The Reasons Hearts' Landmark Championship Challenge Isn't as a Shock.
JAMBOS BLAZING
Maybe the only surprising element of Hearts' triumph over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership was the extent to which taken aback observers appeared when news of the result and its impact for the top of the standings emerged. While this 3-1 win at their home ground, which leaves the Edinburgh side top of the league and eight points ahead of Celtic, was seismic in nature, nobody who has been tracking the fortunes of both team this campaign will have been even remotely shocked by the result.
Over the last 40 seasons, the dominance of two Glasgow clubs of the Old Firm have carved up the Scottish league between them, turning fitba to almost a punchline in the meantime. Several matches into the present season it has become clear that Heart of Midlothian – who number celebrated snooker player, Sir Chris Hoy and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – could be ready to make their move while the Glasgow duo influence is freezing cold.
CELTIC'S SLUMP
While a lot of the attention in Scotland has been on the disastrous season being endured by the Ibrox club, the full-spectrum nightmare of the circumstances at Ibrox has meant that Celtic's comparatively less severe decay has been able to fester unnoticed. The defending title winners have so far lost 10 points from their opening nine fixtures this season under Brendan Rodgers. The Celtic manager has acquired the thousand-yard stare of a individual who constantly consulting his schedule to find out how many days are remaining until his contract ends, and woke up this morning to learn the number is 246.
"I've never worked harder in my entire tenure here," he told the media following the defeat, 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. It's absolutely fine, it's still so early."
NEW CHALLENGER
Given the dreadful start to the campaign being experienced by the other Glasgow side, Rodgers and his men could typically be expected to escape scrutiny for their own inability to start strongly, but on this occasion an capital city challenger has joined the mix. In spite of being obliged to function with a war-chest that isn't so much a tiny fraction of Celtic's as a comparative budgetary baw-hair, the Tynecastle outfit have introduced the investment and knowledge of Tony Bloom to the SPL equation. As well as putting in ten million pounds during the off-season, the Brighton owner has granted Hearts exclusive use of his highly confidential data-driven proprietary scouting player identification system.
In Oisin McEntee, Alexandros Kyziridis and a Brazilian prospect it has enabled them to discover hidden talents from an English lower-league side, the Slovakian top flight and the Norway's second division, among other lesser-known leagues, for the total price of a modest car. Seen at their home venue on matchday sporting a Hearts scarf, the famously shrewd sports betting expert could be seen cheering each goal with the enthusiasm of a person who had likely noticed the oddsmakers had greatly underestimated his side's prospects of beating the struggling champions, and filled his boots accordingly.
MANAGER'S REACTION
"I don't think it's a message-sending victory," said bearded team manager Derek McInnes after his team's latest victory, their eighth in nine outings. "Perhaps it is for those on the outside looking in. It might change perceptions. It may confirm views that there's a tightrope. But we must be realistic, we are delighted with what the players have provided us. In terms of skill, we look in a strong position, and definitely physically we seem in a good place, so we hope it persists. Naturally, it's not a position that this club is used to being in." Correct, Derek, it is not. But the wonderful, data-driven reality is that for the first time in many years, the Scottish game might actually have a title race that somebody besides the traditional powers can claim.
