Hearts Rant
Jul 23, 2017 · 6 min read

Hearts Rant: Insipid on Derby Day — A Funny Old Season. (Monday, 13 May 2013)

The balance of power is shifting, they say. Hibernian are the dominant force in Edinburgh.

I think we’re all aware that such sentiment is complete and utter bollocks. Anyone even contemplating debating such matters should have their head examined. In any case, the point is entirely redundant in the grand scheme of things given the events of this season. The ‘New Hearts’ are still very much finding their feet. It’s a tough upbringing.

As a club, Heart of Midlothian is currently in a period of chronic uncertainty. Events in Lithuania have us at the mercy of corporate administrators determined to obtain the best possible outcome for disgruntled investors in the fallen Baltic bank. Make no mistake, these chaps hold no fondness of Tynecastle Park; they do not have a penchant for all things Gorgie or a Hearts World subscription. They’re potentially ruthless administrators who would not think twice about closing the gates on this glorious institution in an instant if they deemed it appropriate. We’ve lived with that notion since the news of the bank’s imminent collapse broke at the turn of the year. Similar uncertainty over the club’s plight has been at the forefront of our minds throughout this campaign. It’s stalked the club’s every move since supporters rallied in November in a successful attempt to stave off an HMRC winding-up order.

Whether or not the above can be an excuse for some of the dross we have witnessed since the season commenced last August is debatable. At times it becomes a convenient excuse for a squad that is capable of so much more than what has been served up this campaign. Despite the loss of an abundance of talent last summer, the present squad should be capable of picking up points against anyone in league; especially at Tynecastle. Not so. Instead we’ve stumbled at home to club’s with a budget a fraction of our own, even after the ruthless financial prudence which has been forced upon us in the last year.

The product of this lean spell has been an unhealthy obsession with Hibernian’s plight. In recent times, the rivalry between the two club’s has been built on Hearts supporters mocking the insignificance of our lowly city rivals. Our spell of dominance in recent years — culminating in a 5–1 battering at the national stadium last May — has left fans of the Leith outfit with so little in terms of ammunition that they resort to Wallace Mercer chants and ‘Paedo’ banter. This has been played out over a spell of 13 matches without defeat in League competition stretching back to 2009. Capital dominance from the Gorgie boys over a sustained period. And yet this season we have spent the majority of the campaign below Hibs. Week-to-week, we’d check just how far we were behind and hope that they lost. When they did, we’d invariably blow the chance to cut the gap on them. All of that amidst a Scottish Cup defeat at Easter Road to a deflected strike. A strike they celebrated as a Champions League win. Who could blame them?

Hibernian should not be the barometer. We all know that. The fact that they have been our main concern is a mark of exactly how far we’ve fallen in the space of twelve months and a glaring indictment of exactly where we are given the club’s financial woes and subsequent over-reliance on youth. Whilst I understand that the very nature of football rivalry is to point-score over league position, stadium, attendances (nauseating) etc, it becomes incredibly tedious when you’ve nothing to shout about on the park every second week. An abundance of talented youths represents a chink of light amidst the current gloom, but poor results breed the same anger from the stands. Tynecastle is an unforgiving environment.

Watching on yesterday, I was alarmed at the lack of endeavour I witnessed in a derby match. No Hearts player willing to exert their influence on the game, second to every single contested ball across the pitch. I watched a central midfield player shirk challenges and attempt tippy-tappy nonsense in the heat of the battle. Criminal. Worst of all, the club’s remaining senior players did not step up to the plate when it mattered. We lacked a leader in there. In days gone by, Black would have been snarling in the face of green shirts. Hartley would be running himself in to the ground for the cause. Pressley bullying the front man. Gary MacKay lunging into the challenge. Indeed, this side is managed by the most ardent Hearts fan you will find; a man steeped in the values of this club. Locke would have stressed the importance of another win over Hibs and yet the playing squad produced an abject performance. If there’s an acceptance of defeat at the hands of Hibernian then they’d better learn. Quickly.

The summer represents a key period of rebuilding for the club. Gary Locke’s arduous task is made harder by the situation with UKIO, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk in that regard. I heard Lockie on BBC Radio Scotland denying that the uncertainty of potential administration is a factor for any potential new recruits. I would have to disagree. In an era of financial prudence — especially in Scotland — players are more wary than ever of the potential consequences of such events. Ensuring that their salary will be paid with no fuss is their key objective; especially with the plight of Rangers and Dunfermline still fresh on their minds. The club’s situation will make Locke’s job harder. In saying that, he can still attract players to Riccarton. Peter Houston and John Robertson — both of which have had sight of the likely budgets at Tynecastle for next season — have confirmed that the funds there to work with are still very healthy in terms of budgets in the SPL. That has to be a positive piece of news, especially with the proposed purse supposedly still allowing for self-sustainability and no reliance on fan hand-outs to ensure club survival.

One thing is for certain, the playing squad needs freshening. A further raft of high-earners will depart in the summer with Zaliukas, Webster, Barr, Grainger and Novikovas most likely to be among them. You’d have to say that the future of our captain remains pivotal. Should Zaliukas accept reduced terms and stay in Gorgie, the whole club would be lifted on the back of it. Danny Wilson would be another excellent acquisition if he pens a permanent deal with the club, although I see that situation as being highly unlikely. With John Sutton, Gordon Smith and Michael Ngoo departing, goals will be another bullet-point on Lockie’s wish-list. Let’s not neglect the midfield — also desperately in need of a bit of bite. I guess it helps that the manager can sign players that are over 21 years of age, making the task somewhat easier. If the club hierarchy believe throwing more Riccarton youth products in to replace the vacancies in the first team then we better sit back and prepare to grimace at the events that unfold.

We can only hope that the squad re-emerges after the summer break with a fresh look and a willingness to work for the badge and be prepared to dig-in and fight in a league which is as competitive as it has ever been. I’ve written about the small margins involved in the SPL throughout this season and that will remain to be the case next year. Making Tynecastle a fortress will go along way to achieving a respectable finish befitting of the jersey.

Let’s hope the plight of our neighbours will be an irrelevance again next year. If there’s one saving grace it is the very fact that — in spite of our financial problems — Fenlon is still at the helm across in Lochend. His ineptitude is over-shadowed by a 28 goal striker who has saved his skin in an otherwise poor Hibs team.

Let’s finish on a high at Pittodrie and enjoy a well deserved summer break. As Hearts supporters, you have all been exceptional this season — to a man.

Gorgie Rules.

AND ANOTHER THING…
Last week’s news of American interest in the club came as a surprise to many and it’s not yet known whether the story holds and substance or whether it’s simply tabloid talk. We should definitely be wary of wealthy tycoon owners and their intentions for the club. Whilst the Romanov era has brought undoubted success, I’m sure I speak for us all in wanting a stable club which behaves with integrity -regardless of whom is at the helm. Let’s see if the United Foundation of Hearts can come up with answers to the questions I have continually proposed. We’re all desperate to be convinced that fan ownership is viable. Show us the business plan, Alex.

Hearts Rant

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The quintessential Heart of Midlothian blog since 2012

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