The Reasons Hearts' Historic Title Tilt Isn't as a Shock.
JAMBOS BLAZING
Maybe the only unexpected element of Heart of Midlothian's victory over the Glasgow giants in the Scottish Premiership was just how surprised observers appeared when news of the result and its impact for the top of the table emerged. Although this convincing victory at Tynecastle, which puts the Edinburgh side leading of the league and eight points clear of Celtic, was seismic in nature, nobody who has been following the fortunes of both team this season will have been even remotely shocked by the result.
Over the past four decades, the dominance of two Glasgow clubs of the Old Firm have carved up the Scottish football between them, turning fitba to something of a punchline in the process. Nine games into the present season it has become apparent that Hearts β who count celebrated snooker player, Olympic champion and renowned actor among their celebrity fans β could be prepared to make their move while the Glasgow duo iron is at its weakest.
CELTIC'S DECLINE
Although a lot of the focus in Scotland has been on the disastrous season being suffered by the Ibrox club, the full-spectrum nightmare of the situation at their stadium has meant that the title holders' slightly less terminal decay has been able to fester below the radar. The reigning champions have so far lost 10 points from nine league games this season under Brendan Rodgers. The Celtic manager has developed the distant look of a individual who constantly checking his Google calendar to see how many time are remaining until his contract expires, and awoke this day to discover the number is 246.
"No one has put in more effort in all my time at the club," he told reporters following the loss, after they had questioned his appetite for any kind of a championship battle. "So the motivation is there to attempt to reverse the standards that we're at. It's absolutely fine, it's still so early."
EDINBURGH DISRUPTOR
Considering the dreadful start to the season being experienced by Rangers, the Celtic boss and his players could normally be expected to escape scrutiny for their own inability to roar out of the traps, but this year an Edinburgh disruptor has entered the mix. In spite of being obliged to operate with a war-chest that is not just a small portion of Celtic's as a minuscule amount in comparison, Hearts have introduced the money and knowledge of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership equation. In addition to putting in Β£10m during the off-season, the Premier League figurehead has provided Hearts sole use of his top secret data-driven proprietary scouting player identification system.
In Oisin McEntee, a Greek talent and ClΓ‘udio Braga 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 combined cost of a modest car. Seen at their home venue on Sunday wearing a club colours, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be observed celebrating each goal with the gusto of a man who had likely noticed the bookies had massively underestimated his side's chances of beating the struggling champions, and filled his boots accordingly.
COACH'S REACTION
"In my opinion it's a message-sending victory," said bearded team manager Derek McInnes after his side's most recent success, their eighth in nine league matches. "It might be 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're really pleased with what the lads have given us. In terms of skill, we appear in a strong position, and definitely physically we look in a good place, so long may that continue. Naturally, this is not a situation that the team is accustomed to being in." No, the manager, it isn't. But the wonderful, analytics-backed reality is that for the first time in ages, Scottish football might genuinely have a championship battle that a team besides the traditional powers can win.
