Mackay tipping hearts for top

PAUL KIDDIE

GORGIE legend Dave Mackay enjoyed a profitable outing at Musselburgh racecourse the day after watching Hearts dump Rangers at Tynecastle - he's just sorry he didn't back the Jambos for the league title.

Although now living in Nottingham, the man who skippered the club to league glory in 1958 had heard all about the exploits of George Burley's table-toppers this season and took the opportunity to see for himself what all the fuss was about when Alex McLeish brought his team to the Capital on Saturday.

The former Hearts captain looked on in admiration as the hosts chalked up their first home win over the Glasgow giants for over seven years, a 14th-minute header from Roman Bednar, below right, good enough to maintain his side's stunning 100 per cent start to the campaign.

A remarkable eighth victory on the trot matched a 91-year-old club record and kept the men in maroon five points clear of the chasing pack led by Gordon Strachan's Celtic.

Mackay, of course, knows a thing or two about what it takes to prevail in a championship race - and from the evidence available on Saturday he has every confidence in the ability of this current crop of Gorgie stars to stay the distance.

While majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has been happy enough to proclaim his belief that Hearts can stay on top of the SPL pile, Burley has concentrated on trying to keep his players' feet on the ground and has refused to get carried away by the team's phenomenal beginning to the campaign.

Saturday's triumph has at last made the cynics sit up and take notice of Romanov's revolution and Mackay is convinced the resurgent Jambos have the look of champions.

"I had heard all about Hearts this season from friends who had been calling me to tell me just how good the team was doing under George Burley," he said.

"They kept telling about the foreign players who had signed for the club and how good they were. I thought I would see it for myself so went along to Tynecastle on Saturday for the first time this season. And I have to say I was impressed. There is no doubt Hearts deserved to win and there was no sense of this being a lucky victory over Rangers.

"That is the first time I have seen them this season but they didn't appear to have any weaknesses, which is encouraging for the supporters."

The Jambos' storming start has made a mockery of the pre-season odds which saw them quoted as much as 500-1 to become the first team outwith the Old Firm since Aberdeen in 1984-85 to lift the title.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but had he known then what he knows now, Mackay would have been more than happy to stick some of his hard-earned pennies on the Burley bandwagon being first across the finishing line next May.

"If Hearts keep playing the way they are they must have a fantastic chance of winning the league," said Mackay.

"They didn't look out of their depth against Rangers and were by far the better side. Celtic are not at their best either this season so I think this is a great opportunity for Hearts.

"They are already 11 points clear of Rangers after Saturday and will face Celtic in a few weeks' time at Parkhead.

"Rangers was a huge test for them but they passed it with flying colours and it will be interesting to see how they get on against Celtic now. I went to the races at Musselburgh on Sunday and had a win which paid for the day. I'm just sorry I didn't put money on Hearts for the league at the start of the season."

A glorious career saw Mackay win 22 caps for his country, capture the Scottish Cup and League Cup (twice) as well as a league winner's medal at Tynecastle.

South of the Border he helped Tottenham to league glory in 1960-61, three FA Cup triumphs and a European Cup-Winner's Cup victory in 1962-63. Although he also managed Derby County to the English Championship in 1974-75, he's in no doubt as to the highlight of his time in football.

"That has to be winning the title with Hearts in 1958," he said. "And I would love to see the league flag flying over Tynecastle again and based on what I saw at the weekend I have to say it's possible."

Mackay's Hearts blasted an incredible 132 goals in 34 games en route to the championship as the famed "Terrible Trio" of Conn, Bauld and Wardhaugh ripped opposition defences apart.

Although top scorers with 21 goals from the opening eight league games, it's at the back where the real foundation for the current success has been forged.

Just four goals conceded in that time tells its own story and Mackay reckons Burley is close to the "perfect team" required to win a league title.

"You have got to be able to do everything as a team to be able to win the league," he said.

"You have to be able to battle, fight, defend and score goals.

"You basically have to be the perfect team and I think Hearts are approaching that at the moment with the same kind of work ethic which served our side so well.

"The main thing is scoring goals as that makes it easier for everyone else but you can't afford to give away silly goals and Hearts just don't do that at the moment."

With Derby County still close to his heart, Mackay is a regular visitor to Pride Park on match days. He was as disappointed as any Rams fan at Burley's sudden summer departure - but more than happy to see him check into Tynecastle as the man to lead his boyhood heroes into a bright new era under Lithuanian paymaster Romanov.

"I see Derby most weeks and was very impressed by George Burley when he was there," he said.

"I was disappointed when he left but delighted that he came to Hearts.

"He took Derby to the promotion play-offs but didn't quite manage to get them into the Premiership.

"I think he has done the right thing in taking on the Hearts job. If he wins the title with them he will be able to take any job he likes. I wouldn't like to see him leave but everybody would be after him if that happened.

"It's important Hearts hang on to George and keep their best players. If they sell them they could start getting into trouble."

Taken from the Scotsman