BANDS who burst suddenly onto the music scene and quickly attract a large and devoted following can often struggle to follow up their initial success and produce that “difficult second album”.
Football teams are not entirely dissimilar.
Hearts were a smash hit and then some in their first season back in the cinch Premiership in the 2021/22 campaign.
They were, despite spending the previous term in the truncated Championship, the best team after champions Celtic and runners-up Rangers by some distance.
The Gorgie outfit finished 13 points ahead of Dundee United in third place and secured a place in the Europa League play-off round.
That guarantees them European football until Christmas, either in that competition or the Conference League, and has allowed them to increase their wage bill.
But how will Hearts fare in their “difficult second season” in the Premiership? Can they do better than last term? Is it possible for them to separate the Glasgow giants? Could they launch a challenge for the Scottish title?
Robbie Neilson, who also took his men through to the Scottish Cup final at Hampden in May, has his work cut out replicating, never mind improving on, what he achieved.
He will certainly miss Scotland centre half John Souttar, who angered their supporters when it emerged he had signed a pre-contract agreement with Rangers in January, in his defence.
Yet, Souttar was out injured for much of March and all of April and Craig Gordon and his team mates lost just once – to leaders Celtic at Parkhead – in nine games.
Neilson is, with Stephen Kingsley, Nathan Atkinson, Craig Halkett, Alex Cochrane and Toby Sibbick all available to him, not exactly short of options. He has also strengthened at the back this summer by bringing in Kye Rowles and Lewis Neilson.
Rowles, a centre half who joined from Central Coast Mariners in June, has won three caps for Australia this year and should be part of the Socceroos squad at the World Cup in Qatar in November. Neilson is hopeful he will improve the Hearts rearguard.
“He is a really good defender in one-against-one situations, is very composed on the ball and has good athleticism,” he said. “He gives us real balance being a left-sided centre-half so I think he will do well for us.”
When the Hearts defence do concede chances they know they can rely on their goalkeeper and captain Gordon to bail them out.
The 39-year-old picked up the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award last season for a record-breaking third occasion following a string of inspired displays for both club and country. If anything, the former Sunderland and Celtic man gets better as he gets older.
The capital outfit scored 54 goals in 38 top flight matches last season. But they should pose even more of a threat up front in the coming months following the capture of Lawrence Shankland from Beerschot in Belgium. The four-times capped Scotland internationalist is lethal in the penalty box.
Neilson got the best out of the centre forward during their time at Dundee United together and will know how to deploy him.
Shankland has certainly started in a positive fashion. The 26-year-old scored two goals on his debut in a pre-season friendly win over Stoke City at Tynecastle on Saturday.
His second was set up by Liam Boyce. If the two strikers can develop a good understanding in the final third then their top flight opponents will not relish facing them. "Lawrence will do very well here and it's our job now to get him opportunities because he'll score goals," said Neilson.
The duo will certainly not be short of ammunition. Barrie McKay impressed when he returned to his homeland after five years down south last season and he has been joined by his fellow winger Alan Forrest.
Forrest was not a teen sensation like his elder brother James. He spent seven seasons in the lower leagues with Ayr United before being signed by Livingston and stepping up to the Premiership two years ago. But he flourished in West Lothian. “He's quick, direct and will offer a real threat going forward,” said Neilson.
Hearts started last season with a 2-1 home victory over Celtic and followed that up by drawing 1-1 with Rangers away. But they lost all seven of the games they played against the Parkhead and Ibrox clubs thereafter in all competitions.
They must start to record a few draws and wins against their expensively-assembled rivals – and Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hibernian Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County and St Mirren all showed it is possible - if they want to build on what they have accomplished since securing promotion.
Hearts will not be No 1 next May, but if Robbie Neilson can get all his players singing from the same hymn sheet in the new season they can make sweet music.
NEED TO KNOW
Manager: Robbie Neilson
Captain: Craig Gordon
Key player: Craig Gordon turned 39 back in December. But he still enjoyed one of the best seasons in his long and distinguished career in the 2021/22 campaign. He was a richly deserved recipient of the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award for a record third occasion. At times, he won Hearts game single-handedly with his brilliance between the sticks. The 70-times capped internationalist is determined to keep his place in the Scotland squad and will not allow his form to dip in the coming months.
In: Alan Forrest (Livingston),Kyle Rowles (Central Coast Mariners), Lewis Neilson (Dundee United), Alex Cochrane (Brighton), Jorge Grant (Peterborough), Lawrence Shankland (Beerschot).
Out: John Souttar (Rangers), Loic Damour (Versailles), Aaron McEneff (Perth Glory).
Last season: Championship champions Hearts were sensational in their first season back in the cinch Premiership. They looked as if they had never been away. An opening win over Celtic at Tynecastle set the tone for what was to come. The 3-4-3 formation that manager Robbie Neilson favoured worked well. They were difficult to beat and always posed a threat. New signing Barrie McKay created scoring chances and Liam Boyce converted them. Their fans revelled in their return and were satisfied with their best top flight placing in six years come May.
Odds: 80/1
