Former Hearts star revels in back-to-back Celtic triumphs while making bold Tony Bloom January claim
The former Hearts and Rangers man believes his former side should ‘have a go’ next month.
As Hearts extend their lead at the top of the SPFL Premiership table with their second win of the season over Celtic, a former player believes this is the perfect time to get at their Glaswegian rivals.
A first half Claudio Braga strike and second half Oisin McEntee bullet-header was enough to spur The Jambos onto victory in the East End of Glasgow, despite a late Kieran Tierney consolation goal. The win now means Hearts go three points clear of Celtic, who still have a game in hand. After back-to-back league wins over the Hoops, as well as their triumph at Ibrox in September, Derek McInnes appears to have broken the ‘Glasgow curse’ thus far.
Before Sunday, there was talk that Hearts’ bubble may have burst at the top of the table, after one win in six, however the Celtic victory has put that on hold. Former Hearts winger, Neil McCann believes that his old side must now kick on from their impressive win, while claiming that major investor Tony Bloom should ‘have a go’ in the upcoming January transfer window.
‘Big marker laid down’
Speaking on BBC Sportsound’s Scottish Football Podcast, McCann said: “the fact they've gone to Celtic Park and beaten Celtic back-to-back now in different ways in terms of their set-up defensively, their structure, who they chose to nullify, who they chose to leave on the ball. I thought it was a big, big marker laid down by Derek McInnes and Hearts today.
“What I would say on the back of that is a lot of people think the bubbles burst. Because of Hearts’ run as they hadn’t won since the 1st of November, I think. But that’s [Celtic win] breathed so much life into their title challenge for a lot of people looking at Hearts.”
Hearts will have the opportunity to further extend their lead at the top this weekend with victory over Falkirk, after that, it’s back-to-back mammoth fixtures against Rangers and Hibs either side of Christmas. If they maintain their place at the top of the table until then, McCann believes Bloom should look to strengthen further in January.
‘They’ll never get a better chance’
He continued: “it might just sway Tony Bloom and all the guys on the board, to think, is this the year we throw some money at it for Hearts? Because I genuinely believe that they'll never get a better chance and I think Celtic and Rangers will go again, quick.
“I think this is a year that Hearts should take every advantage and have a real go at it. The team are performing. I think they were brilliant against Celtic and against Wilfried Nancy’s change of set-up, which doesn’t look as if it’ll catch fire quick, in my opinion. I think, while Hearts have got that bit of light there and the good feeling, Derek McInnes should be up knocking doors.”