The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Pars boss determined to make it difficult for title favourites Hearts
Stevie Crawford was Robbie Neilson’s righthand man when Hearts last romped to the Championship title – but the Dunfermline boss is desperate to ensure there is no cakewalk to promotion for his pal this time round.
Crawford and Neilson formed the Jambos management team when they comfortably saw off the challenge of Rangers and Hibs to finish top in 2015.
The Tynecastle men are even bigger favourites this season, with that youthful squad of six years ago replaced by one bursting with international experience and players who have been over the course before.
But, with his Pars side opening the campaign impressively with seven wins and a draw from their opening eight matches, Crawford is eager to put up a fight when his old club arrive at East End Park tonight.
He said: “We have had a really good, positive start to the season but rightly so Hearts will be the favourites to win the title.
“They have come down from the top league, they have got a very strong squad with a lot of very good players, but it doesn’t mean that they are going to come here and get it easy.
“It will be a competitive fixture between two inform sides in the Championship at the moment.
“When you look at their squad it is totally different (to when I was there). It is a very good, strong squad that Robbie has put together.
“They maybe have a very strong squad but we have got to think about our players trying to cause them problems.
“People will always talk about that relationship, with me having worked with Robbie, but we are a couple of years down the line now and have gone our separate ways.
“I have got to remain focused on the team performing on Friday night to give us the opportunity to win a game of football.”
Hearts won 29 and lost just three of 36 games the last time they were in the Championship to finish a massive 21 points ahead of Hibs, with Rangers further back in third.
Driven on by a feeling of injustice at their premature relegation, some have predicted a similar procession to the title next spring.
Crawford is convinced opposition teams will raise their game against the Jambos this term, but reckons the Gorgie men could also get a kick out of playing at East End Park this evening.
He added: “Having worked at the club, Hearts have to face clubs who are up for the challenge on a weekly basis. That is similar to teams when they come to East End as well.
“The Hearts players will look forward to coming here and that is something that we are going to have to deal with.
“It is a great environment out there; it is a great stadium and it is going to be a great advert for the Championship.”
Hearts manager Robbie Neilson admits his team will have to be at their best if they want to return to the Championship summit.
Ne i lson has been impressed by the Fife outfit ’s start to the campaign.
He said: “They’ve started very well, similar to ourselves. They’ve recruited well and have got two good centre-halves in.
“I had Paul Watson last year at Dundee United, he played a lot of games there and won the title.
“They’ ve got Dom Thomas, Declan McManus and Ryan Dow, who I played with at Dundee United. It’s a good, strong team.”