Gordon almost ‘ relieved’ to get homecoming over with at last
Hearts keeper delighted to run out in front of fans again and get victory
I enjoyed playing again with the back four and getting my bearings on the pitch. It’s good for a goalkeeper to get the relationship with the defence back again
IT was a one- minute conversation last week. Steven Naismith informed Craig Gordon he would return to the Hearts starting line- up for a league game. It had been 476 days since his last appearance in the Premiership – an outing he will not want to remember but one that is hard to forget. You have to go back a further week for the last time he played at Tynecastle Park in front of fans. There was a bounce game against The Spartans during his recovery, but it was not quite the same.
Speaking to the 41- year- old during his time out, he made it clear one of his targets was to run out at the home of his boyhood club and in front of the fans.
When the time came, in the 4- 2 win over Livingston, the emotions were kept in check.
“Nothing too much,” Gordon said. “I expected that from myself, to be honest. I have always been positive that I would get back and be back out there playing at Tynecastle.
“That was always my motivation. It was crystal clear in my mind that I wanted to achieve that and nothing was going to stop me.
“I am almost relieved that it’s out the way. I did what I said I would do and now I am fully focused on looking forward to the semis and beyond.
“I was happy to get back out there – it was my first time back at Tynecastle in a long time. It was great from that point of view. I enjoyed playing again with the back four and getting my bearings on the pitch. It’s good for a goalkeeper to get the relationship with the defence back again.”
The main positives from the afternoon from Gordon will be the return to the starting line- up, playing at Tynecastle once more and the comefrombehind win. It was, however, a far from straightforward return.
Hearts found themselves 2- 0 down within the first 25 minutes of the fixture.
“It was a poor start, really poor, really sloppy,” was how manager Steven Naismith described it. And it was not the return Gordon would have envisaged.
He broke down the first goal which saw him read a through- ball well but his attempted clearance was returned into the empty net by Stephen Kelly.
“I don’t think any of us planned a start like that, going two goals behind,” he said. “I was happy with my decision to go for the ball and get there ahead of the striker. It was the right thing to do. It was the execution that wasn’t right.
“These things can happen. Occasionally, that can happen and it was unfortunate for me it went against me. No worries. You get up and you get on with it.
“I know we had the guys in the team who were capable of turning the game round because we have done it so many times. We know we have the quality.
“It was just about settling into the game – we didn’t have the best of starts right across the pitch really. It was about getting back to our game plan and doing it better.”
Having responded excellently against Livingston, it meant Hearts secured at least fourth going into the split with the aim of wrapping up third spot. But in the meantime, attention turns to Hampden Park and Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi- final.
Hearts are yet to defeat Rangers at the national stadium.
“Records are there to be broken,” was the message from Gordon. “We have broken a few ourselves this season with this team.”
The squad have the confidence and belief that they can break another to go along with ending a long winless run at Celtic Park and the 32- year wait for 10 or more away wins in a top- flight campaign.
For Gordon, it represents an opportunity to run out at Hampden Park once more with Hearts.
“I do realise that at some point time [ they] will run out and I won’t get to do that anymore,” he said. “It’s always one to look forward to, whether it is a cup competition or with the national team. It will be a special moment for everyone.
“I’ll maybe look back on it later as a special moment but at this particular time, it is all about preparing for the game.”