CONTRASTING FORTUNES OF CAPITAL CLUBS

LAST season, Robbie Neilson found himself under pressure after a Scottish Cup defeat to Brora Rangers.

Ultimately, the club stayed calm and ignored the supporters who were calling for him to go. That faith has been rewarded by promotion, a third-placed Premiership finish and now a berth in this season’s final.

Contrast that to the turnaround in Hibs’ fortunes over the same period.

This season promised so much at Easter Road. The club was trying to build on a third-placed finish and were looking to go one better in the cups, having reached last year’s Scottish Cup final.

That’s why it was so surprising to see Jack Ross lose his job in the lead-up to the League Cup showpiece back in December.

I know Jack personally, of course. But, taking aside personal feelings, it was so disappointing for me to see a fellow manager lose his job days before he was due to lead his team out in a cup final at Hampden.

Jack was deserving of that opportunity. His team’s performance to beat Rangers in the semi-final was as good as anything I’ve seen against the Old Firm.

Tactically, they were spot on. Now they are out of the Scottish Cup and preparing for the bottom six, which is way below what was expected of them.

The results in the back-to back derbies were no surprise.

Robbie and his recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for doing some good business last summer. There just seems to be a calmness and assurance about everything at Tynecastle this season. They have not been perfect, but to come up from the Championship and finish third comfortably is testament to a lot of good work.

It looks like there is a plan in place and a quiet confidence about them.

And, as good a player as John Souttar is, I don’t think his departure for Rangers will derail them. Other clubs have a lot to do in the summer to get to where Hearts are now.