No European football at Tynecastle but the new head coach sees League Cup benefit

With no European football this season, Hearts are focused on impacting the Premier Sports Cup group phase like a bullet from a gun. New head coach Derek McInnes is determined to build momentum when competitive action starts against Dunfermline Athletic on 12 July. He stressed there will be no experimenting with the team, pledging to put out his strongest available XI for each tie.

Hearts finished seventh in last season’s William Hill Premiership and therefore will not compete in Europe this term. That allows McInnes, who left Kilmarnock for Gorgie last month, the opportunity to focus solely on domestic affairs. Whilst he would much rather be juggling extra fixtures against continental opponents - as Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee United will be this term - he can also see some advantages to the situation.

“I’d rather have to deal with European fixtures, the congestion and all the disruption that can cause,” said the 53-year-old. “That's what I want us to be and where I want us to be. Unfortunately, we've got to look from the outside in this season. When we've not got European football to contend with, it's important you try to make hay at the start of the season and get off to a strong start. I think any team wants to get off to a strong start, get that first win under your belt as quickly as possible.

“At Killie, there's no doubt that we suffered a wee bit last season [in the Europa League and Conference League qualifiers]. We always thought we were good enough to make up the ground and Hearts would have been the same. I certainly always thought Hearts could maybe make up the ground to get where they wanted to get to, but sometimes you give yourself too much to do. So it's important that we get off to a strong start.

“There are so many advantages if you're playing in Europe but I think, from a new manager's point of view, just focusing on one game a week can help. No player is at their maximum at the early part of the season, nobody is fully fit. It normally takes eight to 10 games to get players fully up to speed, so sometimes when you’re in Europe you’re playing and dealing with the biggest level of games while piling up fixtures.

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“It does put a bit of strain on you and, unless you've got a really strong squad to deal with it, then it can cause you issues. There's no doubt about that. If you are playing Saturday, Thursday, Sunday, your opponents domestically are focusing solely on you - whereas you are only turning your eyes to a domestic opponent on Friday.

“Even from that part of it, the team you are up against, unless they are in Europe, always have a bit of an advantage. I always saw it as an advantage playing against Celtic, Rangers, whoever, after a European game. Sometimes the fixtures can be kind to you in that sense. I think we will be Aberdeen’s first competitive game [in the opening Premiership match]. So I think we get the benefit of League Cup games, because you've had that competitive football.”

Hearts’ other Group E games are against Hamilton Academical, Dumbarton and Stirling Albion. Despite the lower-league opposition, McInnes does not intend to experiment in the Premier Sports Cup. “No chance. I will play the best team possible,” he declared. “I might have the luxury of being able to freshen things up but there is no playing about with the team. It will be the strongest Hearts team in every game.

“I have a system in mind but I also want us to be flexible within it. Without certain ones that we want to recruit, we can’t be what I want us to be just yet. If we can get a couple more in nearer what we’d like then I think we would be able to have the confidence with that flexibility.”