Why Hearts' Historic Title Tilt Shouldn't Come as a Shock.
JAMBOS BLAZING
Maybe the only unexpected aspect of Hearts' triumph over Celtic in the Scottish top flight was the extent to which surprised observers appeared when news of the outcome and its impact for the top of the standings emerged. While this convincing victory at their home ground, which puts the Edinburgh side leading of the table and a significant margin clear of Celtic, was seismic in nature, nobody who has been tracking the fortunes of either squad this season will have been in the least astonished by the result.
Over the last four decades, the dominance of two Glasgow clubs of Celtic and Rangers have carved up the Scottish league between them, turning fitba to almost a joke in the process. Several matches into the current campaign it has become apparent that Hearts – who count celebrated snooker player, Olympic champion and Ken Stott among their celebrity fans – might just be prepared to strike while the Glasgow duo influence is freezing cold.
THE CHAMPIONS' SLUMP
Although a lot of the focus in Scotland has been on the absolute bin-fire being suffered by Rangers, the complete turmoil of the situation at Ibrox has resulted in that the title holders' comparatively less severe decay has been allowed to fester below the radar. The reigning champions have so far dropped a considerable number from nine league games this season under their manager. The Celtic manager has developed the distant look of a individual who can't stop checking his Google calendar to find out how many days are left until his deal ends, and awoke this morning to learn the number is 246.
"No one has put in more effort in all my time at the club," he informed reporters following the loss, after they had doubted his appetite for anything resembling a title fight. "Therefore the drive is present to attempt to flip the levels that we're at. It's absolutely fine, there is plenty of time."
NEW CHALLENGER
Given the horrific beginning to the season being endured by Rangers, the Celtic boss and his players could typically be expected to escape scrutiny for their own failure to start strongly, but this year an Edinburgh disruptor has entered the mix. In spite of being forced 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 introduced the investment and knowledge of a renowned businessman to the SPL equation. As well as investing £10m during the off-season, the Brighton owner has provided Hearts sole use of his top secret analytics-based proprietary scouting player identification system.
In an Irish defender, Alexandros Kyziridis and Cláudio Braga 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 lesser-known leagues, for the combined cost of a modest car. Spotted at Tynecastle on Sunday wearing a club colours, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be observed cheering each score with the enthusiasm of a man who had likely realized the oddsmakers had greatly underestimated his team's prospects of defeating the struggling champions, and placed large bets accordingly.
MANAGER'S RESPONSE
"I don't think it's a statement win," said the facial-haired team manager the head coach after his team's most recent victory, their eighth in nine league matches. "Perhaps it is for others on the periphery. It could alter perceptions. It might validate views that there's a tightrope. But we must be realistic, we are delighted with what the players have given us. Technically, we look in a strong position, and definitely physically we look in a excellent shape, so we hope it persists. Of course, it's not a position that the team is used to being in." No, the manager, it isn't. But the glorious, analytics-backed truth is that for the first time in ages, the Scottish game might genuinely have a championship battle that somebody besides Celtic or Rangers can win.