Hearts’ season opener is going to be ‘unpredictable’

Hearts kick off their SWPL season on Sunday as they travel to last season’s relegation play-off winners Hamilton. However, manager Eva Olid remains cautious about her upcoming opponents.

Both sides have seen an influx of players join and leave their clubs over the summer as they attempt to get their sides in the best possible shape for the opener. Hearts have seen nine new additions while Hamilton has also seen a similar number join as well as a new manager take the reins in Robert Watson. While later in a season it becomes more evident what the strengths and weaknesses of each side are, the opener doesn’t provide this benefit with many clubs left in the dark about the tactics their opposition will use their team with. Going into Sunday, Olid is aware of the challenge that faces her side but is excited to embrace it.

“We are excited and are looking forward to the start of the season,” Olid told the Edinburgh Evening News. “We like the competition. In preseason you are playing friendlies, but it is not the same. Friendlies are like training matches, you do it to prepare for the competition. We are excited to start the league.

“The first match of the season, you don’t know too much about the opposition. Moreso, if they have a new manager and players like Hamilton do. We cannot take information from last season as they probably have a new style of play, with the new players it is different. We know that they have changed their style of play in a good way. It is not going to be easy and we will have to be ready.”

Georgia Hunter next to the SWPL1 trophy ahead of the new season. Credit: Malcolm Mackenzie / ScottishPower Women’s Premier League

The success of Hearts last season is definitely something the club can build on going into Sunday’s game. The Edinburgh side did the double over Hamilton last season with their last meeting ending 5-0 to the Jam Tarts back in December before going on to finish fourth. After a long preseason break, the club are raring to get back out onto the pitch to pick up where they left off. Captain Georgia Hunter was one of the Hearts’ key players in the last campaign as she ensured her backline remained watertight. With the start of the campaign just around the corner, the 22-year-old is determined to get off to the best possible start.

“I’m really excited to get underway,” she added. “We finished on a real high last season, finishing fourth was really great for us. We are just really ready to go now and ready to build on what we have. It has been a long time coming now with a long preseason. The girls are really excited about it and I am too. That’s what you all want you want the competition to start. It will be a really good game on Sunday so hopefully, the three points will be in the bag.”

The game will take place at the ZLX stadium with kick-off set to take place at 16:00. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for £5 or £8.