Maloney: No doubt about it, Hearts can win title

PAUL KIDDIE

CELTIC star Shaun Maloney today insisted the sceptics who continue to question Hearts' championship credentials are doing a huge disservice to the league leaders.

The Parkhead striker has been hugely impressed by the start George Burley's team have made to the season and isn't one to subscribe to the view that the Jambos don't have what it takes to last the pace in the title race.

The Vladimir Romanov bandwagon rolls into the east end of Glasgow on Saturday afternoon as Burley guns for an Old Firm double having defeated Rangers at Tynecastle last month.

With many observers fully expecting the high-flying Gorgie outfit to come crashing back to earth against Alex McLeish's side, the 1-0 triumph courtesy of Roman Bednar's first-half header sending a defiant message to the rest of Hearts' SPL rivals. The Jam Tarts' first home win over their Govan rivals in seven years made many people take note of what is underway in Gorgie but Maloney didn't need any reminding of the quality which has catapulted the men from Tynecastle to the top of the table.

He's bracing himself for what promises to be one of the Hoops' sternest tests of the campaign and today said: "I don't see any reason why anyone should write them off and say they don't have the depth to go the full distance because right now they are at the top of the league and it is up to everyone else to catch them. Until that changes I don't think people should discredit them by querying whether or not they can last the pace because they have answered all questions put to them until now."

Hearts appeared destined to blow their 100 per cent start to the season at Falkirk ten days ago as the Bairns romped into a 2-0 lead after goalkeeper Craig Gordon had been sent off in the first half.

Burley's side, however, revelled in the adversity, as skipper Steven Pressley blasted a double to rescue a point and maintain their unbeaten start to the league season.

Although shorn of their No.1 keeper - Steve Banks will deputise between the posts - Hearts will head west this weekend with the confidence of a three-point cushion over their hosts.

With Celtic looking more assured under Gordon Strachan and going into the Parkhead showdown on the back of five straight league wins, Scotland star Maloney reckons a cracking 90 minutes is in store.

"Hearts are at the top of the table and rightly so given the start they have made to the campaign," he said. They deserve a lot of credit because some of their football has been excellent and I am sure they will feel quite confident going into the game against us because of how they have done so far.

"We're looking forward to it, though, and it is a massive game, not just for everyone at Celtic but for Hearts, too. There's no doubt that it could be a cracker."

According to the front man, who is hoping to add to his international debut appearance against Belarus at the weekend when Scotland take on Slovenia in Celje tonight, the Parkhead outfit will not need any reminding of how significant Saturday's eagerly awaited clash could prove.

He said: "I don't know if you could say that it's as big as an Old Firm game.

"The rivalry within the city is so intense when it comes to an Old Firm game and although I don't think the Hearts game is quite the same as that, there has been a big build-up to it and we don't need to be told how important it is."

With Hearts' international contingent of Pressley, Gordon, Andy Webster and Paul Hartley all having joined forces with Maloney and his Celtic team-mate Craig Beattie for the World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Slovenia, there has been ample opportunity for the players to kick-off a psychological battle ahead of the big game at Parkhead on Saturday.

Celtic strike star Maloney, though, insisted there has been little talk of the top-of-the-table clash.

"There's not been any banter really but I think we all know just how big a game it is," he said. "There's no doubt that both sides will really be going for it."

The diminutive forward was on the mark in his side's last SPL outing, the 5-0 thrashing of Livingston at Almondvale. It was a performance Strachan hailed as the best of his reign to date and Maloney is hoping to have done enough to be involved when the league leaders march into town.

"I'm very keen to keep my place. There are people coming back from suspension and injury but I just hope that I have done enough to convince the manager that I can stay in there and do something for the side," he said. "He has his style of football that he wants to play and I'd like to think that I can work within that."

Taken from the Scotsman