Why Hearts' Landmark Title Tilt Isn't as a Surprise.
JAMBOS BLAZING
Perhaps the only surprising element of Hearts' triumph over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership was just how taken aback observers seemed when reports of the outcome and its consequences for the top of the table circulated. While this convincing victory at Tynecastle, which leaves the Jambos leading of the league and a significant margin ahead of their rivals, was seismic in nature, nobody who has been following the progress of both squad this campaign will have been in the least astonished by the final score.
Over the past 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of Celtic and Rangers have divided the Scottish league between them, reducing fitba to something of a punchline in the process. Several matches into the present campaign it has become apparent that Hearts – who number Stephen Hendry, Sir Chris Hoy and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – might just be prepared to make their move while the Old Firm influence is at its weakest.
CELTIC'S DECLINE
Although much of the focus in Scotland has been on the disastrous season being suffered by the Ibrox club, the complete turmoil of the circumstances at their stadium has resulted in that the title holders' slightly less terminal decline has been able to worsen below the radar. The reigning champions have so far dropped a considerable number from their opening nine fixtures this term under their manager. The team's boss has acquired the distant look of a man who constantly consulting his schedule to see how many time are left until his deal ends, and woke up this day to learn the answer is 246.
"I've never worked harder in my entire tenure at the club," he informed the media following the loss, after they had doubted his desire for any kind of a title fight. "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
Considering the horrific start to the campaign being endured by the other Glasgow side, the Celtic boss and his men could typically be expected to get away with their own inability to start strongly, but this year an capital city challenger has entered the fray. Despite being forced to function with a war-chest that isn't so much a tiny fraction of their rivals' as a comparative budgetary baw-hair, the Tynecastle outfit have added the investment and expertise of Tony Bloom to the SPL equation. In addition to investing £10m during the off-season, the Premier League figurehead has provided Hearts exclusive use of his top secret analytics-based proprietary scouting player identification system.
In Oisin McEntee, Alexandros Kyziridis and a Brazilian prospect it has allowed them to unearth unpolished gems from an English lower-league side, the Slovak first division and the Norway's second division, among other exotic footballing outposts, for the total price of a modest car. Spotted at their home venue on Sunday sporting a club colours, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be observed celebrating each goal with the gusto of a person who had likely realized the oddsmakers had massively misjudged his side's chances of beating the struggling title holders, and filled his boots as a result.
MANAGER'S RESPONSE
"In my opinion it's a statement win," said the facial-haired Hearts gaffer Derek McInnes after his team's latest victory, their eighth win in nine league matches. "It might be for those on the outside looking in. It might change perceptions. It may confirm views that there's a fine line. But we must be realistic, we're really pleased with what the lads have provided us. Technically, we appear in a good place, and certainly in fitness we seem in a good place, so we hope it persists. Naturally, it's not a position that the team is used to being in." No, Derek, it isn't. But the wonderful, data-driven truth is that for the first time in many years, Scottish football might actually have a championship battle that somebody besides the traditional powers can claim.