Hearts duo named dressing room lawmakers amid fines that teammate hates as Derek McInnes' 'crazy jokes' shared
A Hearts star has pulled the curtain back on the Jambos title bid.
Claudio Braga insists the title race focus is very much on Hearts winning matches rather than dropped points elsewhere - as he provided an insight into the Tynecastle changing room.
The Portuguese striker has stepped up as a leader on the pitch amid absences for the likes of Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin, scoring the winner in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Aberdeen. Rangers and Celtic drawing 2-2 the following day means Derek McInnes’ side are six points clear at the top heading into a fortnight’s break prior to facing Kilmarnock on March 14th.
Braga recognises that a draw in the latest Old Firm at Ibrox is ultimately good news for Hearts. With nine games to go, the focus is very much on what they do when they’re in action, as boss McInnes’ less serious side was brought to light on the Premier Sports Social Club.
Claudio Braga on Derek McInnes
“When he talks, everybody listens,” said Braga. “He can be this serious, mad guy, but at the same time, he can say crazy jokes. He helped me a lot with my performance and a lot of other players on our team. We get energy, and we fight for each other like a family. A lot of that is down to him and his staff and the way they get their words across – that’s just what we need.
“Of course, it was a huge win against a tough opponent. It keeps us in a good position and for us in the locker room, of course we are happy, 1-0 doesn’t really matter. It’s a win. If we do our results then we don’t have to worry about the other result. This result was maybe good for us but as long as we do our jobs then that’s all that matters.”
Braga’s life in Gorgie has been largely positive but what he doesn’t like is the fine system within the changing room, that he has often fell victim too. With a child-like Shankland alongside lawmakers Craig Halkett and Devlin dishing out the fines, the forward has provided a light-hearted inside to what goes on away from the spotlight in Gorgie.
Claudio Braga on Hearts dressing room
“You have Craig Halkett,” Braga started. “That is a guy who you look at, and he is always so serious. He says jokes, but he is so serious all the time. When I came, I was scared of him at first because every time he joked, it didn’t look like he was joking.
“I was like, 'man, I’ve messed up'. Cammy, he’s annoying, this little guy that is trying to make everybody mad but in a funny way. So he fines me all the time. He and Halkett are the fine guys, they fine me a lot, and I hate that.
“Then you have a lot of guys, Shankland, who is a 30-year-old with a five-year-old mindset. Everybody has their strengths when it comes to comedy, but everybody can be so serious in training, insult each other, and demand from each other. But then we are out of training, and suddenly we are laughing, and that’s what is so good.”