MOTIVATED BY THE INJUSTICE
Gordon toasts cup win after Hearts’ ‘unfair treatment’
THEY did it for a club still reeling after being ‘unfairly’ treated, fans who remain hurt by their team sliding down a division — and for a ‘leader’ whose memory will live on as one of the most memorable to ever wear maroon.
Craig Gordon could hardly be blamed for being overcome with emotion after his outstanding performance helped Hearts reach the final of this competition for the second successive season.
Three remarkable saves kept Hibernian at bay at a rain-soaked Hampden and further emphasised the smart piece of business completed by Robbie Neilson this summer.
Make no mistake, the Tynecastle club have had to re-adjust — and then some. After failing with their attempts to prevent relegation to the Championship after last season was cut short by coronavirus, it’s been very much a case of taking their medicine and swallowing it.
But that doesn’t mean the anger — the sheer hatred, in some circles — has disappeared following their demotion from the Premiership. Certainly, this is a step towards
some sort of ‘payback’, as Neilson hinted at after their semi-final victory.
And returning hero Gordon, a summer arrival from Celtic, is determined to lift silverware in next month’s final against either Neil Lennon’s men or Aberdeen, who meet in today’s second semi-final.
They’ve dumped their arch rivals out of the Scottish Cup to reach the delayed 2019/20 showpiece — and the goalkeeper can’t wait to bring more positivity back to Hearts.
With news breaking during half-time of the tragic death of Hearts’ 2012 Scottish Cup-winning captain Marius Zaliukas aged 36, it was impossible to escape the emotion of the occasion.
‘It’s huge for myself and the club because of everything that went on with the relegation, the voting and everything else in the last few months,’ said the 37-year-old. ‘This was our chance to come back and make a statement.
‘We came back in pre-season early to give ourselves as many weeks as possible because we knew we’d be up against it in terms of getting up to speed.
‘We gave ourselves the best possible chance and we’ve come out on top.
‘For myself, to come away from Celtic and get back playing — this is why. To play in games like this and thankfully today it’s worked out with a really good result for us.
‘We’ll use it as motivation, we’ll use anything we can. We do feel it. It’s not just us as players, it’s fans and people connected with the club who feel we were treated unfairly.
‘If we can use that to our advantage, we’ll do it for as long as I can.
‘This is up there with my best days in the game. Just because of the magnitude of what it meant for the club. I made some good saves in the game and we’ve won it.
‘Sometimes when you lose the game, the saves don’t matter quite as much. But today to make a contribution that helps get the win is massive for me and everyone at Hearts.
‘You never know if you’ll get these chances or occasions again when you leave Celtic.
‘But I still had confidence in my own ability. I feel I can go out and prove that I’m still capable at nearly 38. Age is no barrier, I can still perform for a few years yet.’
News of Zaliukas’ (right) death yesterday came as a shock to all who remembered his time in Scottish football.
How fitting, then, that Hearts should beat the team who they thrashed 5-1 eight years ago, with the then-captain walking up the Hampden stairs to raise the old trophy aloft.
‘I’m quite emotional about
Marius,’ said Gordon. ‘He was a great guy in the dressing room, a real leader.
‘He was the exact type of centre-half you’d want in front of you — whether it was a match or five-a-sides. He’d always throw his body on the line.
‘He was a real, hard defender. I played many games with him, he was fantastic for Hearts. I was very sad to hear the news as I’m sure he’d have been absolutely delighted with today’s result.
‘’I feel for his family at this time. It would be fitting if we could go on and win it for him now.
‘We’ve given ourselves the chance to go and do that now, whoever we play.
‘We’ll give it our best shot. But for now we need to get back to league business, get points on the board to try and make sure we get back to the Premiership.’
Gordon denied Kevin Nisbet with an astonishing close-range save in the first half before he thwarted Alex Gogic and Christian Doidge as Hibs couldn’t add to the Welshman’s equaliser.
With Hearts triumphing thanks to Liam Boyce’s extra-time penalty — after Gordon had watched Nisbet waste his own spot-kick just minutes beforehand — the Gorgie goalkeeper could take pride in his performance.
And with Scotland’s Euro 2020 play-off final against Serbia awaiting later this month, Gordon still has international ambitions and hopes he has caught the attention of national-team manager Steve Clarke for that particular date with destiny.
‘The first save from Nisbet’s header was big to keep it at 0-0,’ added Gordon. ‘Hibs were having a good spell at that point in the first half.
‘That was a big one to keep a foothold in the game. I’m not entirely sure how I kept it out because it was so quick.
‘I got a good hand on it and turned it to the side of the post. It was a really good save, one I’m very proud of.
‘I’d love to be in the Scotland squad for Serbia. I came away to try and play games and give myself the opportunity to be in there.
‘I’ve been playing well, so I’m happy and confident in my own performances. That’s all I can do.
‘Beyond that, it’s up to the manager to make a decision. The team has been doing really well, so I’ll respect whatever that decision is.’
The win is huge for Hearts because of what went on with the relegation