HEARTS ON FIRE
Maybe the only unexpected aspect of Hearts' triumph over the Glasgow giants in the Scottish top flight was just how surprised people appeared when reports of the outcome and its consequences for the summit of the table circulated. Although this 3-1 win at Tynecastle, which puts the Edinburgh side top of the table and a significant margin ahead of their rivals, was earth-shattering in nature, no one who has been following the fortunes of both team this season will have been even remotely shocked by the final score.
Over the last 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of the Old Firm have carved up the Scottish football between them, reducing the beautiful game to almost a punchline in the meantime. Several matches into the current season it has become clear that Hearts – who count celebrated snooker player, Olympic champion and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – might just be prepared to strike while the Glasgow duo influence is freezing cold.
CELTIC'S DECLINE
While a lot of the attention in Scotland has been on the absolute bin-fire being suffered by Rangers, the full-spectrum nightmare of the circumstances at their stadium has meant that the title holders' slightly less terminal decay has been allowed to fester below the radar. The defending title winners have so far dropped 10 points from their opening nine league games this term under their manager. The Celtic manager has developed the distant look of a man who can't stop consulting his Google calendar to find out how many time are remaining until his deal ends, and awoke this day to learn the answer is over two hundred.
"I've never worked harder in all my time here," he told reporters following the loss, after they had doubted his desire for anything resembling a title fight. "So the motivation is present to attempt to flip the standards that we're at. Everything is under control, there is plenty of time."
EDINBURGH DISRUPTOR
Considering the horrific beginning to the season being endured by Rangers, Rodgers and his men could normally be expected to escape scrutiny for their own failure to start strongly, but this year an Edinburgh disruptor has joined the mix. Despite being forced to function with a budget that is not just a tiny fraction of their rivals' as a minuscule amount in comparison, Hearts have added the investment and knowledge of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership equation. As well as putting in £10m during the off-season, the Brighton owner has granted Hearts exclusive use of his top secret analytics-based proprietary scouting recruitment tool.
In Oisin McEntee, a Greek talent and Cláudio Braga it has enabled them to discover hidden talents from Walsall, the Slovakian top flight and the Norway's second division, among other lesser-known leagues, for the combined cost of a modest car. Seen at their home venue on Sunday sporting a club colours, the famously shrewd sports betting expert could be observed cheering each score with the enthusiasm of a man who had almost certainly realized the bookies had greatly underestimated his side's chances of defeating the out-of-sorts champions, and placed large bets as a result.
COACH'S RESPONSE
"In my opinion it's a statement win," said the facial-haired Hearts gaffer Derek McInnes after his team's latest success, their eighth in nine league matches. "Perhaps it is for others on the outside looking in. It could alter opinions. It might validate opinions that there's a fine line. But let's not kid ourselves, we are delighted with what the players have provided us. Technically, we appear in a strong position, and definitely in fitness we seem in a excellent shape, so long may that continue. Naturally, this is not a situation that this club is accustomed to being in." No, Derek, it isn't. But the glorious, analytics-backed truth is that for the first time in ages, the Scottish game might actually have a title race that somebody other than the traditional powers can win.
