Gorgie grass continues to cause grief for Cathro & Co
Tynecastle pitch has been affecting performances, according to Hearts head coach
POST-match press conferences at Hearts these days are starting to resemble an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time.
Alexandros Tziolis has travelled the world through his football, but the 64-times capped Greek internationalist has rarely had to ply his trade on such a troublesome lawn as the one which sits directly in front of the Tynecastle main stand.
The soft, bobbly surface undermines Ian Cathro’s entire short-passing philosophy, so it was understandable that, after more Premiership dropped points, this time in a 1-1 draw against bottom side Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the cultured Tziolis admits the club might have to make a few more compromises in weeks to come.
Goalkeeper Jack Hamilton often only succeeded in playing himself into trouble as he endeavoured to build from the back, while young substitute Rory Currie had the ignominy of a bobble and fresh air swipe with virtually Hearts’ last chance of the day.
At least Cathro’s side should be able to play more of their own game on Wednesday night in the Scottish Cup, in what promises to be a momentous replay at the home of their rivals Hibs.
“Of course our pitch is difficult to play on,” the 31-year-old said. “We have good players who can play good football. But we didn’t do that in our last two games at home because it is not easy. I don’t know if you can see it on television, but the pitch is really bad. It will be better on Wednesday so it helps us.”
But is there anything, anything at all, that the ground staff can do to improve matters before this summer, when a new surface is scheduled to be laid? Not without a serious outlay of cash and upheaval to the fixture schedule. “Everybody at the club knows,” said Tziolis. “Everybody hopes that it can be better. But in my experience, these things are not so easy in one day or one week. A pitch is difficult to change so I think summer will be the solution for next year.
“We have to live with this. We have to stop these excuses. We have to find a way to play better and at least take a result because the pitch will be like this. Jamie McCart hopes he has played his way into Friday night’s Highland showdown between Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Rangers.
The 19-year-old central defender, son of former Motherwell player and Celtic head of youth Chris, was an assured presence alongside Louis Laing at the heart of a reshaped Inverness backline at Tynecastle in the second game of his loan spell from the Parkhead side.
Experienced duo Gary Warren and Brad McKay are available again after suspension but McCart savoured the experience of earning a point at Tynecastle and with Inverness It cannot change. I don’t think we can change our overall style because you have to change a lot of things,” he added. “
Maybe in one game you have to do this but you can’t change the whole philosophy of the team or the coach. Maybe it’s not a style that suits the players we have. So we have to do our best with this field. Sometimes you maybe can change some things, and go straight to offence. But you have to be 10 times more careful. You know you have to help your team-mate. It is always in your mind.”
While this same patch of Gorgie grass ruined the first attempt at this year’s showing signs of life at the foot of the Premiership table – albeit still two points adrift – he would love to play his part in Friday night’s televised match at the Caledonian Stadium.
“It is a hostile environment coming here, something you would never experience playing Under-20s with Celtic,” said McCart.
“That is why I am so glad that the manager and Inverness gave me this opportunity. I have started today so hopefully there was enough in my performance to keep in his thoughts for next Friday. But every game is the same to me.
“My dad just said that it would be a Scottish Cup Edinburgh derby, Hearts still fancy their chances of going across town to land the kind of result which could transform their season. The vastly experienced midfielder – who has had stints in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 and was part of the Greece squad for Euro 2008, and the 2010 and 2014 World Cups – has seen most things in the game and the importance of this match is not lost on him.
“I can’t say [that we are favourites] now, not after this result,” said Tziolis. “But I think we have a good team. We have to find a way to develop the team and to great opportunity for me, first just to try to break into the first XI and try to get some games under my belt,” he added.
“I am just trying to constantly improve and learn, and feel that I am doing that with the manager and the coaching staff.
“They have been in lots of close contact with me and I can see it paying off already. My mentality is always the same. I don’t focus on that bottom of the table thing.” get better and better with every game. Sometimes the results don’t help us, but we have to take every game step by step. We cannot think about the end of May already. “I understood this rivalry from the first day I came here,” he added. “Before the first game, everybody was speaking about this game.What do the fans say to me? That it is the most important game of the year. I understand how important the game is. It’s like derbies everywhere. The fans think only about this game. It is the game of the year. When you win, you are really happy. When you lose... I don’t even want to think about it. So I hope on Wednesday we give our fans happiness.” Hearts face a pre-match sweat over the fitness of striker Bjorn Johnsen, who was forced off early in the second half against Inverness with an injury, and they will also have to defend balls into their box b et t er than they did on Saturday. Trailing to an early Carl Tremarco header from a set piece, Arnaud Djoum steered in a close range equaliser but Owain Fon Williams guessed right to defy a late Jamie Walker penalty.
Inverness loanee McCart desperate for his shot at Rangers