Insight into Craig Gordon's Hearts impact as keeper labelled 'best I've ever played with'

It’s no secret that Hearts had their goalkeeping issues last season as they hurtled towards the foot of the Premiership.

Craig Gordon has made a huge impact on his Hearts team-mates.

Zdenek Zlamal and his counterpart Colin Doyle were unconvincing enough in the early part of the campaign for then manager Craig Levein to sign Joel Pereira on loan from Manchester United, a move that was supposed to cure Hearts’ ills.

In fact, it made the malaise even worse. Pereira became a much-maligned figure within the Hearts support, so much so that Zlamal was reinstated as No.1 before the season was curtailed early.

While all of the Hearts players are too professional to condemn team-mates past and present, watch back some of the goals conceded last season and the faces of Hearts defenders tell it all. They were not aided by some slapstick goalkeeping.

Michael Smith says some of Gordon's saves are 'frightening'.

So, when decorated, experienced stopper Craig Gordon was snapped up on a two-year deal this summer, it’s little wonder the Hearts fans rejoiced. Gordon left Tynecastle in 2007 for a £9million move to Sunderland, and 13 years and numerous medals later, he is back at his formative club at the age of 37. His contribution has already been significant, with some crucial saves in all of the Jambos’ matches this season.

Michael Smith, Hearts’ right-back, has played with some good goalkeepers. Yet, even after only working with Gordon for a few months, he rates him as the best he’s ever played with.

"He's been brilliant,” said Smith. “I think he's the best keeper I've worked with. He's massive for us. Good leadership ... he's had a great career and he's back here. He loves it here, he wants to be here and he's the type of player we want here. Hopefully with him behind us, it gives us a strong base to build from.”

What makes Gordon so good then? "You should go watch him in training!” exclaimed Smith. “It's everything about him. Keepers with great experience, they always control the game well, plenty of talking. You always feel more comfortable with someone like that behind you and it gives the rest of the team confidence.

"Every day when we play five-a-sides, his team always wins! Some of the saves he makes in training are frightening, I don't know how he does it."

Gordon won the Scottish Cup in 2006 with Hearts, defeating Hibs 4-0 in the semi-finals. Since that triumph, the 54-times capped Scotland internationalist has lifted that trophy a further two times, the League Cup five times and the Scottish Premiership title five times too, all with Celtic. His Hearts team-mates will be tapping into his expertise when they clash with Capital rivals Hibs this weekend for the right to make it into this year’s Scottish Cup final.

"He told the boys a few weeks ago about how many trophies he's won,” said Smith. “I haven't got enough fingers and toes for that! He's got the experience of doing it and that'll help us massively.”

Such is his form, Gordon has been tipped for a return to the Scotland set-up. "I was speaking to him a few weeks ago and he said he still wants to play for his country," added Smith, “so hopefully he can get back into the squad." Given the impact he’s had already at Hearts, it would be no surprise.

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