Hearts have to go to Ibrox feeling like a big club... they should go into the game with a swagger

DURING my eight years at Aberdeen, I never thought it was impossible to win the league. It’s a huge ask for any non-Old Firm team and certainly much harder than in 1985 when Sir Alex Ferguson took the title back to the north east for the final time.

But both Edinburgh clubs should be encouraged by the starts they have made to the season.

It’s still early but there is nothing wrong with getting excited — that’s why supporters love their team and enjoy going to the games.

I say this fully aware that during my time at Pittodrie I tended to play it all down.

As a manager, you are always conscious of who is reading your words in the newspapers, who you might annoy or motivate with a sound bite on the radio or TV.

So we decided to keep a lid on it to the point where we were really bland and boring in what we said publicly.

But privately, behind closed doors and inside that dressing-room, my message was totally different. I was always bullish. We always felt we could win cups and I was happy to put that out there every time.

But in every league campaign we were motivated, too. When I first took over, people used to say ‘wait till Rangers come back’. We twice finished second.

Then it was Hibs and

It’s all about the No1 and the No9. That’s what makes everything in between work

Hearts coming up and we dealt with that, too.

When you get to the last round of games, ten to go, that’s the time you can really start to sniff it.

Until then, it’s important you keep everybody on an even keel but Hearts, unbeaten in the league after eight matches, will fancy their chances against Rangers next Saturday.

They have to go to Ibrox feeling like a big club. They should go into the game with a swagger.

And they can learn lessons from Hibs’ visit to the home of the champions last Sunday.

The question on everyone’s lips, not least Jack Ross, is what would have happened had his team managed to keep 11 men on the pitch.

Hibs started well, scored and the performance was everything they would have wanted.

In any game, a sending-off can be detrimental but even more so at Ibrox. I thought Ryan Porteous was rash. At first, I was surprised to see the red but, having seen it again, he has gone in and tried to leave one on Joe Aribo. He missed him but has paid the price. You need to pick your moments to show your aggression and the enormity of the consequences might help young Ryan learn.

If you are going to beat Rangers or Celtic home or away, you can’t carry anybody and you certainly can’t afford to lose a man.

Robbie Neilson will have that drummed into his players and he will also be mindful of the need to hit their maximum levels. I watched Hearts during their League Cup section games and thought they seemed short but it looks as if they were patient, held their nerve and identified players who could affect their starting XI.

As a promoted side, you risk being caught up with the feeling there is not a lot wrong with a winning team but Robbie and director of football Joe Savage have been pro-active.

They have added Ben Woodburn and Barrie McKay to play in behind Liam Boyce, who has always scored goals. I’ve not seen so much of Cammy Devlin in midfield but, by all accounts, he has started great.

And I’ve been really impressed by Beni Baningime. At first glance, I thought he was more of a destructive player, somebody tenacious. He is that but he can also deal with the ball and take responsibility.

It’s about keeping him fit. He had injury problems during his time at Everton but, if he is over that and paired with Devlin, they have really good legs in there.

The system Robbie has chosen to adopt has a back three, two No10s and two energetic and efficient midfielders who cover the ground. The balance is good.

But despite all the signings, it’s about the No 1 and the No 9. That’s what makes everything in between work.

Craig Gordon is a goalkeeper who can turn one point into three points with a save. At the top end of the pitch, Boyce can do the same with a goal. Keeping those two fit might just hold the key to everything. Ultimately, we fell short at Aberdeen but it wasn’t for the want of trying. People say that season 2015-16 was the big chance but Ronny Deila’s Celtic still amassed 86 points. That tally normally wins you the league.

For much of that season, we felt we had the squad to keep winning games.

I have just mentioned the importance of Boyce and Gordon to Hearts and I must draw a comparison with Danny Ward and Adam Rooney.

In the January window of 2016, Jurgen Klopp decided to recall Danny to Liverpool and, just a few weeks later, Adam pulled his thigh and was out for the season.

We had got to February, March and were still in the hunt but we never really coped with losing our goalkeeper and top scorer.

We probably dropped a few points when we needed to crank it up and push on. With our strongest team on the pitch, we felt we could keep winning games but we struggled to keep pace.

If you come through the Christmas period and can strengthen in January, then that’s the time to be really serious.

I don’t think we quite did that in 2016. For six months, Ward was exceptional — the confidence he gave our team was so important. And Rooney is similar to Boyce, a consistent goalscorer.

Traditionally, Rangers and Celtic can put the foot down in January and show their financial clout.

In the days of Sir Alex and Jim McLean, there wasn’t that financial disparity.

Aberdeen paid well and Dundee United had big bonuses. That allowed them to compete for players within the Scottish market.

It’s difficult to hit those levels but you can work towards it. And I always believed Aberdeen were capable of having that almostfaultless season.

The trouble is your team gets broken up. It happened to Hibs under Tony Mowbray, players were sold off and it paid for the stadium and training ground. Had we kept that team together at Aberdeen, we’d have had a better chance.

Look at the players we had walk through the door — James Maddison, Ryan Christie, Sam Cosgrove, Michael Hector, Ward, Rooney.

If Celtic had accepted our offer for Christie, it would have strengthened our hand. And if we had managed to keep Ryan Jack, Graeme Shinnie, Kenny McLean, Scott McKenna and Jonny Hayes together, then of course we would have had a better chance.

Pre-Bosman, clubs were in charge of contracts. Managers had the power and the clubs were king.

Now we have freedom of contract and the richest league in the world is just over the border.

And yet I go back to it — I don’t think it’s impossible.

Rangers and Celtic can be stretched by their European campaigns and you can catch them early in the season.

It’s a chance for clubs to make hay and get their noses in front.

If Hearts and Hibs can keep putting together results and come out of the window stronger, then there is hope.

At the minute, the motivation for both Edinburgh clubs will be to finish above each other.

That’s healthy in any season. The fact they have that challenge at the top end of the table is great to see.

Jack and Hibs have their body of work from last season, finishing third. If they can improve on their points tally that will give them the confidence they can at least replicate that placing.

When Hearts are going well and have that connection with the Tynecastle crowd, it can be worth so much to them.

It’s been an almost perfect start for them and they deserve so much credit. But there is nothing wrong with either club hoping for a bit more than local bragging rights.

Robbie and Jack should be encouraged and optimistic. They need to keep their heads and get a fair wind with injuries and suspensions.

Why not dare to dream?