Business End Of Season Starts Tonight For Hearts

Well?what a difference year makes! The last time I published anything on this site I was still manfully attempting to drum up enthusiasm for watching Csaba Laszlo`s struggling and decidedly workman-like Hearts side, a task that was beginning to take on all the appeal of one of those God-awful Friday morning office meetings about which items need to be added to the “Global Risk Register”. If the latter means nothing to you (and please consider yourself very fortunate if that is the case!) then try to imagine being forced to watch Indiana Jones IV for the second time without taking a break to cry away those shattered childhood memories. It really was getting to be that bad.

But alas, the prodigal son that is Jim Jefferies returned and??here we are in the middle of our most exciting run in five years. Many are drawing comparisons between this current Hearts side and the famous vintage of 1986, and while it`s true that there are more than a few notable similarities there, isn`t it probably still is a bit early to be suggesting that we`re on the verge of a potential double-winning season? Or?.being an `86 Vet` (!) myself, is this erring on the side of caution merely what such a crushing disappointment can do to a gentleman`s natural optimism?! Time will obviously tell, but it`s a hell of a lot more stimulating being able to have discussions along those lines in relation to Hearts than trying for the 33rd time in a row to justify the selection of Obua on the left wing!

Tonight`s re-arranged Scottish Cup Third Round tie against St Johnstone at Tynecastle represents the start of the season`s business end as far as Hearts` trophy aspirations are concerned. There are those saying that it makes sense for JJ to be resting key players tonight in order to keep them fresh for the extremely challenging programme of league matches that awaits us later on in the month, and while that does make sense from a certain point of view, we should remember that the cup represents a very real opportunity of silverware for Hearts this season if they can keep up their good form. Going out tamely tonight would be a big disappointment and one which does have the potential to have a damaging knock-on effect from here on in (we only need to lose one league game before everyone will assume that the ‘bubble has burst`) so it`s very important for JJ and co to do everything that they can to keep things going?.not that they`re likely to be doing anything other than that mind you.

It promises to be a strange atmosphere at Tynecastle tonight with the Wheatfield Stand due to be closed after the nonsensical playground stand-off that recently took place between Hearts and St Johnstone, but let`s hope that this won`t have too detrimental an effect on the home players and they can record another victory to keep this great run of form going. A few more of these and??