High-flying Neilson the key player
HEARTS 2
Sow 6, Ozturk 67
QOS 0
AS Hearts celebrated the club’s first title i n 35 years, VIP guests at Tynecastle on Saturday included former Olympic 100metres champion Allan Wells and Rebus actor Ken Stott.
Their combined presence was certainly fitting at the culmination of a season in which the Gorgie side had raced rapidly over the finishing line, having dished out a series of grisly slayings along the way.
Stott took his place in the directors’ box next to chairwoman Ann Budge and the pair partied along with the fans who hailed their very own ‘Resurrection Men’.
Ten months after the pain of relegation and administration, the Edinburgh club are now in a healthy state again off the park and 26 points clear of their nearest pursuers in the second tier, having clinched the title the previous weekend.
To the adoring legions who cheered their team’s return to the Premiership at the first attempt, however, it did not require the presence of the capital’s most famous policeman — Detective Inspector John Rebus — to deduce exactly whodunit in this remarkable Tynecastle tale.
If most directors took to the centre circle at full-time, rotten fruit would likely be thrown.
But this Tynecastle board were drenched only in affection from the grateful denizens in maroon, most notably director of football Craig Levein and Budge, who earlier had been sporting a scarf proclaiming Queen of Hearts.
But it was triumphant head coach Robbie Neilson — who ended the day soaked in champagne and thrown in the air by his jubilant squad — who undoubtedly and deservedly attracted the loudest hymns of praise from the adoring Hearts fans.
Neilson has been unyielding in his demands on his squad this season, but defender Alim Ozturk insists there is a more fun side to the Hearts boss than meets the eye.
The 22-year-old Dutch defender believes Neilson’s combination of calmness and drive, focus and fun has fostered a unity in the squad that has laid the bedrock for their speedy success.
‘The manager has been great for us and the togetherness we have as a squad has been so important,’ said Ozturk.
‘A lot of managers are serious all the time but here it feels like the coaches are also your friends. They are very close to the players and
that is very good. Of course, in training the manager demands 100 per cent but afterwards he always like to make jokes. He is calm and makes sure we never feel the pressure.
‘We train hard and that’s why we have won the league so early. You never know if someone will come in for the manager but I hope he will stay here for next season.’
In a show of respect, Queen of the South’s players emerged from the Tynecastle tunnel to form a guard of honour for Hearts.
Unfortunately for their manager, James Fowler, his players were still standing on ceremony six minutes later as Osman Sow sauntered through unchallenged to crack home a left-foot shot into the corner of the net.
It then took a fine save from Queens keeper Zander Clark to stop a delicious back-heel from Sow doubling home advantage.
But Ozturk put the game beyond the visitors when his 25-yard freekick took a massive deflection and spun beyond a stranded Clark.
Hearts will have to wait until May 2 to get their hands on the Championship trophy but there were raucous scenes at the end as the squad took a lap of honour wearing ‘Champions 15’ T-shirts.
‘This was a big party for us,’ added Ozturk, who insisted he ‘doesn’t mind’ whether it’s Hibs or Rangers who go up with Hearts.
‘It was important to win the game because we had so many supporters inside the stadium, so this was a good way to celebrate.
‘ Today is t he number one achievement of my career. This is the first time I have won a league and it is very special. A lot of friends and family came over from Holland for the match. There were 15 of them and we enjoyed a nice meal and a party afterwards.’
Ozturk believes Neilson will lead his side into the upper echelons of the Premiership next season.
‘We have a lot of talented young players. It’s a very good team and we will get better because we fight for one another.
‘I think we can challenge in the top six next season. We want that and we will fight for that.
‘In Scotland, you know that Celtic are a very big club, who have won the last three titles.
‘They will be the favourites but what I want as a player is to finish the league in a minimum top-six place.
‘Right now, though, we just want to finish off the league in style. We want to get as many points on the board as possible and win all our remaining six games.’
Meanwhile, Queens keeper Clark has warned his team-mates that it is time to stand up and be counted as the race for the final promotion play-off place starts to hot up.
Falkirk’s 1-0 loss at Dumbarton leaves Clark and Co in fourth, one point ahead of the Bairns and five in front of Raith.
Queens have a run of difficult games coming up but Clark insists Hibs are ‘there for the taking’ when the Dumfries side head for Easter Road next weekend.
‘We have a hard run of matches to come — but it’s time to stand up and be counted to get the results we need to make the playoffs,’ he said.
‘We are at Hibs next week, then Rangers and Falkirk come to us. It won’t be easy but we are confident and know what we are capable of.
‘Hibs have just lost to Raith so they will be there for the taking. We’ve also beaten them earlier in the season and every game with them has been relatively close.
‘But we just have to focus on what team is in front of us and take every game one at a time.
‘We won’t worry about other teams’ results and, hopefully, we will get there.’