Jim: Any major changes at a football club take time to acclimatise but I do feel Hearts might well be the shock team this season. The manager was recruited in good time, new signings are showing promise and with Craig Gordon and Lawrence Shankland still with the club, we are in good shape. What we need is a George Burley sort of start, and build from there.
We asked for your views on how Hearts are shaping up for the new season, which kicks off at home to Aberdeen on Monday night.
Here's what some of you said:
Jim: Any major changes at a football club take time to acclimatise but I do feel Hearts might well be the shock team this season. The manager was recruited in good time, new signings are showing promise and with Craig Gordon and Lawrence Shankland still with the club, we are in good shape. What we need is a George Burley sort of start, and build from there. We could realistically challenge Rangers for second place. I would set my minimum as finishing third and winning one cup.
Chris: Derek McInnes wasn't my first choice as manager, but he's a solid operator at this level, so if nothing else I expect us to be hard to beat. Seeing the new level of physicality has been badly missed. Only time will tell if we recruited broadly or quality, hoping the latter is what we enjoy this season. Here we go.
Chris: Hearts will split the Old Firm this season. We are strong, fast, sharp and working together. Rangers have brought in players who already look like duds. This is our year.
Nelson: McInnes seems to be the pragmatic and experienced manager that Hearts deserve. Recruitment seems to have been sensible as well. It's not too much to hope for a good cup run and at least top four in the league. Hearts have underachieved for a long time, but it has been obvious we have needed more mobility, height and goalscorers. McInnes and Tony Bloom's analytics seems to have addressed all of those factors. This may all be mindless optimism, but it can't be as bad as the hapless Neil Critchley era, can it?
Dave: After a good start, and mind you against lower-league opposition, talk of a third-place finish is way too premature. Lots of new, and some familiar faces all vying for a spot in the starting line-up, sounds positive and competitive, but can have its downside. There will be a few ups and downs in the first run of league fixtures which will show where we stand and from that some continuity may be found. Finishing in the top six is a must.
John: Only one thing to say, look out Scottish Premiership, here we come!
Category: General Sports
