Robbie Neilson was only in his first full season as a top team regular when Hearts last secured back-to-back top three finishes. That was back in 2003-04 and the man now in charge of the Jambos reckons curing their away day blues is key to repeating the feat 19 years later and cementing their place as Scotland’s third force.
Hearts take a Christmas Eve trip to Tayside to face Dundee United tomorrow before heading to take on St Johnstone next midweek having not won in Perth for 12 years. Momentum is with the Gorgie side who have seen Aberdeen slump to two defeats in the past week while Hearts returned from the World Cup break with a comfortable 3-1 home win over Kilmarnock.
But with just two victories from eight league games on their travels this season - three from 12 in all competitions - Neilson knows where the biggest improvement needs to come. He said: “Everyone can beat each other. If we can go on a sustained run of wins then it can take us away from everyone.
“Dundee United had some good results at home this season so it’s going to be tough. Generally it’s been our form as well - home games have been comfortable and it’s the away games we need to improve in.
“It’s been a long time since Hearts have finished back-to-back third. So it’s a difficult task. When you get into these European games and are playing Thursday-Sunday right through then it can be difficult.
“But we said at the start if we can be round about third when we come out of Europe then we have a chance. When you start the league you want to win it. If you can’t win it you want to be second. And as it goes further and further you reassess those targets. If we can finish third again it would be a great achievement having had such a tough start to the season.”
That would also bring further financial benefits with owner Ann Budge revealing Hearts made a £3m profit from their European campaign this season. Neilson said: “The revenue from Europe has made a big difference to us.
“But the key is can we do it again and again? That’s when you really start to move away from everyone else. This season we added a bit more to the budget because we had so many games. Hopefully next season we can do the same with Europe and keep building the club.”
Hearts are understood to be close to finalising a deal for Japanese striker Yutaro Oda from Vissel Kobe with the move being subject to a work permit being issued. Neilson refused to name Oda but said he hopes to get a couple of new faces in as early as possible in January -and expects a couple out too.
He said: “I won’t speak about individual players but we have a number we are looking at going into the January window. Two or three will move and two or three will come in as well. We need to freshen things up and hopefully at the end of the window be in a better position.
“We are looking at every position and what’s available. There will be interest in some of our players I’d expect as well. We will make a decision as we go along.
“I’d like to get it all done on the first, but as everyone knows it can be the 31st before it goes through. We have targets in areas we’d like to strengthen, but it’s getting the right ones in.”
Hearts still without Beni Baningime, Liam Boyce, Gary Mackay-Steven, Peter Haring and Stephen Humphrys tomorrow. Neilson said: “Humphrys did 10-15 minutes today and we’ll continue to build him up.
“He’ll miss this weekend but he’ll be around about the midweek game. Haring’s fine, it’s just taking time, he had that concussion and he still feels when he is coming back that he’s not quite right. So he has seen a specialist and they’re comfortable with everything, it’s just time now.”
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