Craig Gordon faces around 30 matches between now and the World Cup break in November.
Keeping Craig fit is one key to Hearts continuing the improvement started last season.
Ideally, he will have fewer saves to make in the coming 9 months…
Some good signings have been made – and it appears that there are more to come.
Ideally – once again – more goal scoring potential will be added from external recruitment, though there is some hope that Henderson may finally graduate to become a full member of the first team squad.
As for targets for the season, let’s focus on the Premiership.
Everyone connected with Hearts wants to see the gap on Celtic and Rangers close.
30 points – the equivalent of ten league defeats – is a yawning chasm.
Whilst I am sure Robbie and his coaching team will continue with the “take each game at a time” mantra, it is also certain he will have a seasons- end points total in mind.
For me, the first target is to go unbeaten in the whole season against every team apart from Celtic and Rangers.
There are a maximum of 90 points to be be won from those 30 matches.
The second target is to go unbeaten against Celtic and Rangers at home. There are a maximum of 12 points available from those four matches.
That leaves the four matches in Glasgow, against the current duopoly, to be negotiated, with twelve points at stake.
Where does that leave the overall points target for the season?
From the first group of 30 matches, a realistic objective is to take 70 points, from the equivalent of twenty wins and ten draws.
From the second group of four matches – against Celtic and Rangers at Tynecastle – targeting 4 points from four draws is surely realistic.
From the remaining four matches in Glasgow, a target of 2 points makes sense, a 1 point improvement on last season.
All of that leaves us with a seasons points target of 76 – but, to give some leeway, let’s set it at between 75 and 80.
Put simply, such a target leaves Hearts needing to win around five more league matches than last season – converting five draws to wins.
Let’s be clear.
75 to 80 points will not win Hearts the league, though 80 would give the club a small chance of finishing second, thus breaking the Glasgow duopoly for at least one season.
The ultimate goal is to win the Premiership within the next four to five seasons.
Succeed in that and the 37 seasons of shame for the SPFL, where only two clubs have won the league title, can be ended before it starts stretching towards 50.
Hearts need to improve each season if they are to win the league in a five year timeframe.
I believe that everything is in place at Tynecastle to bring about continuous improvement over the coming seasons.
Some would say that a miracle is required for Hearts to win the Premiership crown.
I would insert the word “near” in that statement.
Tynecastle will be full this season – and for the next four or five – as Hearts supporters ready themselves to roar their players along the road to becoming true Legends.
It CAN be done.
For the sake of Scottish football, it MUST be.
Time for Change.
Scottish Football Matters 