Cammy Devlin explains Hearts' gameplan against Rosenborg and why there is no room for error

Australian midfielder ready for a fast-paced encounter

Hearts cannot give Rosenborg time or space at Tynecastle Park and must start the game at pace if they want to overturn the 2-1 European deficit. That is the message from midfielder Cammy Devlin ahead of the finely-poised Europa Conference League third qualifying round second leg.

The Edinburgh club hope to hem the Norwegians in their own half and unsettle them on Thursday night. Whoever prevails on aggregate faces Hajduk Split or PAOK Salonika in the play-off round before the group stage. First, the meeting in Gorgie promises to be a dramatic affair.

“Last year we had the luxury of being able to lose the tie and being in the group stages of the Conference League,” recalled Devlin. “This year we don’t so we need to win. It’s as simple as that. We want to pin teams back as far up the pitch as we can and when you’re on the other side of that – when you’re getting pinned back, you’re under pressure and they get a corner and you clear it and they’re just back – it’s not a nice feeling and you do feel it’s only a matter of time. You do feel that.

“When you’re on the other end, putting teams under pressure, it’s the best feeling ever. That’s what we have been instructed to do as much as we can. When you’re the team under pressure, it’s not nice. It’s sort of a nervy feeling so we want to do that not just tomorrow but in the other games we play, turning possession into positive chance-creation.

“Rosenborg are a young team but if you’re good enough you’re old enough. I strongly believe that. They are a young team but they are good players and they will have learned a bit from that last half hour. But it’s about us putting as much pressure on them as we can. I don’t want to say they are fragile but we believe we can take the game to them and score goals – and we just have to go out and do that.”

Hearts’ temperament will be crucial on the night. “Absolutely. It is about asking the question and we have to that,” added Devlin. “This season our second halves have been decent, but out of the blocks we have not been as quick as we would have liked. We are 2-1 down and we are at home. We will come out the blocks as quick as we can and put them under pressure.”

A passionate home crowd is expected to fill Tynecastle and generate a raucous atmosphere. Devlin is eager to deliver what they desire. “We are the players out there on the pitch. It’s about us giving them a reason to believe and to be making noise,” he said.

Cammy Devlin is ready for Hearts' European return leg against Rosenborg. Pic: SNS

“We are definitely going to need their support tonight and whether it takes 10 minutes or 80 minutes to score we need their full support the whole time, which I’m sure we will get. It’s about us coming out the blocks quick and having that mix of control and patience to get the outcome we wants.”