Heart of Midlothian 0 Tottenham Hotspur 5

Europa League Play-off Round 1st leg, Thursday 18 August 2011 - Tynecastle

Sky TV's marketing catchphrase is currently 'Believe in Better'. The billions of pounds the satellite broadcaster has thrown at English football in the past two decades illustrated this adage to devastating effect at Tynecastle on Thursday evening.

Spurs, even without several first team regulars, still had a team full of multi-million pound talent that was simply streets ahead of Hearts who seemed in awe of their illustrious opponents. It's become something of a cliche that Scottish football lacks the technical ability of the more successful countries but tries to make up for this with fight, determination and an 'up-and-at-'em' attitude. This has worked for Hearts in the past as the likes of Bayern Munich, Vfb Stuttgart, Atletico Madrid and Bologna - who have all lost at Tynecastle in European competition - would testify. Sadly, even this commendable trait was lacking from the Maroons on Thursday as Harry Redknapp's gifted side ripped Hearts apart.

Hearts seemed in awe right from kick off. It took the hugely impressive van der Vaart just four minutes to open the scoring before Defoe and Livermore added further goals in an embarrassingly one-sided first half. Hearts manager Paulo Sergio doubtless had a few words to say to his shell-shocked troops at half-time and the home side at least threatened for a ten minute period at the beginning of the second half. However, further goals from Bale and Lennon completed the rout and Hearts fans were hanging on at the end hoping there wouldn't be a sixth goal. Indeed, when the Spurs fans demanded 'we want six' the Hearts support retorted 'we want one...'

The only good thing from the night was the truly magnificent Hearts support who gave their team tumultuous backing all through the evening - even as the goals were raining in. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was moved to say how impressed he was with the Hearts support and 'how fans like these deserve success'.

Despite protestations from Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist - whose Old Firm sides also failed to win in the Europa League against much weaker opposition than Spurs - the standard of Scottish football is as poor today as it's ever been. Money talks in football like never before and it's clear that thanks to television companies such as Sky the strong are getting even stronger while the weak are facing oblivion. The more successful the English FA Premiership becomes, the more people will subscribe to Sky TV to watch exclusive live matches; thus, the more Sky will throw millions of pounds at clubs to keep it going. English, Spanish and Italian clubs feast at the top table of European football, laden with hugely expensive fine cuts. Scottish football doesn't get near the top table to feed off the scraps - in fact, it currently doesn't even get in to the dining room.

Few Hearts fans expected their team to beat Spurs over two legs although some harboured a vain hope they might win the home leg. Those faint hopes were cruelly destroyed at Tynecastle on Thursday evening. There is a great line in that classic film The Shawshank Redemption that says 'hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and good things never die'.

I can only hope, for Scottish football's sake, this is so.

Heart of Midlothian 3 Aberdeen 0

Clydesdale Bank SPL, Saturday 13 August 2011 - Tynecastle

Hearts recorded their first win in the SPL for several months with a comfortable victory over Aberdeen. The game was fairly even for the opening 20 minutes and the Dons could have opened the scoring when Arnason - who was on trial with Hearts during the summer before then manager Jim Jefferies decided against him - hit the crossbar with a header. Craig Brown's side were made to pay for that miss when Arvydas Novikovas opened the scoring after 24 minutes. The Lithuanian winger collected the ball inside the Aberdeen penalty box before rifling a a left shot foot into the corner of the net.

Hearts doubled their lead ten minutes later when David Templeton hared past a bemused looking Aberdeen defence before crossing for John Sutton who tapped home from six yards to open his account in a maroon shirt. Hearts could have had more in the first half but it remained 2-0 to the home side at half time.

Hearts began the second half the way they ended the first and secured the win when Sutton capitalised on slack defensive play to steer the ball home for Hearts third goal. Thereafter the game petered out somewhat with the visitors appearing to give up the ghost and the home side looking like they were keeping something in reserve for the undoubtedly far greater challenge of Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp clearly doesn't think Hearts will pose much of a threat as he sent his assistant Clive Allen on a 'spying mission' and I have to say on the evidence of the the first 25 minutes he's probably right.

It should still be a grand night at Tynecastle on Thursday. At least until Spurs score...

Top man: Scott Robinson - redeployed to midfield he was a revelation

Seasons in the Sun

‘It didn’t really work, did it?’ bemoaned a Rangers supporter to me the other week. ‘Next season we’ll need to start the season in February…’ The despairing bluenose was referring to the early start to this season’s Clydesdale Bank SPL with the league kicking off on 23 July, ostensibly to support Scots clubs campaigns in Europe. However, before July was over, Dundee United had already gone out of the Europa League and Rangers were hurtling towards the exit door the UEFA Champions League having lost the first leg of their third qualifying round tie with Swedish champions Malmo at Ibrox. There may have been a strong element of sarcasm in that Ranger’s man’s assertion but, on reflection, perhaps he had a point.

A few months from now, we’ll be heading to Tynecastle in the depths of winter. If last winter is anything to gauge, you will require several layers of clothing, a couple of Hearts scarves and the thermal socks you got from Auntie Betty at Christmas for the eighth year in a row (for which you will be nonetheless grateful for come the trip to Easter Road on 2 January) I sincerely hope I’m wrong, particularly from a Hearts perspective, but by then there will be a fair chance there will be no Scots clubs left in European competition and the excitement of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League will be a distant memory. And as we huddle from the howling wind, driving rain and snow, Scottish football pundits will be asking how things can improve.

When Rangers played Malmo the consensus was that the Swedes were no better than Ally McCoist’s side but were much fitter, having already played eight games in their domestic season. Now, summer football has been debated more times in this country than stamps in David Obua’s passport but the traditionalists always seem to win the argument. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no more traditionalist than me. In fact, if it were down to me teams would still be playing each other just twice a season and Rab Prentice would still be playing on the wing (even if he is now in his fifties - God bless you, Rab!) However, one of the many changes in football in recent years has been the expansion of both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League to reflect the changes in the European continent over the last quarter of a century ago.

In 1983, Aberdeen won the European Cup Winners Cup (defeating Real Madrid, no less, in the final) A year later Dundee United reached the semi-finals of the European Cup before reaching the final of the UEFA Cup in 1987. Three rounds of preliminary qualifiers beginning in mid July were unheard of for Scots. However, the break up of the Soviet Union and then the former Yugoslav and Czechoslovakian states, added to the admittance to FIFA of the likes of the Faroe Islands saw a sea change in European football. More clubs in European competition meant more preliminary rounds starting earlier and earlier and as Scottish football stock has fallen in Europe so it has become much tougher for our clubs to make an impact. True, both Celtic and Rangers have reached the former UEFA Cup final in recent years but the underlying story of Scots clubs in Europe in the last decade or so is of being out before the end of the various trades fortnight summer holidays around the country.

It’s clear that when Scots clubs are drawn against sides from those countries that play the majority of their football during the summer months, they struggle to match their opponents’ fitness levels. In my view starting the domestic season a couple of weeks earlier than usual doesn’t really help that much. A more radical approach would be for Scotland to change the season from August to May to March to December.

I would suggest starting with the Scottish Cup and play it over successive Saturdays in spring with the final remaining in its traditional May date. Then the Clydesdale Bank SPL could take over and, to keep things fresh for clubs and supporters alike, the season could end with the League Cup just before Christmas (it wasn’t that long ago that League Cup finals were held in November) As an added incentive I would have the League Cup winners play-off against the fourth placed team in the league to decide who would play in the following season’s Europa League. This would see the close season take place during January and February when the Scottish winter is usually at its most severe.

As I’ve said this would be a radical approach but surely something has to be done to reverse the trend of Scots clubs crashing out of European competition so early. At least when the preliminary rounds begin in mid July, the Scots would be prepared like never before. Add in the pleasure of watching football during the warm sunny months (okay, I’ve used poetic licence here given the weather in recent summers) and the potential of a television deal with one of the satellite companies then the idea of summer football might even be lucrative.

Yes, there might have to be a mid-season shutdown when there is a World Cup or European Championship finals to be played. However, as it’s been 13 years since Scotland last played in the finals of a major tournament then that’s an obstacle that can be jumped on approach.

Would it work? Sadly, I suspect we may never know…

Twitter @Mike1874

Out With the Old at Tynecastle

A week ago, I was at Tynecastle to watch Hearts lose 1-0 to Dundee United. As the score line indicates it wasn’t the greatest game I’ve ever witnessed as a Hearts fan and while the home side had plenty possession of the ball they didn’t use it particularly well, opting for the all too familiar tactic of hitting long towards the increasingly forlorn looking figure of striker John Sutton. United, no longer with the potent goal scoring threat of David Goodwillie, defended well and, more importantly, used the ball far better than Hearts. The game was a succinct summary of Hearts in the calendar year of 2011 - plenty of effort but becoming rather predictable.

The day after Hearts defeat, manager Jim Jefferies was sacked along with his assistant Billy Brown. While Hearts say it was a board decision there’s no doubt that majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov calls the shots and fires the bullets at Tynecastle. His decision wasn’t a reaction to the loss from United; the fact Romanov appointed Paulo Sergio as Jefferies’ replacement just hours later is evidence the Russian had been thinking about a change for some time. In fact, he alluded to his unhappiness at the end of last season when he publicly questioned Hearts form in the last quarter of the season where they nearly relinquished third place in the SPL to Dundee United after having a substantial lead over the Tannadice team at the start of the year.

The decision to dismiss Jefferies didn’t go down well with many Hearts supporters and much of those in the media. Romanov has little respect for those in the press, a notion enhanced when he issued a statement the day after the sacking of Jefferies referring to the ‘media monkeys’. Hearts supporters laud Jefferies as a legend in Gorgie. He is afforded this status by way of the memorable season of 1997/98 when he created a Hearts team that played the best football seen at Tynecastle since the halcyon days of the 1950s when the Maroons won every domestic honour going and were the dominant force in Scottish football. The class of 1997/98 with the likes Neil McCann, Colin Cameron, Stephane Adam and Stevie Fulton produced some sparkling football and ran the Old Firm close for the league championship until a dip in form at a crucial stage in the league campaign cost Hearts dear. Jefferies did, however, lead Hearts to a Scottish Cup triumph thus ending 36 barren years without a trophy. It wasn’t just ending the long wait for success; it was the exorcising of so many Tynecastle ghosts after numerous near misses, particularly in 1986 when Hearts came within eight minutes of winning the league and lost the Scottish Cup Final a week later.

Jefferies devotees tend to overlook the season after Hearts 1998 Scottish Cup triumph when the club flirted dangerously with relegation and, having to contend with the club’s decision to sell Neil McCann to Rangers and David Weir to Everton and the long-term injury absence of Colin Cameron, the manager appeared to press the panic button with some bizarre signings in a bid to prevent the ship from sinking. Remember Mohammed Berthe, Derek Lilley and Leigh Jenkinson?

Jefferies left Hearts for Bradford City in 2000, shortly after a horrendous 6-2 hammering from Hibernian at Easter Road. It’s fair to say some Hearts fans had turned against the manager although there remained those who were steadfastly loyal. I wrote at the time when Craig Levein was appointed Jefferies’ successor at Tynecastle that the former Hearts and Scotland centre half had the team playing a more studious, passing game that was pleasing on the eye.

Ten years later, I cannot help a feeling of déjà vu. For the first half of last season Hearts played some decent stuff under Jim Jefferies although I don’t believe I’m the only person who feels the remarkable run of results towards the end of 2010 when Hearts took 31 points from a possible 33 papered over the cracks somewhat. There was talk of Hearts challenging the Old Firm for the title but this was more wishful thinking than a serious consideration. Given his physical presence, striker Kevin Kyle was the understandable target for much of Hearts play but when the former Scotland man suffered a serious injury in January there was no Plan B for the team to adapt to. It didn’t seem to matter too much as Hearts were so far ahead in third place in the SPL, 13 points ahead of fourth place Kilmarnock and 20 points ahead of Dundee United. However, Jim Jefferies’ side them embarked on a run of just one win in 12 games and in the end clinched third place in the SPL by just one point from a resurgent Dundee United.

Hearts began the 2011/12 with an impressive opening 45 minutes at Ibrox and led defending champions Rangers 1-0 at half time. However, Jim Jefferies’ side sat back in the second half and the feeling persisted that Hearts had handed the initiative back to Rangers and were perhaps lucky to leave with a draw - when all three points were there for the taking. In the Europa League 3^rd round qualifier against Paksi, Hearts secured a 1-1 draw but against Dundee United three days later appeared lacking in ideas.

Vladimir Romanov was at Tynecastle for the United game. History tells us he has never been the most patient of men and he clearly had enough after watching Hearts huff and puff for 90 minutes. Romanov is not a man who backs away from making difficult decisions - in fact, it would seem he relishes doing so. He would have lost no sleep over what the fans might think about dispensing with the services of a man hugely respected by the majority of the Hearts support. He would care even less about the diatribe directed a him by the press, many of whom condemned his decision without considering the reasons behind it. My own concern was with the timing of the decision, just three days before an important European game. That aside, I feel I’m not the only Hearts supporter who felt a change was required. One journalist, Graham Spiers, described Hearts as a ‘ludicrous fiasco’, which I found mildly amusing, given the scribe in question works for News International…

The new man charged with delivering a winning Hearts team is Paulo Sergio whose last job was as manager of Sporting Lisbon. They sacked him after Rangers knocked Sporting out of last season’s Europa League. Given Scottish clubs abysmal record in European competition in recent years, one could perhaps understand that decision. The 43-year-old Portuguese will bring a different perspective to Hearts. Already there were signs of Hearts playing more of a passing game in the return leg against Paksi at Tynecastle, which the Maroons won 4-1 - their first win in a competitive fixture since a fortuitous 3-2 win over St. Mirren on 19 March.

Romanov has said he expects the new man to deliver the league title. Again, this brought smirks from some in the media who said such an expectation was wholly unrealistic. However, what’s the point of clubs such as Hearts competing in the SPL if they don’t feel they can win it? Are clubs really asking supporters to shell out small fortunes for season tickets to watch their team lose? I admired Sergio’s response to Romanov’s statement - give me the money to strengthen the team and I will get Hearts the title.

As with all things concerned with Heart of Midlothian FC these days, you cannot rule anything out….

Hearts 4 Paks 1

Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round 2nd leg - Tynecastle

After another traumatic week when Hearts dismissed manager Jim Jefferies and assistant Billy Brown - and appointed Paulo Sergio as manager - the Maroons managed to secure a place in the play-off round for the Europa League with a convincing win over Hungarian side Paks.

A cracking atmosphere helped Hearts achieve their objective and although the home side dominated proceedings, it wasn't entirely one-way traffic with the Hungarians dangerous on the counter-attack. For the opening half hour, Hearts struggled to break down Paks defence and there were a couple of worrying lapses from the home defenders. However, Ryan Stevenson's header gave the home side the lead after 34 minutes although the visiting goalkeeper didn't look too clever. Stevenson added a second goal right on half time.

The return of Andrew Driver was a welcome sight and the winger scored Hearts third goal five minutes into the second half. While Paks forced a couple of fine saves from Marian Kello, the third goal killed the tie and the goal machine that is Rudi Skacel added a fourth after a brilliant effort from David Templeton was only parried by the keeper.

Bode scored a late consolation for Paks but Hearts progressed to the next round on a 5-2 aggregate. Lying in wait - Tottenham Hotspur who visit Tynecastle on 18 August. It promises to be a night to remember!

A Long Summer

Some people who know me are of the opinion I’m a miserable old so-and-so. Okay, that’s not strictly 100% accurate - it’s most people who know me. And this includes members of my family. In fact, particularly members of my family…My levels of grumpiness have been even higher than usual these last few weeks. You could argue this could be down to any number of things - the wet summer (and when the sun does make a rare appearance the high pollen count), pressure of work, not having a decent holiday until the end of August, the incessant natterings of the infamous Mrs Smith…all of these are factors. However, the biggest one is, I suspect, familiar to many people  the absence of fitba’.

Last summer we at least had the World Cup to fill the void, even though Scotland didn’t participate (as it turned out neither did England even though they were in South Africa) This year there’s been nothing. Until this afternoon's disappointing display against Dundee United, it had seemed like an eternity since Hearts played a competitive game at Tynecastle. However, even with season 2011/12 kicking off early the long summer weeks seemed to have dragged by.

The days of scouring the newspapers for little titbits about football have long gone. Now the internetFacebook and Twitter can give you information immediately in an age when we demand instant communication. Hearts themselves were offering a text messaging service to deliver first news of the fixtures for the new season. Those of us yearning for our football fix had already marked 17 June as a red-letter day. Mrs Smith has always struggled to understand the anticipation associated with the issue of the new fixture list. She is of the opinion that as Hearts have to play everybody in the Clydesdale Bank SPL at some point what does it matter when and where? That is the opinion of someone who doesn’t understand football.

Most Hearts supporters wasted little time in checking their text messages or various websites that morning in order to plan their lives for the next few months. First Edinburgh derby of the season? 28 August. Right, no going away for the weekend at the end of that month then. Fancy a nice wee trip to the Highlands? Hmm - 10 September would be nice. A relaxing couple of days on the banks of Loch Ness in late summer - just the thing to recharge the batteries. Oh, and Hearts are playing Inverness Caledonian Thistle. I suggested to Mrs Smith that, for a change, we could visit her family in Aberdeen a couple of days after Christmas. Well, she knows how fond I am of her mother…What’s that I hear you say? Hearts are playing at Pittodrie on 28 December? Well, what a remarkable coincidence (I know, dear reader, you won’t say a word to Mrs Smith)

This summer the anticipation of the domestic fixtures was surpassed by the draw for the third qualifying round of the Europa League on 15 July. Now planning for this was more of a challenge. At least with the domestic fixtures we knew where we would be heading in the months ahead - just not when. With the Europa League, there was any number of possibilities. A trip to Croatia to face Hajduk Split? Or Cyprus to face Omonia Nicosia? Or a trip to Ireland to face Sligo Rovers? It’s six years now since I took Mrs Smith to Dublin for a weekend in July. The presence of several passengers on the flight from Edinburgh wearing maroon and white scarves immediately alerted her to the real reason we were going - Hearts pre-season friendly against St. Patrick’s Athletic.

The release of the Clydesdale Bank SPL fixtures and the Europa League draw were the highlights of a long and far from hot summer that seemed to take an age to pass me by. Sad, I know, but I’ve felt pretty much the same way every summer since 1969. Apart from 1982 when I got married in the middle of June. Even then, Scotland were playing in the World Cup Finals in Spain…

Now fitba’ is back. All is right with the world again. Until ten months from now when we have to go through it all again…

Heart of Midlothian 0 Dundee Utd 1

Clydesdale Bank SPL, Sunday 31 July 2011, Tynecastle

There's something about Hearts whenever they're involved in European competition - league form seems to desert them. After an impressive showing eight days ago in the SPL opener at Ibrox where they shared a 1-1 draw with champions Rangers, Hearts secured the same scoreline five days later against Paksi - a decent result in the Europa League qualifer in Hungary. Today, however, it was a different story.

Hearts were missing Andy Webster, Mehdi Taouil, Kevin Kyle, Andrew Driver, Suso Santana and Jamie Hamill but still had a decent enough team on the park to do the business against a Dundee United team without striker David Goodwillie, believed to be joining Blackburn Rovers this week. However, the Maroons looked sluggish from the start and created few chances in a disappointing 90 minutes - well, 94 minutes to account for the ridiculous time wasting tactics of the visitors.

United posted their early intention when John Rankin's free kick from the edge of the penalty box smacked off the crossbar. Hearts only decent chance of the first half fell to Stephen Elliott who had time to turn in the United six yard box but he made a hash of his shot on goal that trundled wide. Shortly afterwards, Hearts paid the price for that miss when United's Jon Daly was given the freedom of Gorgie Road to bullet home Flood's excellent delivery. Quite what Hearts defender Marius Zaliukas was doing when Daly rose unchallenged is debatable.

Hearts huffed and puffed in the second half but never looked like getting the equaliser - not even when talisman Rudi Skacel was introduced with 20 minutes left. In the end, United deserved all three points for the simple fact they used the ball much better when they had possession. Far too often Hearts resorted to playing a long ball to an out of sorts John Sutton.

European football returns to Tynecastle on Thursday night. Despite having secured an away goal, Hearts will have to up the tempo against Paksi if they want to progress.

Top man: Danny Grainger