WHINING JAMBOS STUCK IN REVERSE

HEARTS have played the blame game long enough.

It's time to look at the real reason for their season descending into freefall. And it's only mid-September.

The constant excuses being conjured up for defeat after defeat have become boring in the extreme.

If it's not the ref or the football authorities it's the Glasgow-based media.

It's a smokescreen as effective as the one that swirled around Murrayfield on Thursday night and held up kick-off.

The pre-match fireworks had more in common with a damp squib than a sparkler.

A 2-0 defeat in Edinburgh at the hands of Sparta Prague leaves Hearts' chances in Europe somewhere between unlikely and impossible.

The facts make grim reading for Jambos fans. In the seven games they've played since beating Celtic at Tynecastle six weeks ago they've won only once.

Losing at Ibrox was no disgrace but going down at Tynecastle to St Mirren was a shocker and a home draw with Falkirk wasn't any better.

The eagerly-awaited European dream has been a nightmare. Hearts are on the brink of their second Euro exit having already lost the battle for a place in the Champions League with AEK Athens.

Over the two legs of that qualifier they collected three of the five red cards they've picked up since the start of the season.

The lack of discipline has been shocking and reflects a club that's lost all sense of direction.

But it's not the reason for the Jambos' slump.

The main reason is the team's just not as good as it was last season.

Expectations were high on the back of the Scottish Cup win and runners-up spot in the SPL. And nothing was said to make supporters think their team wasn't aiming higher.

Bold predictions were made about serious spending to build on what was already there and to counteract the loss of Scotland defender Andy Webster and Rudi Scacel (below).

The summer signings that were made have failed to make any significant impact.

Reliance on the hard core of Craig Gordon, Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley is much more obvious than it was before.

Contrast the lack of top-level transfer activity at Tynecastle with the clever deals done at Celtic Park.

It's the difference between a double European letdown and a major Champions League boost.

That's what Celtic should feel on the back of their encouraging performance at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Of course, there was disappointment in the aftermath because of the contribution Gordon Strachan's team had made to their own downfall.

Thomas Gravesen was an unlikely villain with his misplaced passes shooting his new team in the foot.

And if Artur Boruc had ticked the sensible box and stayed away from Ryan Giggs there would have been no question of a United penalty.

But even if his decision making remains questionable the Polish keeper made several outstanding saves.

And gritty Gravesen will more than make up for his shaky showing in Manchester.

Strachan is gradually moulding a team to take Celtic to a higher level.

While Hearts were scouring the deeper recesses of the August transfer market in Greece, Portugal and Lithuania the defending champions went to Real Madrid for Gravesen and Dutch title winners PSVforJan Vennegoorof Hesselink.

And while Tommy wasn't exactly rocking on at Old Trafford big Jan more than lived up to his blossoming reputation and kept up his goal-a-game record since leaving Eindhoven.

Rio Ferdinand didn't know what had hit him as the showy England defender was terrorised right from kick-off by Vennegoor of Hesselink.

And his finish for the opener was top notch.

Strachan's third summer signing was the least-he ralded but former Wolves defender Lee Naylor was very impressive in midweek.

As a naturally left-sided player he gives the Hoops balance at the back.

Celtic will miss his fellow full-back Mark Wilson who's been getting better and better but now misses out for six weeks with a broken foot.

And let's hear it for Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus in the centre of defence. I've expressed my doubts about those two at the top level but they toughed it out well.

Obviously they were opened up on a few occasions but most central defenders in the English Premiership have suffered that fate from time to time.

Of our three European competitors Rangers would feel most confident about making progress.

Their performance in Norway was poor but the goalless outcome against Molde should allow them to finish the job at Ibrox.

Celtic have more of a chance than I thought about extending their European campaign.

Sadly though Hearts are heading out and the truth is they've no-one to blame other than themselves.

Taken from the Sunday Mail