EDIN BERRA
You walk around the city and Hearts fans are always there ... and Hibs fans are giving you abuse! You can’t beat it, it’s great to be back SAYS CHRISTOPHER BERRA
CHRISTOPHE BERRA has spent the past four years wandering around at peace in sleepy Suffolk.
Today he goes back into Hearts and returns to a chaotic world of both adulation and abuse on the streets of Edinburgh but can’t wait to get going.
New Jambos captain Berra, 32, will lead his men into the opening day of pre-season eight years after leaving Tynecastle to forge a successful career at Wolves and Ipswich.
While the centre-back enjoyed his experience in England it feels good to be home because with Hibs back in the Premiership nothing comes close to the edge of the Edinburgh rivalry.
Berra said: “It’s a big responsibility for me on and off the pitch because Hearts are a massive club.
“You walk around the streets and there are always Hearts fans – and Hibs fans giving you abuse. You can’t beat it!
“I can’t wait to get started. I could have had a couple more days off because I played against England but I’m going back there as captain and I want to set the right example.
“I want to do the hard work with them on the training pitch. I finished on May 7 so I have had a good holiday. Now I’ll prepare for a tough season which this is going to be.
“Hopefully the way I played against England gives me the confidence to go keep on performing week in, week out.”
Berra’s experience, influence and leadership will be key to the cause after last term ended so frustratingly.
New boss Ian Cathro endured a torrid opening spell to his reign in Gorgie but the Scotland defender believes good times are around the corner.
Berra said: “I know they are trying to get some signings in. The gaffer’s ideas are really good and with the right application they should come through.
“If he gets the backing of the players hopefully we can get Tynecastle back to what it should be – a fortress.
“We have to get back to winning ways. The Betfred Cup’s a new experience and it’s a strange one because it will be like pre-season as well.
“But we want to get to semi-finals and finals. That’s the reason I came back to Hearts to get that far.
“With the right application and coaching, the boys working hard and support from the club I think we’ve got a chance. Cups are possible because the games are one-offs.
“Look at last week. England on paper are a lot better than us, let’s be honest, but we more than matched them.
“So it’s something we should be aiming for given the size of club Hearts are and with the support we have got.”
Berra’s references to the ScotlandEngland game are understandable. It’s only six days since the 2-2 draw and the memories are still rich in his mind.
He said: “It was strange to go through the highs and lows of football in those last two minutes.
“We were disappointed. Imagine if we had won ... the changing room would
have been absolutely bouncing. But we still have to be proud of ourselves because we more than matched them.
“They had the bulk of possession at times but they are a top team and sometimes you have to surrender that.
“But we put tackles in, we had chances and maybe in some situations we could have slipped someone in or got a better shot off.
“We limited them to very few chances as well. It was a good game for the neutral and although we’re disappointed with the way it turned out but we’d have taken a point before the game.
“We were just bewildered in the dressing room. I was going mad when Leigh Griffiths scored his second goal. Then you just feel down and out but we have got to pick ourselves up.
“In professional sport you have got to be thick-skinned and get on with it.
“There were a lot of positives. Obviously we are not going to be automatic qualifiers, it’s going to have to be the play-offs.
“It’s still all to play for. We have our winnable games against teams who we are just as good as if not better.
“And if we show the same quality when we did do things nicely against England we have got a chance.
“We never do it easy, do we? Even back in the day when we had the best players.
“It’s harder and harder for British players to be playing for first teams in the Premier League whereas in the past all these players Scottish and English players were top stars.
“Now we’re competing with Brazilians and Argentinians so it’s much tougher to break through. But with a bit of hard work, coaching and organisation we have a chance.”