Former Hearts player Ryan Stevenson has taken the allegation Hearts don’t try as hard against Rangers personally, claiming the mindset inside the Tynecastle dressing room is quite the opposite when the big two come to town.
Hearts were quickly swept aside by last year’s runners-up at Tynecastle midweek after an impressive run of form from Robbie Neilson’s side. It led to social media being lit up by some fans claiming Hearts were rolling over for the Ibrox side.
Stevenson takes exception to those comments and gives his thoughts speaking to Football Scotland:
“It‘s probably a west of Scotland thing. Hearts lose to Rangers and it’s Celtic fans who make it out the Jambos always roll over to the Ibrox men.
“You get the same talk from the blue half of Glasgow when Aberdeen take on the Hoops. But, having been in that Hearts dressing room, I can assure you it’s absolute nonsense. It’s a total myth. It’s also a bit insulting. When I was at the club the games against the Old Firm were the ones you were desperate to do well in.
“It didn’t matter if there were Rangers or Celtic fans in the dressing room. Everyone knew they were playing for a big club and nothing else mattered. I was lucky to get a few decent results against them myself and there’s no better feeling than bloodying the noses of the big two.
“But it’s not easy, that’s for sure. I know Hearts have not had the best run against Rangers of late with seven defeats on the spin. But I have no doubts they will be absolutely gutted at the 3–0 defeat the other night. They would have seen the game as a chance to make a real statement, back up their good form and take a major step towards narrowing the gap to second.
“Instead it was a major disappointment. Celtic fans might want to make it about them but Hearts will have been thinking about nothing but themselves and it will have felt like a setback.
“But don’t give us this chat about not turning up against Rangers. It wasn’t so long ago Hearts put Steven Gerrard’s Light Blues out of the Scottish Cup.
“When both sides were in the Championship it was Hearts who were top dogs. But you have to remember, it’s not just Hearts players who are up for it when Rangers and Celtic come to town.
“The Old Firm know they are in for a game when they go to Tynecastle. It’s a fixture they are wary of and they relish the chance to play in such a tremendous atmosphere.
“Rangers and Celtic fans talk about other clubs raising their games against their rivals but the truth is, the Old Firm raise THEIR game when they come to Gorgie. It’s because they know they will need to be at their best to get a result.”
Neilson changed his own approach to the game which people point to as him conceding ground before the game has even begun.
Of all the things people can moan about, I think people perceiving certain teams as rolling over on purpose is not something we should indulge. Has it happened in the past? Probably. Does it happen on a regular basis, I just can’t see it.
Neilson has a chip on his shoulder when it comes to playing the two from Glasgow and I don’t think he’d be looking to get beat by either. Hearts didn’t lay a glove on Celtic earlier this season at Celtic Park when they failed to register a shot on target.
It’s something people need to get away from and focus on the real issues surrounding Scottish football.
