McAllister wants to shake blues with solid show in Granite City

Full-back eyes win over Aberdeen in Robertson’s first league game in charge to lift Jambos into joint third in SPL

PAUL KIDDIE

HEARTS star Jamie McAllister today insisted the SPL clash against Aberdeen can’t come quickly enough as the Jambos try to blow away their UEFA Cup blues.

The Gorgie outfit crashed 1-0 to Schalke at Murrayfield in John Robertson’s first game in charge on Thursday night, the defeat dealing a hammer blow to the club’s hopes of progressing in the competition.

Languishing at the foot of Group A with no points from their first two games following the opening defeat to Feyenoord in Rotterdam, Hearts must now beat Basel in Switzerland and Ferencvaros to stand a chance of snatching one of the three available qualifying spots.

Before they set off on their European travels again, though, the Jambos face a testing domestic schedule with Wednesday’s CIS Cup quarter-final clash against Dunfermline at East End Park sandwiched in between tomorrow’s trip to Pittodrie to take on the Dons, and next weekend’s visit to Kilmarnock.

It’s a hectic programme for the Tynecastle side but McAllister reckons the meeting with Jimmy Calderwood’s outfit in the Granite City is just what the doctor ordered to clear the Euro hangover.

Hearts go into the game knowing that victory will haul them level on points with the third-placed Dons and McAllister insists his team-mates can’t wait to make up for their Murrayfield disappointment with a good result.

"We have got to go up there and try to win the game," he said.

"I don’t think it will be a problem lifting ourselves for the match at Pittodrie as I think we can take a lot from the way we played against Schalke.

"It is a tough fixture as although they had a setback against Rangers at Ibrox, Aberdeen are the form team of the moment and have shown great consistency.

"We were all really disappointed at losing to Schalke but a good result tomorrow will help make up for that I am sure.

"That match is behind us now and all we can do is look forward.

"We were a bit down after Thursday but we’ll be raring to go by the time kick-off comes around tomorrow at Pittodrie. It is good that the game is coming up so soon after the European match.

"It means we don’t have time to dwell on the defeat and have to focus on winning against Aberdeen."

McAllister is anticipating a warm reception from the locals having spent nearly four years at Aberdeen before his switch to Livingston in the summer of 2003.

He still keeps in contact with a number of the players there but friendships will be put to one side as he bids to help Hearts bring a vital three points back to the Capital.

"I still speak to a few of the guys and have a lot of good friends up there," he said. "I am sure I will get a bit of stick as usual but I enjoy going back, especially if I get a good result!

"It is a really important game for us and victory would be significant as it would take us level with Aberdeen on points in third place and that has to be our aim. If we could do that it would give us a great lift going into the CIS Cup quarter-final against Dunfermline next week."

Robertson leads his men into SPL battle for the first time tomorrow but has insisted he is in no rush to change the formula which worked so successfully for his predecessor Craig Levein during his four-year stint in the hot seat.

The new head coach is hoping Thursday’s European experience can provide a vital education for his squad.

"Ideally we will have a team who can play one way in the SPL and another way in Europe," he said.

"The players are professional footballers and are capable of changing styles if necessary.

"I know the squad here and what Craig (Levein) said was true, I have inherited a bunch of honest guys who work extremely hard for each other.

"I don’t want the players to forget he has gone as we will be using the same methods as he did.

"If it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it is my attitude. I’ll use the squad but won’t make changes for changes sake as I want the transition to be as smooth as possible. Hearts are a very good side and you don’t finish third in the SPL twice running by doing the wrong things."

Taken from the Scotsman