Just one week ago, I sat opposite a positively chuffed, yet expectedly cautious Derek McInnes. The Hearts manager having just been crowned PFA Scotland Manager of the Year. Voted by his fellow managerial peers, the highest individual accomplishment a manager in Scottish football can achieve.
However, he didn’t shy away from the fact that the real history is still to be solidified. McInnes and his men are a mere two games from immortality. If they win the Scottish Premiership they will become the first non-Old-Firm club to do so since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in the 1984/85 season.
With Hearts dropping points at Fir Park last night, and Celtic overcoming Rangers this afternoon, the title race is closer than ever. Whilst the gap at the top has narrowed, McInnes’ belief has not.
The Hearts boss spoke of his initial intentions when he made the switch from Kilmarnock to Gorgie at the back end of last season.
“I think when you first go in all you try to do is meet the expectations of the fans.
“Can we win the fight over Hibs, Aberdeen, Dundee United teams with similar budgets.
“Off the back of a disappointing campaign for the players, being in the bottom six. We’re coming in from quite a low starting point, I thought we could make good improvements, but you couldn’t have envisaged being in a title race. I think you’d have been overshooting and over egging it a wee bit”
McInnes’ optimism in the early days has paid off and then some.
At the time of speaking, his Jambos were coming off the back of an Edinburgh Derby victory in their opening post-split game. Sitting first in the league on 73 points, three points clear of Celtic in second. Four points clear of Rangers who they welcomed the very next evening.
Hearts went on to win that game 2-1 with Lawrence Shankland scoring in the 71st minute to cast Rangers out of the title race.
Still top, now on 76 points, Hearts were three points clear of Celtic, with just three games remaining.
However, last night saw a twist Hearts fans desperately didn’t need as they dropped points at Fir Park, drawing 1-1 with Motherwell.
This afternoon Celtic took a huge leap in closing the gap, as Rangers failed to do Hearts a favour, getting beaten 3-1 despite taking the lead early on.
Hearts no longer have a cushion at the top, Celtic trail by just one point. For both clubs: there is no margin for error.
McInnes doesn’t see why the fairy-tale must end. He believes his side haven’t been lucky but deserving.
“’Hearts are just there because there’s been a drop off from Celtic this season.’ But we’re still around the points mark where Rangers have been over the years.
“For clubs like us we’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves and try be the best that we can be
“We’ve tried to hold off two heavyweights, and we have done really since the back end of September”
One of the driving factors is the palpable sense of belief that has consumed every facet of the club. The word “believe” is plastered around Tynecastle. It has become the mantra of Hearts as they teeter on the brink of history.
“I think when you go 220 days at the top of the league, the belief is there, we’ve answered up, beating Rangers and Celtic across the season, winning derby games
I don’t see why it needs to change for us
Derek McInnes on Hearts’ quest for glory
The Scottish Premiership is less than a week away from it’s dramatic conclusion. The penultimate game of the season is this Wednesday night as Hearts host Falkirk and Celtic travel to Fir Park, facing a confident Motherwell.
Then, on Saturday the 16th of May, the final game of the season, Celtic vs Hearts.
Will Hearts break free from the Old Firm’s 40 year grip? Fulfilling their prophecy of underdog to indomitable. Or will Celtic dash the dreams of the Jam Tarts and win their fifth consecutive Premiership title?
