Strength of Tynecastle side is evident

IT is all about perception.

Upon John McGlynn's arrival at Hearts this summer, it was widely understood that he would be called upon to steward a team almost exclusively populated by youngsters. Expectations, therefore, were already dampened before the new manager reinforced the point by preaching patience in Saturday's programme.

That being so, it did jar a little when a comfortingly familiar XI then strolled on to the Tynecastle turf. Andy Webster and Marius Zaliukas patrolled the central defensive area in front of Jamie MacDonald; Darren Barr anchored a midfield containing the youthful, but established, Ryan McGowan and Scott Robinson; while the feted threat of Andrew Driver and David Templeton roamed the flanks in support of John Sutton and Medhi Taouil was an influential substitute. Consequently, Hearts delivered an accomplished performance to overcome 10-man St Johnstone and begin their season in the manner they finished the last one.

The perception, then, was of a battle-hardened side ready for the rigours of Clydesdale Bank Premier League combat, but amid that renowned core were two callow contributors. Any notions St Johnstone had of unsettling 17-year-old Callum Paterson at right-back or Kevin McHattie, two years his senior, on the left were almost immediately disabused.

Paterson, in particular, was excellent in his competitive debut. Sturdy and energetic, he rampaged up the right flank for much of the match, keeping the visitors' Liam Craig relatively quiet while offering a consistently dangerous attacking outlet; one vicious lash deserved better than striking the crossbar, while a fierce header was clawed past by Alan Mannus.

"Callum has a great engine and he can get up and down the park all day long," said Templeton, suddenly one of the more senior members of the squad. "Kevin is the same, and he has a great left peg and cross on him. They are not the kind of boys who will be fazed by being thrown into an Edinburgh derby next week, either. They will just take the occasion in their stride."

Certainly, a repeat of their performances this coming Sunday against an apparently feckless Hibernian would go some way to helping Hearts begin the campaign with consecutive wins. Whether that will cause a reassessment of their potential for the coming campaign remains to be seen but this victory did suggest that McGlynn's side will be among the leading challengers for second place in the Premier League.

St Johnstone would perhaps consider themselves among that group of teams, too, but it is hard to shake the suspicion that the Perth side face a difficult campaign given how high they have set the bar in the past year or two.

The fiscal constraints under which Steve Lomas is working has meant the departures of captain Jody Morris and strikers Francisco Sandaza and Cillian Sheridan have been offset by the arrivals of apparently inferior replacements in the shape of Paddy Cregg, Gregory Tade and Nigel Hasselbaink and, even though they fought admirably on Saturday, it remains hard to see how they will replace the 23 goals scored by Sandaza and Sheridan last season.

"We have other players who can come in and do a job," protested goalkeeper Mannus. "And I think we can aim for top six again. There's no reason why we can't match what we did last season and get back into Europe."

Taken from the Herald