Hearts put title marathon before one-off sprint

GLENN GIBBONS
CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER

OF ALL the speculative elements that have been present in the build-up to a potentially enthralling collision at Tynecastle today, the most irritating is the preposterous notion that victory for Rangers will expose Hearts' credentials as championship contenders as counterfeit.

It is a proposition rooted in the slightly insulting, but widespread belief that, having won their first seven Premierleague matches, George Burley's resurgent side will disintegrate at the first hint of a set-back.

It is also one that takes no account of the historical truth that no league champions since the 19th century have been able to claim the title without losing at some point in the course of a long and demanding campaign.

For those thousands of Hearts supporters who have been testing the capacity of Tynecastle since the start of the season, it will be encouraging to learn that the idea that this afternoon's meeting with Rangers represents a make-or-break examination is, to those involved, utterly nonsensical.

As Steven Pressley, the Hearts captain, emphasised yesterday: "For me, the most important thing is actually maintaining our form and winning against the teams outside the Old Firm. Yes, beating Rangers would be a huge psychological boost for us, but, in the long term, over the entire season, the really important thing is to sustain the success against the others."

When it was suggested to Burley that the visit from Alex McLeish's side was "the acid test" for Hearts, he almost harrumphed his scorn. "Not at all," said the manager. "It's a one-off game, worth three points. In a league, it's what you do over a long period that counts."

Pressley is, however, acutely aware of Hearts' failure to win this fixture in the seven years since they registered a 2-1 victory in Dick Advocaat's first outing in charge of Rangers.

"It's rather surprising, because we have had a lot of good performances," said Pressley. "But it's a reminder that Rangers deserve respect. I remember a couple of years ago when we started the season well, unbeaten after five matches, and Rangers came here.

"We really believed we could beat them and go ahead of them in the league, but we got turned over 4-0. It's why the mental attitude is so important in a match like this. We are a very aggressive, but controlled, side and it's vitally important that we play like that.

"The game will be played at a ferocious tempo and whoever manages to cope with that while staying controlled will be of great significance. And I don't believe the fear factor among teams playing the Old Firm is anything like as strong as it once was.

"It's not because Celtic and Rangers have got any weaker, but because the other teams have a greater maturity and a deeper belief now. And we have players of great pedigree come in here, people like Edgar Jankauskas and Takis Fyssas, who have played in teams who have won the Champions League and the European international championship.

"There are others as well who will go into this kind of match with a strong attitude. I don't think there is now the kind of apprehension, or even sense of intimidation, that may have existed in the past."

It is, of course, no help to Hearts that both left-back Fyssas and midfielder Julien Brellier did not train yesterday and remain doubts for the game. But Burley's philosophical acceptance of such inconveniences is complemented by a conviction that he is in charge of a squad who will not be readily cowed.

"We're missing two or three players and we'll be up early in the morning to test Fyssas and Brellier," said Burley. "These things are problems, but that's football. If they're not fit, they're not fit. Players do often play when they're less that a hundred per cent fit, but they have to be able to do themselves justice.

"It's a big game, with a big crowd, a great atmosphere, playing a quality side who showed in beating Porto that they can do well in Europe, and we are in a position where everybody will be trying to knock us off the perch."

An event such as this would not be complete with some attempt at managerial mind games, and Burley seemed to be making his move when he assured media representatives that Hearts are still some way off their primary goal.

"We've made a good start, but we're still short in terms of a squad," he said. "I'd like to be sitting here in two years' time and saying, yes, we can now challenge the Old Firm any day of the week. But that's some way off. For us to get back into Europe by finishing third would make this a very good season."

Playing the self-deprecation card, however, was overtaken by Burley's more significant observations when describing the progress his squad have made. It was impossible not to infer from his comments that he harbours a strong faith in their capabilities with regard to today's assignment.

"We have a team who play without fear," said Burley, subscribing to the view that Hearts are at least one Old Firm challenger unlikely to be anchored by history. "We like to attack and to score goals, and 20 in seven matches underlines that. That's always been my philosophy, and I wouldn't know how to coach players in any other way.

"But it's part and parcel of being a team and of being an individual to be strong physically and mentally and to compete in the right manner. We're not going to be pushed around. And I'd rather be in our position than Rangers', eight points behind us."

Whatever the outcome, neither Burley nor McLeish will be looking out the white flag. As the Hearts manager said, "We're only about to complete the first two furlongs of an eight-furlong race." He and his players have already ensured that it will not be run at a false pace.

Taken from the Scotsman