The Reasons Hearts' Historic Title Tilt Isn't as a Surprise.
HEARTS ON FIRE
Perhaps the sole surprising element of Heart of Midlothian's victory over the Glasgow giants in the Scottish top flight was the extent to which surprised observers seemed when news of the outcome and its impact for the summit of the table emerged. Although this convincing victory at their home ground, which puts the Jambos top of the table and a significant margin clear of their rivals, was earth-shattering in nature, no one who has been following the fortunes of both squad this campaign will have been in the least astonished by the result.
Over the last 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of the Old Firm have divided the Scottish league between them, turning the beautiful game to almost a punchline in the meantime. Nine games into the present season it has become clear that Heart of Midlothian – who count celebrated snooker player, Sir Chris Hoy and renowned actor among their famous supporters – could be prepared to strike while the Old Firm 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 complete turmoil of the circumstances at Ibrox has meant that Celtic's comparatively less severe decay has been allowed to fester below the radar. The reigning champions have so far dropped 10 points from nine fixtures this season under their manager. The Celtic manager has developed the thousand-yard stare of a individual who can't stop consulting his Google calendar to see how many days are remaining until his deal ends, and woke up this morning to discover the number is over two hundred.
"I've never worked harder in my entire tenure here," he told reporters following the loss, after they had questioned his desire for anything resembling a title fight. "So the motivation is there to attempt to flip the standards that we're at. Everything is under control, it's still so early."
NEW CHALLENGER
Given the dreadful beginning to the campaign being endured by Rangers, the Celtic boss and his players could normally be anticipated to escape scrutiny for their own failure to start strongly, but this year an Edinburgh disruptor has joined the mix. In spite of being obliged to operate with a war-chest that isn't so much a small portion of their rivals' as a comparative budgetary baw-hair, the Tynecastle outfit have added the investment and knowledge of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership equation. In addition to putting in £10m during the off-season, the Premier League figurehead has provided the club exclusive use of his top secret analytics-based Jamestown Analytics recruitment tool.
In Oisin McEntee, a Greek talent and a Brazilian prospect it has allowed them to discover hidden talents from an English lower-league side, the Slovakian top flight and the Norway's second division, among other exotic footballing outposts, for the combined cost of a modest car. Spotted at their home venue on Sunday sporting a club colours, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be seen cheering each goal with the gusto of a person who had almost certainly noticed the bookies had greatly misjudged his team's prospects of beating the struggling champions, and placed large bets as a result.
COACH'S RESPONSE
"I don't think it's a statement win," said bearded team manager Derek McInnes after his team's latest success, their eighth in nine league matches. "Perhaps it is for others on the periphery. It could alter opinions. It may confirm opinions that there's a fine line. But we must be realistic, we are delighted with what the players have given us. In terms of skill, we look in a good place, and definitely in fitness we seem in a excellent shape, so long may that continue. Of course, it's not a position that the team is used to being in." No, the manager, it is not. But the glorious, data-driven truth is that for the first time in ages, Scottish football might actually have a championship battle that somebody other than the traditional powers can win.