Rix is thrilled by SPL intensity

MARK BONTHRONE

NEW Hearts head coach Graham Rix believes he's joined a league that is now more competitive than the English Premiership.

The former England internationalist revealed that the Scottish game is getting more and more coverage south of the border as a four-horse race for the championship develops while, in the Premiership, Rix's former club Chelsea continue to steamroller most in their path.

Rix, who has played and coached at the highest level with Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, had been keeping tabs on the Scottish game from his home in Southampton prior to his surprise appointment to the Tynecastle hot-seat on Tuesday.

Like many, he was an interested spectator as the Old Firm's dominance of the game in this country came under serious threat.

And, while it's the Jambos that have been making most of the headlines, for both the right and wrong reasons, Rix insisted that the emergence of both the Gorgie club and Capital rivals Hibs can only be a good thing for the game.

"For years in England all anyone has cared about or reported on has been the Old Firm but there has been a big change this season," said Rix.

"It's much healthier now because Hibs are up there challenging and Hearts are right up there, too.

"People are taking the league seriously now and that's probably the biggest compliment you can give to the Scottish league.

"Previously it was seen as a two-horse race and perhaps boring because of this, yet this season it's shaping up to be more exciting than the Premiership.

"Rangers are struggling a wee bit this season and with the start Hearts have made they are big news in England at the moment.

"Even before I had any inkling of the possibility of the job with Hearts I had taken notice of just what a great job they were doing."

Rix's days as a coach with Chelsea were before Roman Abramovich brought his billions to the British game and turned the Blues into a star-studded who's who of football.

However, he was there at the start of the Londoners' own revolution, which saw the club transformed from also-rans to front-runners under backing from Ken Bates and the late Matthew Harding.

And that included some trophy-laden years at Stamford Bridge, including the capture of the Cup Winners' Cup, FA Cup and League Cup. He can also count the likes of Glenn Hoddle, Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit among his colleagues during his time in west London.

And, although he admits that he has learned from working closely with the trio, he says that his footballing philosophy has remained largely unchanged over the years and hopes it is one that will endear him to the Tynecastle faithful.

"I have my own ideas about football but, like anybody, I learn from other people and I've been fortunate to work with some very talented people in the game," said Rix, who won 17 caps for England during a glittering playing career. "I've worked with Glenn Hoddle, Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit and have picked up bits and pieces from all of them, but at the end of the day I'm my own man and will play the game the way I think it should be played.

"Like anyone in the professional game, you have to win matches but I firmly believe there are ways to go about that and I want to entertain.

"I want the team to pass the ball and for the players to enjoy their football. It's also important that the fans are excited when watching it.

"It's not complicated really - my football philosophies are simple."

Rix certainly has high standards to live up to with former manager George Burley and coach John McGlynn steering the Jambos to joint-top spot in the SPL.

However, from the way Rix speaks about the game it is instantly apparent that not only does he have ideas about the way it should be played, he is also as passionate about football as he is knowledgeable. And he is all too aware of the pressure he is under to perform from both club owner Vladimir Romanov and the thousands of Hearts supporters.

He said: "When I became aware of the job I phoned contacts in the game and they all gave me glowing reports, so I know what is expected.

"I have a lot of mates in Scotland so I spoke to them and they told me that Hearts have some very good players and now that I have come here I can see that.

"It's not often you come into a job sitting joint top of the table but that is what has happened to me and I know I'll be expected to keep us up there.

"But I feel my strengths are on the training ground and hopefully I will be able to get the best out of the players in order to do that.

"I will be trying to win the league with Hearts but I'm not going to say we definitely will as you can't predict what will happen.

"But the fans should know that I'll give it my best shot and will get as much out the players as I possibly can."

And Rix, who can also boast coaching the England U21 side to victory in the prestigious Toulon tournament back in 1996, says the training facilities on offer to him at Riccarton will certainly help the Gorgie club in their aims.

There is no doubt the club's investment in the facility is a big asset, and Rix can't wait to get to work.

"The training facilities that the club have really took my breath away at first," he said. "They are something pretty special and because they are effectively my office that I work in every day I'm delighted about that.

"It's somewhere I'll enjoy working and it's great that the players have the use of them as it can only help make them better. They really are superb. I'll have the next ten days or so to work with them because we don't have a game until we go to Aberdeen away and that's maybe a good thing as it will give me a chance to get to know the players a bit better and begin to assess their strengths and weaknesses.

"There can't be too many of the latter though as they are sitting top of the league but I like to make up my own mind.

"I will watch videos of what they have done this season and talk to my coaches to get a feel for the team but I will get most of my views on the players from what they do on the training ground as I want to make up my own mind.

"As far as I'm concerned everyone is starting with a clean slate no matter who they are so places are there to be won and lost.

"Over the next few days there are certain things I want to say to the players and get over to them and I'm really looking forward to that. I've missed that day-to-day involvement in the game."

Taken from the Scotsman