Neilson calls for better discipline come Fiorentina
ROBBIE NEILSON last night conceded that Hearts will need to show vastly superior discipline if they are to compete with Fiorentina this week.
An Antonio Colak header saw Hearts fall behind to Rangers after just five minutes at Tynecastle, and the Croatian scored again before midfielder Cammy Devlin was sent off on the verge of half-time.
Shown a straight red card by referee Steven McLean after launching an aggressive tackle on Rabbi Matondo on the touchline, Devlin’s exit was identified by Neilson as the key moment in the eventual 4-0 defeat.
Aware that the Europa Conference League visit of Fiorentina this week has the potential to pose more questions of his team’s mentality, Neilson has summoned them in for training today.
‘Lifting them won’t be a problem,’ he said. ‘It’s a massive game but we have to make sure we keep 11 players on the pitch.
‘If you don’t do that when you’re playing against top teams, you’re in trouble.’
While McLean’s instant decision to send off Devlin drew howls of protest from the Hearts crowd and indeed Neilson himself, any dispute over the call evaporated at the sight of television replays, which saw the Australian midfielder’s lunge catch Matondo hard on the ankle.
‘I think it’s a red card,’ said Neilson. ‘Could the referee have handled it differently? Maybe.
‘But we gave him an opportunity to send Cammy off and I can’t really argue with it. It could have potentially been a yellow. Cammy didn’t come off the ground, it wasn’t really at pace.
‘But he gave the ref an opportunity by coming in from behind and has come down on it.
‘When you’re playing against the Old Firm you can’t give the ref an opportunity to do that because it’s probably going to end up in a red card.
‘That’s where we’ve let ourselves down.’
Neilson (right) revealed that Devlin — fresh from making his first international appearance against New Zealand – had apologised for his error.
‘I’ve spoken to Cammy and he’s disappointed because he’s let the team down, he knows that,’ added Neilson. ‘He’s been fantastic for us from day one, he’s just got his first international cap.
‘He’s eager to do well and he’s got energy. But there’s a line and there are areas of the pitch you don’t have to do that.
‘Hopefully he will live and learn from it. He’s apologised to the players but it’s done, we’ve all been there. You’ve got to learn from the experience.’
Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst made a point of speaking to Devlin as he approached the tunnel and later explained what he had said to the Aussie.
He said: ‘I really like him as a player and I told him you don’t need to make these challenges, you are a far better player than you showed today.
‘He is one of their best players, he is a midfielder with dynamics.
‘I think Rabbi was in a duel with his opponent and Devlin came in as a third man. It happened just in front of me.
‘He’s a far better player than to use those tackles.’
Devlin wasn’t the only player chastened after a memorable week on international duty.
Defender Stephen Kingsley earned his second Scotland cap as a substitute in the all-important Nations League draw against Ukraine in midweek.
But while he was a model of diligence in Krakow, the defender admitted his standards slipped.
Feeling a slight injury at half-time he was substituted but hopes to be fit for Fiorentina.
He said: ‘It was just a spasm. But with the bigger picture of Thursday it’s important to be ready for that.
‘I’m disappointed. I was really proud of what happened earlier in the week with Scotland but that wasn’t good enough today.
‘Of course it was a really special few days earlier in the week but I knew coming back it would be a tough test and I had to get my head right.
‘I don’t feel like we were there as a team and personally it was a poor performance
as well.’