Why Heart of Midlothian's Historic Title Tilt Isn't as a Shock.
HEARTS ON FIRE
Perhaps the sole surprising aspect of Hearts' triumph over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership was the extent to which taken aback observers seemed when reports of the outcome and its consequences for the summit of the standings circulated. Although this 3-1 win at their home ground, which puts the Jambos top of the table and a significant margin ahead of their rivals, was seismic in scale, no one who has been following the fortunes of both team this season will have been even remotely astonished by the result.
Over the past 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of Celtic and Rangers have carved up the Scottish league between them, turning the beautiful game to something of a joke in the process. Nine games into the current season it has become apparent that Heart of Midlothian – who number Stephen Hendry, Olympic champion and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – might just be ready to strike while the Glasgow duo influence is at its weakest.
CELTIC'S SLUMP
Although much of the focus in the Scottish game has been on the disastrous season being suffered by Rangers, the full-spectrum nightmare of the situation at their stadium has meant that the title holders' slightly less terminal decay has been allowed to fester unnoticed. The defending title winners have so far dropped 10 points from their opening nine fixtures this term under their manager. The team's boss has developed the thousand-yard stare of a man who can't stop checking his schedule to find out how many time are left until his deal expires, and woke up this morning to discover the number is 246.
"No one has put in more effort in all my time at the club," he informed the media following the defeat, after they had questioned his desire for anything resembling a championship battle. "So the motivation is present to attempt to reverse the levels that we're at. It's absolutely fine, there is plenty of time."
EDINBURGH DISRUPTOR
Given the dreadful beginning to the season being endured by Rangers, Rodgers and his men could normally be expected to escape scrutiny for their own inability to roar out of the traps, but this year an capital city challenger has entered the fray. Despite being obliged to operate with a budget that is not just a small portion of Celtic's as a minuscule amount in comparison, the Tynecastle outfit have added the money and knowledge of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership mix. As well as investing ten million pounds during the off-season, the Brighton owner has provided Hearts sole use of his highly confidential data-driven Jamestown Analytics recruitment tool.
In Oisin McEntee, a Greek talent and a Brazilian prospect it has enabled them to discover unpolished gems from Walsall, the Slovak first division and the Norway's second division, among other exotic footballing outposts, for the combined cost of a mid-range family saloon. Spotted at Tynecastle on Sunday sporting a club colours, the famously shrewd sports betting expert could be seen celebrating each goal with the gusto of a person who had almost certainly realized the bookies had massively misjudged his side's prospects of beating the struggling champions, and filled his boots as a result.
COACH'S REACTION
"In my opinion it's a statement win," said the facial-haired team manager Derek McInnes after his side's most recent victory, their eighth win in nine outings. "It might be for those on the periphery. It could alter opinions. It might validate views that there's a fine line. But let's not kid ourselves, we're really pleased with what the players have given us. In terms of skill, we look in a good place, and definitely in fitness we look in a good place, so we hope it persists. Of course, it's not a position that the team is accustomed to being in." No, Derek, it is not. But the wonderful, analytics-backed reality is that for the first time in many years, the Scottish game might genuinely have a championship battle that somebody other than the traditional powers can win.
