Exclusive: Andy Halliday reveals new Hearts target and the players' meeting which turned form around

Emotions are rather different from Andy Halliday’s last chat with this newspaper thanks to a transformed narrative surrounding Hearts.

Perched on steps behind the dugouts at McDiarimid Park four weeks ago, the midfielder admitted being “overwhelmed with anger” after four defeats and a draw from six league games.

Now he stands relaxed in a corridor deep in the bowels of Tynecastle Park, brimming with positivity following four wins from five. Hearts’ form is on an upward trajectory again since a key players’ meeting after that 2-1 loss at St Johnstone. The significance of Craig Halkett’s return in central defence should not be overlooked, either.

The squad spoke among themselves to address sub-standard performances and managed to execute a full turnaround. There is even talk of new targets over and above the stated aims of European football and Scottish Cup success.

Hearts midfielder Andy Halliday is enjoying the season's run-in.

It is an altogether more upbeat Halliday chatting this time. “Last time I spoke to you at St Johnstone, we had a chat on the Monday after that game. We said we can’t be focused on third place. Third will take care of itself if you get three points on a Saturday, that was the message,” he explains.

“Since then, we have gone on a great run. Regardless what is going to happen from now until the end of the season, that’s the main focus – getting three points every week.”

Sitting third in the Premiership, 14 points clear of Dundee United in fourth, and awaiting a seismic Scottish Cup semi-final with rivals Hibs, Hearts are on course for a potentially historic campaign.

It would have been difficult to envisage such heights 12 months ago but Halliday felt it was possible. “Oh yeah, absolutely,” he says. “People might not believe me but I spoke about it last season. We took a lot of criticism and I said it was 100 per cent deserved. I felt we still had the base of a really good squad here.

Andy Halliday and Peter Haring can't believe Barrie McKay has scored his first Hearts goal.

“The important thing was that [sporting director] Joe Savage and [manager] Robbie Neilson did their job, recruited well and made this a competitive place to be. They’ve certainly done that.

“I joined Hearts not only because they had ambitions to get back to the top flight, but once they did they wanted to be competing high up the league, playing in Europe and trying to win cups.

“It's obviously March at the moment and we are well on course to achieve the targets set. We still have some massive games to come, regardless how many points clear we are.”

And there are further targets thereafter. “If you go and secure third, can you then get a record points total if that’s possible? Then you try to win to Scottish Cup, so we’ve got plenty massive things to play for. It’s going to be an exciting couple of months.”

Halliday expects to be fit despite hirpling off with an injury during Saturday’s 2-0 win against Livingston. “It was more of an impact injury. The full weight of the boy landed on me so it’s just a little pinch at the back of my knee. The international break has come at a good time for me. I’ll make sure I’m raring to go at Ross County next week.”

There is a knack to handling pressure at this point in the season. Experience helps. Halliday is well versed with the scenario as a 30-year-old campaigner boasting spells in Scotland and England.

He knows what is required to, as the saying goes, get over the line. “It’s exactly the same conversation that we had after that St Johnstone game: Win at Ross County and then win against Hibs the week after.”

It sounds simple but momentum is a major factor. Hearts supporters aren’t slow to voice an opinion when results dip and, conversely, a run of victories can generate the most passionate response from the Tynecastle stands.

“I’d like to think they can see what we are trying to achieve,” says Halliday. “I don’t think it’s just results, I feel it’s also the way we are playing. Some of the football we have played this season has been excellent. I’d also say we can get better.

“I’m still waiting for us to have that 90-minute performance where we absolutely blitz a team. I feel we have that in us. I thought we were superb against Livingston for the first 35 minutes. It’s just trying to put that 90 minutes together.

“It’s nit-picking because we have been really good. We certainly aren’t a perfect team, far from it. Every day we are striving to get better.

“Looking at the bigger picture, it’s great that we have different players scoring goals. That means we aren’t relying too heavily on [Liam] Boycie and Ellis [Simms]. Of course they are strikers and will get goals for us, but recently a few defenders and midfielders have chipped in.”

One of those is Halliday’s close friend, Barrie McKay. An exquisite volley at the weekend was the forward’s first Hearts goal after 30 appearances and reignited discussions about a possible Scotland call-up.

New recruit Halkett and established No.1 Craig Gordon are the Tynecastle representatives in the national team this time. They would be joined by John Souttar but for injury. Halliday feels other team-mates are in contention.

“Steve Clarke has got some healthy decisions on his hands because, in my lifetime, this is probably the most competitive the Scotland squad has been,” he says. “It’s not just Baz in my opinion, there’s Stephen Kingsley. A number of boys in our squad have done enough for recognition.

“I’m sure Steve Clarke knows that. You see how well Soapy [Souttar] did when he went into the Scotland squad a few months ago. That’s a credit to Hearts and the progress we have made. For me, if Baz keeps performing the way he has over the last few weeks, he is going to be hard to ignore.”

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