Makeshift striker Kevin McKenna, only just back from injury himself and charged with the role of forward targetman in the absence of Mark de Vries, is only too aware of the threat posed by Hearts’ German opponents.

Having plied his trade with Energie Cottbus before being signed by Levein, he still follows German football and remains friends with several players who have encountered the resurgent Bundesliga side in recent weeks.

"They are actually flying. They have a new manager and have won their last few league games so it’s going to be a tough match for us."

Schalke approached yesterday’s home game against Stuttgart unbeaten since Ralf Rangnick assumed control at the end of last month. Previously in the relegation zone, they have been propelled by Rangnick into the upper echelons, and prior to yesterday’s fixtures they occupied sixth place, just three points behind the league leaders Wolfsburg.

"They have got a good side and have a lot of size in their team," McKenna continues. "They signed a striker from Werder Bremen, [Ailton] the top goalscorer last year in the Bundesliga, and he’s a threat for them and they’ve got some big boys at the back [including Marcelo Bordon, who previously played for Stuttgart and scored the decisive away goal against Hearts to oust them from the UEFA Cup four years ago], so it’s going to be a tough one. But I believe we are a good enough side and we know we can beat Schalke. They are coming to our home patch and it will be a difficult game but I think we can do well."

For most journalists, getting footballers to forget the cliche about taking one game at a time is as easy as nicking the ball off the foot of Zinedine Zidane, but when there are other matters to mask it’s amazing how easily they comply.

As the media circus descended on Hearts’ Football Academy on Friday, wanting a snippet about the departure of Levein, McKenna was happy looking beyond the Dundee game at Tynecastle yesterday and weighing up the challenge that awaits them at Murrayfield.

Refusing to be drawn on the managerial situation, he would only say that as events had all happened so quickly the players had not had much time to ponder the significance, but he admitted a home victory would be a wonderful parting gift for the manager.

"Yeah, definitely, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be rooting for us as well. We will play the way we’ve always played whether our manager is on the sidelines or not. It’s still a massive game for us and a must-win game for UEFA Cup progress."

The former manager won’t be the only one. The Hearts support turned out in significant number when their heroes played host to Braga in the previous round and a repeat performance off the pitch could inspire another winning result on it, according to McKenna.

He believes that Schalke are a tougher proposition than the Portuguese opponents, but despite their star quality and the absence of Levein in the dug-out, the Hearts players are approaching the game with determination and optimism and want the fans to do the same.

"There’s nothing to feel down about. It’s a big game for us. It’s a great occasion, it should be a great atmosphere and great game.

"If the fans show up like last time, against Braga, it will be a quality atmosphere. I sat up in the stand last time and I thought it was quality. I think maybe [the Hearts players on the pitch] were surprised that the fans were making so much noise and that it went so well."

Another incentive is the fact victory over the Intertoto Cup winners would help blot out the memories of the recent defeat by Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

It was McKenna’s goal which was chalked off by the misguided assistant referee and it obviously still irks the Canadian as he has never sat down to watch the goal that might have been. "You just try to forget it. Obviously, it was a goal and theirs wasn’t a goal but those were the decisions.

"We are going in with our same game plan. It’s a massive game for us and we all want to win it. The senior players here always lead from the front and it’s going to be no different. I think we’ve done a really good job in the past year and the last couple of seasons to come this far and why would we let it go? We have to keep going."

As far as reasons go, that’s as good as any

Taken from the Scotsman