Robert Snodgrass loving 'exceptional' Hearts move by Tony Bloom as one star backed to bang title drum
The former Hearts player has been talking up the Jambos’ title credentials this term.
Robert Snodgrass reckons mindset will prove key to whether or not Hearts can sustain a push for the Premiership title.
The former Tynecastle playmaker is impressed by investor Tony Bloom’s bold move into Scottish football with intent on shaking up the Old Firm hold on top prize glory. Derek McInnes’ side sit top of the league with a nine point margin ahead of this weekend’s clash with Dundee United at Tynecastle prior to the international break.
Snodgrass reckons that with Bloom’s investment and McInnes’ management, it’s now on the players to get in the headspace for keeping themselves as contenders for the duration of this season. One player he thinks will be key to that is Lawrence Shankland, the Gorgie talisman he featured with while in maroon.
Robert Snodgrass on Hearts
Speaking to Boyle Sports, Snodgrass said: "It's been great to see Hearts in the mix. What Tony Bloom, Graeme Jones (sporting director) and Derek McInnes have done is absolutely exceptional. It's great for Scottish football.
"The big thing now will be for them to have the mindset where they actually believe they can challenge for the title. When I played up there, it was like reading a script and you just knew that either Celtic or Rangers would win the league, and it is what it is.
"But the Hearts players should look at the table and think, 'We're actually sitting in a good position. We believe that we can go and push on.' Derek McInnes and his captain, Lawrence Shankland, will be getting the lads to believe that they've got a real chance this season.
John McGinn’s new Aston Villa contract
Formerly of Aston Villa and Scotland’s national team, Snodgrass has also been keeping tabs on the Villans, where Tartan Army favourite John McGinn has signed a new deal. The midfielder will remain at Villa Park until 2028, 10 years on from when he left Hibs for England, having won the Scottish Cup and Scottish Championship in Leith.
Snodgrass added: "I think Villa have got an exceptional manager, they've got exceptional talents and when they're in the final third, they can score goals. It's been a really tricky start. I think the Villa fans probably expected some big signings to come in, but they've had to sort of stabilise budgets, and they've openly said that. I think for Aston Villa as a whole, every club wants to keep progressing and keep moving forward.
"They've had a few great results over the last couple of weeks and then, obviously, it was a tough ask against Liverpool. But I believe if they went and won there, they'd be in that top six, top eight position. That's after the first few games where everybody was writing them off! But yeah, they'll definitely be up there. As I said, they've got an exceptional manager, a great captain in John McGinn who's done brilliant things for the club. It's a special fan base that will travel home and away. They're that 12th man and are, really, really, really good fans."