The Reasons Hearts' Historic Title Tilt Isn't as a Shock.
JAMBOS BLAZING
Perhaps the sole unexpected element of Heart of Midlothian's victory over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership was just how taken aback people seemed when reports of the outcome and its impact for the top of the standings circulated. Although this convincing victory at Tynecastle, which leaves the Edinburgh side top of the table and a significant margin ahead of Celtic, was seismic in nature, no one who has been following the progress of both team this campaign will have been even remotely shocked by the result.
Over the past 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of Celtic and Rangers have divided the Scottish league between them, reducing fitba to something of a joke in the process. Nine games into the present campaign it has become apparent that Hearts – who count celebrated snooker player, Olympic champion and Ken Stott among their celebrity fans – could be prepared to strike while the Glasgow duo influence is at its weakest.
THE CHAMPIONS' DECLINE
While a lot of the attention in Scotland has been on the absolute bin-fire being endured by the Ibrox club, the complete turmoil of the circumstances at their stadium has resulted in that Celtic's comparatively less severe decline has been able to worsen unnoticed. The reigning champions have so far dropped a considerable number from nine league games this season under Brendan Rodgers. The Celtic manager has acquired the thousand-yard stare of a individual who constantly consulting his Google calendar to see how many time are left until his deal ends, and woke up this day to discover the number is over two hundred.
"No one has put in more effort in my entire tenure here," he informed reporters following the defeat, after they had doubted his appetite for any kind of a title fight. "Therefore the drive is there to try and reverse the levels that we're at. It's absolutely fine, it's still so early."
NEW CHALLENGER
Considering the horrific start to the season being experienced by the other Glasgow side, the Celtic boss and his men could typically be expected to get away with their own inability to roar out of the traps, but this year an Edinburgh disruptor has entered the mix. In spite of being obliged to operate with a war-chest that is not just a tiny fraction of their rivals' as a minuscule amount in comparison, the Tynecastle outfit have introduced the money and expertise of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership equation. In addition to putting in £10m during the summer, the Premier League figurehead has granted Hearts exclusive use of his highly confidential analytics-based proprietary scouting recruitment tool.
In an Irish defender, a Greek talent and a Brazilian prospect it has enabled them to discover unpolished gems from an English lower-league side, the Slovak first division and the Norwegian second tier, among other exotic footballing outposts, for the combined cost of a modest car. Spotted at their home venue on Sunday wearing a club colours, the notoriously astute sports betting expert could be seen cheering each score with the gusto of a person who had likely realized the oddsmakers had massively underestimated his team's prospects of beating the struggling champions, and filled his boots as a result.
MANAGER'S RESPONSE
"In my opinion it's a statement win," said bearded Hearts gaffer Derek McInnes after his team's most recent victory, their eighth in nine league matches. "It might be for others on the outside looking in. It might change perceptions. It may confirm views that there's a fine line. But we must be realistic, we're really pleased with what the players have provided us. Technically, we look in a good place, and certainly physically we look in a excellent shape, so long may that continue. Of course, it's not a position that this club is used to being in." Correct, Derek, it isn't. But the glorious, data-driven truth is that for the first time in ages, Scottish football might actually have a championship battle that a team other than Celtic or Rangers can win.