Robbie Neilson highlights big steps needed for Hearts to lift a trophy

Robbie Neilson has lifted silverware twice as Hearts manager – now he is craving a major trophy at Tynecastle Park.

While Championship title wins of 2015 and 2021 were memorable, they don’t count as top-level successes in Scottish football. Neilson would not pretend otherwise.

He is eager to deliver this season’s Scottish Cup for Hearts and their supporters. Saturday’s semi-final against Hibs at Hampden Park could take him one massive step closer.

A major trophy is one of few ambitions Neilson has yet to fulfil whilst in charge of the Edinburgh club. He has guided them from the Championship to third in the Premiership and back into European competition in just over a year.

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson is preparing his players for Hampden Park.

Now the focus switches to a tangible reward to cap the recent transformation. “It would be for everyone at the club, to be honest with you. There’s not been many teams at this club who have won a trophy,” acknowledged the manager.

“A number of them have qualified for Europe and a lot of teams have finished third and fourth in the league, but very few have won a cup. So, for us, that’s the objective now for the rest of the season, to try to bring a cup back here.

“Look, we’re still a long, long way away. To get here, we’ve only won three games and we’ve still got another two to go. We’re only 60 per cent done. You don’t want to get carried away. Yes, it would be great, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.

“It’s been a good season, there’s no denying that, but it’s got the potential to be a great season. We’re a few games away from that and we have to take care of them first. I’ve been pleased with the players so far, but there’s still a couple of big steps to take.”

Beating Hibs 3-1 in the Premiership at Tynecastle Park last week sets Hearts up for Hampden. Another victory would likely secure European group-stage football until November. However, fundamentally, there is pride at stake.

“I think the most important thing that I keep saying to the players is that it’s a derby. You need to win it first and foremost. The second part is that it is a semi-final which is a chance to get to a final,” stressed Neilson.

“What comes from that, whether it be European football or group stages, doesn’t really matter. We need to win the game first and foremost so our focus has got to be that.

“Last week we were trying to keep them focused on the league game. You can start to focus on the Scottish Cup game because it’s the bigger of the two, but thankfully they managed to concentrate on that and got it done. Now it’s all about winning this one.

“Like any derby, you need to win your first headers and tackles and you need to be positive. If we can do that then hopefully we can get a result.

“It’s going to be a different game. I would expect Hibs to make a couple of changes. [Ryan] Porteous will come back in, maybe [Lewis] Stevenson and maybe [Christian] Doidge if he’s available, so then it becomes a totally different team. We have to be wary of that.”

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