Why Hearts' Historic Title Tilt Shouldn't Come as a Surprise.
JAMBOS BLAZING
Perhaps the only unexpected aspect of Heart of Midlothian's triumph over Celtic in the Scottish top flight was just how surprised people appeared when news of the result and its consequences for the top of the table circulated. While this convincing victory at their home ground, which puts the Jambos top of the league and a significant margin clear of their rivals, was earth-shattering in nature, nobody who has been tracking the progress of either team this campaign will have been even remotely astonished by the final score.
For each of the last four decades, the dominance of two Glasgow clubs of the Old Firm have divided the Scottish football between them, turning fitba to something of a joke in the process. Nine games into the current campaign it has become clear that Heart of Midlothian – who count celebrated snooker player, Sir Chris Hoy and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – might just be ready to strike while the Old Firm influence is at its weakest.
THE CHAMPIONS' SLUMP
While much of the attention in the Scottish game has been on the disastrous season being endured by the Ibrox club, the complete turmoil of the circumstances at their stadium has meant that the title holders' slightly less terminal decay has been allowed to fester unnoticed. The reigning champions have already lost a considerable number from their opening nine league games this term under their manager. The team's boss has developed the distant look of a individual who can't stop checking his Google calendar to see how many days are left until his contract ends, and woke up this day to learn the number is 246.
"I've never worked harder in my entire tenure at the club," he told the media following the defeat, after they had questioned his desire for any kind of a championship battle. "Therefore the drive is present to try and reverse the levels that we're at. Everything is under control, it's still so early."
NEW CHALLENGER
Given the horrific start to the campaign being endured by Rangers, Rodgers and his players could normally be expected to escape scrutiny for their own failure to start strongly, but on this occasion an Edinburgh disruptor has joined the fray. Despite being forced to function with a budget that isn't so much a small portion of Celtic's as a minuscule amount in comparison, Hearts have added the money and expertise of Tony Bloom to the SPL equation. As well as putting in ten million pounds during the summer, the Premier League figurehead has granted Hearts sole use of his top secret analytics-based Jamestown Analytics recruitment tool.
In an Irish defender, Alexandros Kyziridis and Cláudio Braga it has enabled them to discover unpolished gems from an English lower-league side, the Slovakian top flight and the Norwegian second tier, among other lesser-known leagues, for the total price of a mid-range family saloon. Spotted at their home venue on matchday wearing a Hearts scarf, the notoriously astute professional gambler could be observed celebrating each score with the gusto of a man who had likely noticed the oddsmakers had massively underestimated his team's chances of defeating the struggling title holders, and placed large bets as a result.
COACH'S REACTION
"In my opinion it's a statement win," said bearded team manager the head coach after his team's most recent success, their eighth win in nine league matches. "Perhaps it is for those on the periphery. It might change perceptions. It may confirm views that there's a fine line. But we must be realistic, we are delighted with what the lads have provided us. In terms of skill, we appear in a good place, and definitely in fitness we seem in a excellent shape, so long may that continue. Of course, this is not a situation that the team is used to being in." Correct, Derek, it isn't. But the wonderful, data-driven truth is that for the initial occasion in ages, Scottish football might actually have a championship battle that a team other than the traditional powers can claim.