Premiership rival keen to see Hearts clinch title glory as two allegiances removed in declaring Jambos support
The Premiership boss reckons a Hearts title win would be good for Scottish football.
David Martindale would like to see Hearts break the Scottish football mould by winning the Premiership this season.
The Jambos are top of the league and have a four point lead over second-placed Rangers, with current holders Celtic six adrift and in third, after the pair played out a 2-2 draw at Tynecastle on Sunday. Martindale’s Livingston are bottom of the league amid a difficult return to the top flight to this point but he has kept a close eye on developments at the summit.
Growing up a Rangers fan and managing a rival club, Martindale is happy to put those allegiances to the side and focus on what he feels would be for the good of the Scottish game. That is a different winner to Rangers and Celtic, who have controlled the top flight title since the 80s.
David Martindale on Hearts winning the league
Martindale, who’s side take on fourth-placed Motherwell this Saturday, said: “Hearts, I think they’re the team. I think Hearts have showed over the course of the season real consistency. I look at their squad. I look at Del... and I want it to be Hearts. I want it for Scottish football, I want it for them. We all moan about Rangers and Celtic winning the league every year – is this not brilliant (Hearts being top)?
“Everybody’s saying ‘oh, the Old Firm aren’t playing well’, but Hearts have been doing magnificent. I know a lot of the Hearts players, I know a lot of the Hearts staff. I think it’s a fantastic football club that have now got a real good structure upstairs and downstairs. I think they’ve got a real, real chance.
“Take my Livingston hat off and the fact I grew up a Rangers fan. I love Scottish football, and for Scottish football, I think it’d be brilliant if Hearts can go and win this league. I thought it was magnificent when Leicester did it in the English Premiership, and I think Hearts have got more than enough to do that. I think they’ve shown that against the Old Firm.
Will Hearts do more transfer business?
“It’ll be an interesting 1, 2, 3, 4 this year because I don’t think you can just nail Motherwell on for being fourth. I think they could split the Old Firm as well. I also think Rangers have given themselves a wee outside chance as well, and Celtic under Martin (O’Neill) have showed probably more consistency, but I’ll go for Hearts.”
Hearts could strengthen their bid with more recruits before the end of the transfer window, having already signed Jordi Altena, Islam Chenokov and Marc Leonard. McInnes told Sky: "We'd still like to do one more.
"The difficulty we're finding, because of our position in the league and because clubs are now aware of Tony Bloom, everybody thinks we're awash with money, which we aren't. Sometimes players we've maybe identified can soon become outwith our reach because clubs start to raise the fee and raise wages so we're up against it a bit. We'd like to bring in one more if we can but if we don't, if the window shuts with what we've got in the building, I'm confident we can make a right fist of it."