Craig Gordon has had a wonderful 2021.
He has climbed to the top again, in every way.
Captain of Hearts and Number One for Scotland.
It doesn’t get much better than that?
Well, it can!
Firstly, what Hearts have served up this season is just an appetiser.
A few slack performances and dropped points have cost them the opportunity to make a full challenge to the Old Firm.
However, the squad will be strengthened in January. With Robbie at the helm and Craig as Captain on the pitch, the real attack on the Glasgow duopoly can be mounted in season 22/23.
Manager and Captain are both winners.
Together, they can spearhead a momentous triumph.
Scottish football needs new Champions. The credibility of the Premiership as a competition has been destroyed by only two names appearing on the list of winners for 37 seasons.
No other league on the planet has suffered such an awful duopoly.
Hearts winning the Premiership would be a feat far greater than Leicester City winning the English Premier League. The disparity of resources in Scotland between the top two and Also Rans – of which Hearts have been one – is much greater than the disparity in Englands top league.
£100 million plus a season from TV rights for each EPL club means that every club is relatively well resourced.
Not in Scotland. The Also Rans are paupers compared to Celtic and Rangers.
It needs great planning and management plus a slice of luck for a Scottish Also Ran to challenge for the Premiership crown.
Robbie and his coaching staff, supported by Sporting Director Joe Savage, have already put together 95% of the squad needed to win the Premiership.
Astute signings, for little money, have left Hearts only a couple of players short of the squad they need.
It would be sad to lose John Souttar – by leaving he will sacrifice the chance of being part of a historic Hearts Premiership Triumph – but he can be replaced.
Craig Gordon is irreplaceable.
With Craig in situ, January and the summer signing window in 2022 will see the squad completed.
Craig Gordon has won trophies with Hearts and Celtic – but winning the league in 2022/23 would be his Finest Hour – by a long way.
Meantime, Craig can also enjoy success with the Scottish National Team, under the excellent management of Steve Clarke.
Can Scotland ever win a major tournament?
Perhaps not – but with Clarke at the helm and players like Craig to call on, there is always hope.
At the age of 39, Craig Gordon could simply be living on memories.
Instead, by winning the Premiership with Hearts next season, Scotlands top goalkeeper can help achieve a historic success.
Hearts winning the Premiership would be footballing news around the planet. On every continent, on every news channel, the victory would be reported in wonder and awe.
The status available to Craig Gordon and every other member of the team at Hearts?
LEGEND.
Time for Hearts – with Craigs help – to bridge what appeared to be an unbridgeable gap.
Time to end the domination of Celtic and Rangers, to crush their duopoly.
Time for Change.
Ps Happy New Year!
— Read on www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/craig-gordon-why-2021-ranks-as-a-positive-year-for-hearts-and-scotland-goalkeeper-3511037
Scottish Football Matters 