Former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson has rinsed the SPFL for their post-split TV selections as he feels there has been a missed opportunity for a Super Saturday.
The fixtures will see Hearts' home game with Celtic aired on Sky next weekend with the match looking set to be the Hoops' crowning moment as Premiership champions for a second time under Ange Postecoglou.
That decision means the Edinburgh Derby on the final day of the season is off the air, and Aberdeen's visit to Tynecastle also misses the cut with that fixture looking set to be a shootout for third place between the two sides.
READ MORE: Hearts and Hibs split fixtures in full including final Edinburgh derby date in battle for Europe
Sign up to Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
And Stevenson, who penned his thoughts in his Record Sport column, believes there could have been some far better selections made along the way to free up some of the crucial post-split fixtures for Hearts.
He wrote: "So, the SPFL thought it a good idea for Celtic to come to Tynecastle for a crack at winning the league on the first weekend after the split - when they could’ve made it an Old Firm shootout on the same day Hearts and Aberdeen battled it out for third.
"And the last league game of the season, a potential blockbuster of an Edinburgh derby with a place in Europe more than likely to be up for grabs, will yet again have a live TV blackout. As will the entire bottom six over the next few weeks, despite an almighty dogfight between four clubs that would have made riveting viewing.
"It’s a joke but nobody’s laughing. And until there are people with an understanding of our game – a real feeling for what people want – making the decisions, the rest of us will continue to walk around with our faces tripping us. The frustrating thing is it’s so unnecessary. Scottish football is brilliant. There’s so much happening all the time and the population is consumed by it. Yet it is showcased terribly.
"Why couldn’t week one of the split have featured Celtic going to Ibrox with the chance to win the league, while along the M8, Hearts and the Dons could have been playing each other in front of another packed house with third place and a £5million European prize pot up for grabs?
"It could’ve been labelled Super Saturday, one game on after the other, both on Sky. Scottish football would have been shown to be passionate, colourful, vibrant – everything the SPFL should be proud to show off to potential sponsors around the world. But it’s not happening. Just as when Hearts do eventually play Aberdeen on May 20, that game won’t be live either.
"Yet they stuck on Hearts v Ross County on Saturday, a match that used up the Jambos’ allocation of home matches allowed to be shown by Sky. Meaning the last day of the season Edinburgh derby at Tynie can’t be shown either.
"It’s incredible. An absolute disgrace. How often have we sat down in the closing weeks of the English season watching three or four huge matches all going on at the same time, the commentary switching from one to the other as incidents happen, and been totally absorbed?
"It’s brilliant and makes you want to come back for more. Up here? It’s as if they want to stifle our game, suck the life out of it. I can’t get my head around it."
The 38-year-old is of the belief that the fixture reveal will have made Hearts more determined to ensure there is no title party for Celtic on their home Tynecastle turf, as he recalled a similar experience from his playing days.
Stevenson said: "One thing I do know though is that as soon as the fixtures came out and Celtic were going to Tynecastle with the chance to win the title, I can guarantee you the Hearts boys will have been thinking, not on our watch.
"I’ve been in the game long enough to know how players think and there’s no way Hearts will go into that game wanting Celtic to be partying in their dressing room and their fans dancing about in their corner of the stand.
"I know there will only be 1400 Celtic fans on the day but they’ll arrive with the balloons and party hats expecting a big celebration. And let me tell you, there is nothing worse slinking back into your changing room having to listen to the other team going nuts.
"I experienced it when I was about 18 at St Johnstone, when Inverness came to Perth having to win the Championship in 2004 and they did it. It might not be on the same scale as Tynecastle will be on May 7 but it meant just as much to the Inverness boys and their supporters and we just had to leave them to it that day.
"In fact, our gaffer Billy Stark hardly said anything to us other than, ‘get a shower and let’s get out of here’. It was terrible having to walk out of our stadium, our home, leaving someone to have a party in it and I know one million per cent Hearts will be hellbent on that not happening to them."
Stevenson wrapped up by urging the Jambos to level the score against Celtic after the recent defeat to the league leaders in the Scottish Cup, as he looked to his former side to delay the Hoops' title party.
He added: "They’ve also got a bit of making up to do because the beating they took from Celtic at Tynecastle in the Scottish Cup is still fresh in the memory and they owe themselves and their supporters one for that day.
"They lost an early goal and lacked the belief to get back into the game and were lucky it only ended up 3-0. And they’ll have got a boost with the 6-1 win over County at the weekend. That result and performance was badly needed and you can’t argue with it.
"I’ve said in the past couple of weeks the decision to sack Robbie Neilson and replace him with Steven Naismith was flawed and their performance in the derby at Easter Road suggested I wasn’t wrong.
"But they put me and a lot of doubters in our place at the weekend and I’m delighted about that. I’m a supporter. I want the club to do well and I want them to finish third in the league. A win over Celtic would help that cause. But there are more primitive reasons for wanting a win in that one.
"Celtic can go to Ibrox the following week and win the league if they like. But if Hearts have anything about them, they’ll make sure it doesn’t happen in Gorgie."
READ NEXT:
- Kye Rowles out to improve 'poor' Hearts form as he identifies key areas he must address
- Kevin Nisbet Hibs transfer future discussed by Lee Johnson as key challenge set as interest mounts
- Robert Snodgrass vows to tell 'his side of the story' as he breaks Hearts exit silence
