WE WILL SHUT YOU UP BY BREAKING HEARTS
HEARTS v CELTIC
BY MICHAEL GANNON CRAIG GORDON has warned Hearts not to get too smug as Celtic’s loss in Leipzig won’t dent morale for Murrayfield.
Jambos striker Steven MacLean this week said he hoped the Hoops got gubbed in Germany ahead of tomorrow’s Betfred Cup semi-final.
The hitman got his wish as Celts lost 2-0 to Leipzig. But shot-stopper Gordon insists Brendan Rodgers’s men will put the pain behind them and inflict capital punishment on his old club.
He said: “It doesn’t matter if that’s what they think. It will be up to us. We will be confident regardless of what happened in Germany. We’ve been playing well domestically in the last few weeks and it’s about continuing that form.
“We didn’t get the result against Leipzig but always look to keep confidence high no matter what.
“We’ve done that over the years after European games. It’s a semi-final – we don’t need any more motivation. It doesn’t matter if we have injuries, to win trophies we need to use the whole squad.”
Gordon has watched Hearts soar top of the table and admits their run echoes when he was part of a Gorgie side at the summit. The Scotland ace – hoping to get the nod ahead of cup keeper Scott Bain tomorrow – insisted it’s too early to say if Craig Levein’s side can match the class of 2006.
Gordon said: “Time will tell. They have a similar structure in that they are solid and difficult to beat, with experience up front.
“They have started the season well but there’s a long way to go. We play them twice in a week and aim to put a marker down.” STEVEN NAISMITH plays on the edge and swaps a smile for a snarl as soon as he steps on the pitch.
The Hearts striker admits he loves nothing more than noising up defenders. His in-your-face style could be construed as antagonistic – but Naismith couldn’t care less.
Nor will he apologise for getting up the nose of an opponent who is trying to stop him doing his job.
And even if he wanted to change his combative approach – which he doesn’t – Naismith simply couldn’t at age 32.
The Scotland striker concedes there are two sides to his character – nice guy off the pitch, ferocious and vociferous on it.
Naismith is clearly up for the occasion of tomorrow’s League Cup semi-final crunch against a Celtic side he’s already had run-ins with this season.
He avoided punishment for kicking out at Jonny Hayes off the ball in Hearts’ 1-0 win over the champs in August. This man in maroon is no shrinking violet and he’s not going to change a thing.
Naismith said: “Literally from my first games at Kilmarnock there have always been two things you could guarantee. One I will ask questions and two I will give information as much as I can.
“You can just hear me more because I am in a smaller stadium!
“In fairness, if you look at any of my bookings, not many are for dissent. I’ve got a good relationship with referees. If I can give my team-mate information to help him I will. That will never change.
“Noising up opponents? That’s a given! I’ve been on the other side, the one being wound up, and know how it feels. It is just part of the game.
“I don’t know if some guys are surprised by the change in me when I’m out on the pitch.
STEVEN NAISMITH
“The biggest thing is when you play against somebody – then you go into the national team and they’re your team-mate.
“There’s that awkward moment when you think, ‘Right, how is he going to take to me?’ Everybody