Ex AC Milan and Monaco star brands Hearts as major title favourites with McInnes leaning on key mentor lessons
The Jambos’ win over Rangers means they’re just three games from making history
Hearts boss Derek McInnes may have just masterminded a 2-1 heroic victory over Rangers - but Ibrox legend Mark Hateley believes he’s drawing on experiences as a player in Govan to help his current side get ‘over the line.’
McInnes spent five years at Ibrox as a player, where he played under legendary Gers boss Walter Smith, who won 10 league titles with the club over two spells. As Hearts continue to show the desired grit, determination and mentality to go all the way to league glory, ex-Monaco and AC Milan forward Hateley, who also played under Smith at Rangers for five years, thinks McInnes’ experiences under their old gaffer are standing him in good stead.
Hearts’ win on Monday night edged them closer to securing their first league title in 66 years as they now sit three points ahead of Celtic and seven ahead of Rangers with just three games to go. Hateley believes the victory over Rangers makes the Jambos ‘big favourites’ from here on in.
Old mentor can help McInnes in title bid
Having went a goal down in their last four encounters, Hearts have found a way to pick up points with their backs against the wall. When asked if he now felt Hearts were in pole position for the league title, Hateley responded via NetBet football odds: "Big, big favourites. I think Derek, from his time when he was at Rangers, would have learnt a lot from what's required at this particular stage of getting over the line. And a great mentor with Walter Smith behind him. I would say yeah, I'm going to say big favourites.”
Rangers’ Dujon Sterling put the visitors a goal to good before half time as the Jambos struggled to get a foothold in the game. However, in a game of two halves, whatever McInnes said at half time worked wonders. An inspired Blair Spittal substitution changed the game as Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland turned the game on its head. As Rangers created next-to nothing in the second half, Hateley was disappointed to see his old side lack energy.
Hateley on Hearts vs Rangers
He continued: "My thoughts on the game the other night, you're 1-0 up, you go in at half-time, you know that Derek's going to give Hearts players a bit of a gee-up at half-time, and you know if you can get through the first 15 minutes of the second half, then you have a great chance of winning the game. So you need to be in there and you need players that can understand this.
"You need players, leaders, that can say right then guys, we need 15 minutes of the best competitive whatever for the season. In the next 15-20 minutes to get through this, to break the morale down of a team that's trying to win a league, and do everything we can to stop that. To make it even more possible for us to achieve that. We still haven't got enough of those players in that dressing room that understand that.”