KEEP CALM BUT CARRY ON
Neilson’s not about to get too excited over Hearts’ flying start
JUST because Robbie Neilson is content with the squad at his disposal, it doesn’t mean the Hearts head coach would be averse to opening his wallet in the coming days. The way his side have started this season, buying a job lot of sand bags to weigh down mounting expectations might be no bad thing.
At the age of 35, Neilson is very much a puppy in managerial terms. Yet, he’s old and wise enough to know how it works, too.
In defeating Motherwell on Wednesday to lead the Premiership, last season’s runaway second-tier champions have perhaps confounded even their own expectations.
For the fans who were fearing for the very existence of their club when administration bit hard two years ago, these are, indeed, heady days. In a game that is driven by hopes and dreams, who can blame them for drawing parallels between this squad and the spectacular start George Burley’s lot made to season 2005-06?
Neilson, who was an integral part of the side which opened with eight straight wins a decade ago, isn’t denying anyone in the Tynecastle stands their right to enjoy these precious moments to the full.
Back on planet Earth, however, he believes anyone genuinely trying to make comparisons is indulging in a rather large helping of wishful thinking.
‘We are miles away from that side,’ he stated. ‘That team had a Champions League winner (Edgaras Jankauskas), a European Championships winner (Takis Fyssas) and just about every player in the team was a full international.
‘We can’t compare ourselves to a team like that after three games. Three games is nothing — we have 35 to go.
‘Any club that wins three games in a row, people will start to get excited. If Aberdeen win their next couple of games, people will start to talk about them. But you want to be winning games and that is what we will try to do.’
Neilson makes no apology for being a realist. Last season his side were a class apart, losing just three games en route to winning the Championship title by 21 points.
Notwithstanding their flawless start to this term, it almost goes without saying this is an entirely different proposition.
The four and five-goal victories that were commonplace l ast season will be nowhere to be seen. Bumps in the road will be the rule rather than the exception.
‘This is a new challenge, they are tougher games but the winning mentality helps,’ Neilson added.
‘We won’t get carried away, we are not going to go on a similar winning run to last year. We just need to be calm about what we do and focus on our next game.
‘I know that can sound boring, but that’s the truth — our next game is the most important. The Motherwell game is finished, the Dundee game is finished. All that matters now is winning against Ross County.’
Ahead of the trip to Dingwall, Neilson admitted to an interest in Milen Gamakov, the 21-year- old midfielder from Bulgarian side Botev Plovdiv, but says the matter is dead unless there is a significant reduction in the asking price. Nor will Stevie May be joining the club on loan from Sheffield Wednesday.
More immediately, Igor Rossi is fit for the trip north but Blazej Augustyn won’t make it and Miguel Pallardo will only start full training at the end of next week.
With two weeks of the transfer window to go, the head coach is satisfied with what he has at his disposal, although the freeing up of a wage could yet see a new face ushered in.
‘If an offer comes in that we think is acceptable the player will go and it’s up to us to be ready to bring someone else in,’ he said.
‘The quality is definitely there. I’ve got about 15 or 16 guys I can put in whenever I want. I feel comfortable putting them in. So I’m lucky to have that. At the moment, if no-one goes, I’m more than happy.’
Neilson wouldn’t be completely surprised if the club is mulling over an offer for Callum Paterson by the time this month is out.
An ever-present in the three league outings, the full-back is — in his manager’s eyes — becoming the identikit of what scouts of English clubs are hoping to see.
‘Callum is great going forward but is concentrating on being a good defender and a leader,’ said Neilson. ‘He’s one of the main players in the team and has been involved in the Scotland squad.
‘ Yo u can see from his performances already this season that he’s definitely improving. There’s huge potential in him. He could go down to England today and play because he has physicality, pace and footballing ability. His mentality is coming on, too.
‘I’m desperate to keep hold of him. It will be interesting. Whether it be this window or next, he is definitely a player who will be playing in England.’
Paterson spent much of the summer improving his physical attributes. However, a pre-season clash with Everton was a timely reminder of the kind of opponent he could face on a regular basis if Neilson’s prediction holds true.
‘Look at the players in England, they are all 6ft 3in and 100kg — they are monsters,’ said Paterson.
‘That’s what you need to aspire to. Looking at (Romelu) Lukaku in the Everton game showed how far I have to go.
‘Even Ross Barkley, who is my age, and John Stones, who is a year younger, are both massive.
‘Those players are worth around £20-£30million. That’s what you have to aim to be.
‘I think it is 90 per cent genetics but a lot of it is down to putting in a shift as well. They are obviously working hard off the pitch and that is something I am focusing on doing as well.’