HEARTS FANS WILL GIVE ME PURE DEL

DEREK RIORDAN will break new ground for a Celtic player at Tynecastle on Sunday and at the same time do his captain a huge favour.

That's because he will become the first Parkhead star in six years to get more stick from any opposition support than Neil Lennon.

Indeed, Lennon will be all but ignored by the Jambos who have taken great delight in the past at jeering his every move.

The skipper may have been the the No.1 target in the past but not any more. He still has the ability to wind-up and annoy but in his defence he has never scored for Hibs in an Edinburgh derby and then kissed his badge in front of the maroon hordes.

Riordan has done that - plenty of times.

While half of his family may well be Celtic daft, the other side are born and bred Hibees. That was where Riordan's affections lay as a kid growing up in Edinburgh.

And while the new Celtic signing may have felt a touch of jetlag and weariness yesterday as he was put through his paces at the Nissan Stadium before today's match with Yokohama Marinos he allowed his thoughts to drift to Gorgie.

Riordan said: "Tynecastle is the best, especially to have such a big game there at the start of the season.

"I love playing against Hearts. I grew up a Hibs fan so that makes it even more special.

I'm really looking forward to Sunday and I'm sure I'll get a good reception there from the home crowd. It's fair to say I'm not a favourite of the Hearts fans.

"It would be brilliant to go there with my new team and win at Tynecastle. I always loved scoring against Hearts, so to do it as a Celtic player would be fantastic.

"It would mean so much if I get on, play well and best of all, get a goal.

"There was always a big build-up to the Hearts game at Hibs because the derby is a huge match that the fans love. Being in Japan is obviously very different and it might actually help because the game will come round quicker than usual.

"And it won't matter how tired I might think my legs are. I won't be feeling that when the game starts.

"There are few ex-Hibs players at the club. But I don't think Gary Caldwell and Kenny Miller will get it as bad as me. It's me who's the main hate figure as far as the Hearts fans are concerned.

"You wouldn't normally expect to prepare for such a big game in Japan. But it is also brilliant because the stadium is fantastic. The travelling has been a bit of a nightmare but we'll cope with that."

Riordan isn't someone who ever seems ruffled by anything life throws at him and he has taken his big move down the M8 with customary ease.

But life isn't the same for him.

Riordan has had to take a step up in class since Gordon Strachan moved for him - and that's just the five-a-side games.

He quickly discovered that one bad session can count against you now he's with the champions but it's a test of character and ability he has relished.

Riordan said: "I've really enjoyed things but it's been hard work - really hard work in fact. The training has been at a good, high tempo but you get that with good players.

"It's different to what I've being used to. I would say even the pace at training is a lot quicker than what I had at Hibs.

"I'm playing with an awful lot of top players at Celtic and that raises your own game. Guys like Neil Lennon, Aiden McGeady and Shaun Maloney are class and you always have to be at your best to keep up with them.

"Every day is the same. If you have a bad session you'll get found out. There is no hiding place at training at Celtic.

"If you're not on the ball, the gaffer notices. It's as simple as that. But I like that.

I like that test of yourself as a player."

It's not just on the park where an adjustment has had to be made. Riordan said: "Life has changed a lot. I now get quite a lot of Celtic fans coming up to me and having a chat. In fact, they did that when I was on holiday. I had signed by then but hadn't even met the other players.

"But that's what you get as a Celtic player. There are a lot of fans around and they want to say hello.

"That doesn't bother me at all. It's a good thing and the supporters have been great with me. Dealing with them is all part of your job as far as I'm concerned."

And once he hears the personal abuse ringing down on him on Sunday it will seem to Riordan that nothing much has changed at all.

Taken from the Daily Record