Takis set Herculean task

MOIRA GORDON

TAKIS Fyssas still doesn't want to entertain talk of Hearts ending a multi-decade lull by winning this season's SPL title, but there are a growing number of his countrymen who do.

Back in the bosom of the Greek national team this week, he says even his international gaffer was talking as though such an unusual outcome is now a foregone conclusion. It is not a situation the left-back is wholly comfortable with.

"Otto Rehhagel, our national team coach, said of me, 'look at Takis now. He went to Panathinaikos and they go champions and then Benfica and they take Championship and also Euro 2004 for the Greek team. Now he is at Hearts, so they must be champions too!' But I make like this," says the hugely-experienced defender, with both forefingers plugging his ears, "because I don't want to listen but I do hope. I want it a lot but I don't want to speak about it."

Which is proving more difficult than he ever could have envisaged, given the club's new-found fame in his homeland. While Scottish football fans are engrossed in a story no-one yet knows the ending to, he had always assumed there would be an escape from the hype.

"But, now all Greece knows about Hearts.They call me, all of my friends and the journalists, to ask about Hearts because nobody until now knows anything about Hearts."

The Tynecastle club's ability to poach a seasoned international and European Championships winner seems to have piqued interest, however. As has a start that has seen them win all five of their opening league matches, scoring 15 and conceding just three. Three clean sheets and a starting XI comprised almost entirely of internationalists, combined with the fact they have stolen a march on the only two teams who tend to register outwith these shores, the Old Firm, and it is no wonder they are now under the microscope.

"There is a lot more interest, yes, and they are surprised about this but when I speak with them they understand it is not luck, because we have a good team and I think we have quality to keep going like this."

Rehhagel may be one of many now tempted to put his money where his mouth is with a wee wager, but if history provides omens, it also serves up warnings, according to the level-headed Fyssas.

The last time a team he played for started a season in such blistering fashion was last term, at Benfica. Like Hearts, they were also unbeaten in their first five games, but stumbled to the first defeat in the following game. As Hearts go into their sixth fixture, against a Livingston side helping them bookend the SPL, it is a timely warning against complacency.

Paul Lambert's men have netted just one goal in their opening five league games and conceded 12, but even just studying the international results of the past week, Fyssas claims it will still be necessary to approach with caution.

"I'm telling you, this game is very important. We [Greece] played against Kazakhstan and they have zero points and they never win and with us until almost 80 minutes it was 1-0. It was very difficult for us to think we were going to lose this game, which is why I tell you that it's very important against Livingston because this team will try to be better and better when they face better teams so we have to prepare ourselves for a difficult game."

The fact that Greece ultimately overcame a nine-man Kazakhstan with two late goals does not dilute the message. "It's very important to have this mentality. If you play serious then maybe you can win three or four to zero but if you are not serious then you can lose. Football now is like this. You can see all over Europe these results. For example, we have seen England lose 1-0 to Northern Ireland, who played qualification games for two years for Euro Championships and didn't score for more than ten games. You have to have the mentality right. "

It is that attitude, allied to a zest for the game and notwithstanding obvious aplomb on the pitch, that has impressed his club manager George Burley.

"Being an ex-fullback myself, I know the way football has always been and goalscorers tend to get more publicity but I think defenders are every bit as important. Takis plays a major part in the team's performance. I think he's been a tremendous acquisition for the club and if you look at his record, he's probably the most experienced international on the books and a European Championships winner, so it doesn't come much bigger than that.

"Takis is very similar to Rudi. he has such a great mentality and an infectious enthusiasm. Even on his way back from international duty, it was about 8:30pm and there was a message on my phone from him to say he was at the airport and feeling fine and looking forward to seeing me in the morning at training. That is the boy's thoughts."

Apart from his wife, who is expecting their first child, and who has now joined him in Edinburgh, Fyssas' thoughts are focused primarily on his job. And the fact that things are going so well on the football front has made settling in a lot easier. A month after signing, he says there are no regrets.

"When I came here I told you I was very happy to be here and now I'm 100% happy that I chose Hearts because we are first. We play good football and everybody is happy in this city and we have to continue with this target and listen to our coach to make even better results.

"No, it's not easy to come to another country but I am happy because I am here one month and I think I start good with my new team and I want to continue better and better and to listen to my coach and to make even happier the people that believe in me and I also told you before that we have a very good team. All the players I saw in training and in the games also they have shown good quality and I believe very much in this team. The only thing we need to do now to prove we are professional is to never stop and never be happy for more than one day. When you win you have to be happy only this day. After, you have to think about the next game and listen to your coach. This is our motto, my motto."

A man who claims to use theatre and the arts as a distraction, the only capital culture he has had the chance to sample is the musical performances of an ever-expanding and ever more vocal Gorgie choir.

"I am very happy when we play at home because I like the people when they are happy with us, when we have these victories. I like the songs and I am very happy when I play there but we also have games outside our ground and in these games we have to be more careful and take the points.

"At Benfica last year, we did take the championship and it felt very good. Of course, nothing is finished but the first step is very important. If you are clever and you are professional, you can go like this but it is more difficult to stay in the first position than to take first position, so for us now it is more difficult but we don't stress about this, only every week we make it the best that we can make it"

Forget omens, history has taught Fyssas that taking things step by step and underestimating no-one is the best way to proceed.

Taken from the Scotsman