Why Hearts' Landmark Championship Challenge Shouldn't Come as a Shock.
HEARTS ON FIRE
Perhaps the sole surprising aspect of Heart of Midlothian's triumph over the Glasgow giants in the Scottish top flight was the extent to which taken aback people seemed when reports of the result and its impact for the top of the standings emerged. Although this convincing victory at Tynecastle, which leaves the Edinburgh side leading of the league and a significant margin ahead of their rivals, was earth-shattering in nature, nobody who has been tracking the fortunes of either squad this campaign will have been in the least astonished by the result.
For each of the last 40 seasons, the dominance of two Glasgow clubs of Celtic and Rangers have divided the Scottish football between them, reducing the beautiful game to something of a joke in the meantime. Several matches into the current campaign it has become apparent that Heart of Midlothian – who number Stephen Hendry, Sir Chris Hoy and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – might just be ready to strike while the Glasgow duo influence is freezing cold.
THE CHAMPIONS' SLUMP
Although a lot of the focus in Scotland has been on the disastrous season being suffered by Rangers, the full-spectrum nightmare of the circumstances at Ibrox has resulted in that Celtic's slightly less terminal decline has been allowed to fester below the radar. The reigning champions have already lost a considerable number from nine league games this season under their manager. The team's boss has acquired the thousand-yard stare of a individual who constantly checking his Google calendar to see how many days are remaining until his contract expires, and awoke this morning to discover the answer is 246.
"I've never worked harder in all my time at the club," he told reporters following the defeat, after they had questioned his desire for anything resembling a championship battle. "Therefore the drive is present to try and flip the levels that we're at. It's absolutely fine, it's still so early."
EDINBURGH DISRUPTOR
Considering the dreadful beginning to the season being endured by the other Glasgow side, Rodgers and his players could normally be anticipated to get away with their own failure to start strongly, but on this occasion an Edinburgh disruptor has joined the mix. Despite being obliged to function with a war-chest that is not just a small portion of Celtic's as a minuscule amount in comparison, the Tynecastle outfit have introduced the investment and expertise of Tony Bloom to the Scottish Premiership mix. In addition to investing ten million pounds during the off-season, the Premier League figurehead has provided Hearts exclusive use of his top secret analytics-based proprietary scouting recruitment tool.
In an Irish defender, Alexandros Kyziridis and a Brazilian prospect it has allowed them to discover hidden talents from an English lower-league side, the Slovakian top flight and the Norwegian second tier, among other exotic footballing outposts, for the combined cost of a modest car. Spotted at their home venue on matchday sporting a Hearts scarf, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be observed cheering each score with the enthusiasm of a man who had likely noticed the bookies had greatly underestimated his side's chances of defeating the out-of-sorts title holders, and placed large bets accordingly.
MANAGER'S REACTION
"In my opinion it's a message-sending victory," said bearded team manager Derek McInnes after his team's most recent success, their eighth in nine outings. "Perhaps it is for others on the outside looking in. It could alter perceptions. It might validate views that there's a fine line. But let's not kid ourselves, we are delighted with what the lads have provided us. In terms of skill, we look in a strong position, and definitely in fitness we seem in a good place, so we hope it persists. Naturally, it's not a position that the team is accustomed to being in." No, Derek, it is not. But the glorious, data-driven truth is that for the first time in ages, Scottish football might actually have a title race that a team besides Celtic or Rangers can win.
