Derek McInnes may well be right. Perhaps — in his own words — it is a little ‘stupid’ to be touting his Hearts side as genuine title contenders given we’re just six games in to the new Premiership campaign.
Speaking in the build-up to this evening’s Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle, the Jambos boss was intent on tempering expectations at this early juncture.
‘Our fight is with ourselves,’ he said. ‘It’s stupid to say we’re in a title fight at the minute.
‘Everybody can keep asking me but until we are a couple of rounds of fixtures round the block then I’m not prepared to get drawn into all of that.’
That’s all good and well, and let’s be honest, he was never going to say anything different. He’s never been one to get ahead of himself.
However, his comments bring two problems.
Derel McInnes is eager to shut down and talk about his side challenging for the league title
His side have yet to taste defeat in the Premiership this season and are top of the league
Hibernian go to Tynecastle looking to continue their impressive run of results in the fixture
Firstly, like it or not, he’s going to get asked about it every week if Hearts can maintain their early season form. Tough luck, Derek.
And secondly, it’s not quite what his bosses want to hear considering they’re the ones who’ve been banging on about it.
It started before a ball was even kicked, when minority investor Tony Bloom asserted the club would be capable of finishing at least second during an interview with Sky Sports prior to Hearts’ home opener against Aberdeen.
He’d already expressed that belief to a giddy band of supporters at a meet-and-greet event 24 hours earlier.
It was hard not to be impressed by his confidence, even if it was deemed to be slightly misplaced by many. Fanciful, even.
Of course, he didn’t say it would be this season. Or the next for that matter. But everyone watching on was left in no doubt over his long-term ambitions.
You only have to look at the transformation he’s overseen at Union Saint-Gilloise to get an idea of what he’s all about. Bloom took over the Belgian outfit in 2018 when they were plying their trade in the second tier.
In September, they swept PSV Eindhoven aside — away from home — on their Champions League bow having won the Belgian title for the first time in 90 years just a few months earlier.
Tony Bloom has made no secret of his desire to see Hearts competing for silverware
To think Hearts could soon be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite is a tantalising prospect.
CEO Andrew McKinley hasn’t been shy either in stating that the club are capable of achieving something special in the not-too-distant future.
McInnes and his players are certainly going their bit to keep the positivity flowing.
They currently sit two points ahead of champions Celtic at the top of the table going in to today’s clash and have yet to taste defeat.
Even at this stage, the league table doesn’t lie. Hearts have been the best team in the country so far.
Their impressive victory over Rangers last month ended a miserable 11-year winless run at Ibrox. There have been gritty away triumphs over Dundee United and Livingston, while Aberdeen and Falkirk were both taken care of at Tynecastle with plenty to spare.
Even after being comprehensively outplayed for the best part of an hour against Motherwell in Gorgie, the Edinburgh side fought back from three down to earn a share of the spoils. In the end, they were unfortunate not to snatch the points.
It’s safe to say the reception to McInnes’ appointment in the summer was lukewarm at best. The former Kilmarnock boss perhaps wasn’t the sexy name they were looking for to inject some energy, but it turns out he was exactly what they needed.
McInnes was not a popular choice to get the manager’s job but he has won over any doubters
Too many were too quick to criticise the direct style of play he implemented at his previous clubs.
McInnes himself would admit his Killie side weren’t always the easiest on the eye, but Hearts are hardly the standard bearers for free-flowing, beautiful football.
It’s not always been pretty this season either, but you don’t hear anyone complaining.
There are success stories all over the park. A few eyebrows were raised when McInnes opted to bring in his former Killie stalwart Stuart Findlay. The big man has notched three goals and an assist in six outings. Not bad for a centre-half.
The departure of James Penrice to AEK Athens over the summer left a sizeable hole to fill on the left-hand side of defence.
But Harry Milne — who signed a one-year contract extension on Friday — has taken on the mantle with minimal fuss. He’s been a revelation, and much of the credit for that must go to the manager.
Kudos too, for getting the best out of Lawrence Shankland. McInnes played a key role in getting the captain to stay with the club over the summer, and it’s paid off.
He looks like a man reborn after last season’s struggles, with his goal against Falkirk on Saturday enough to see him become the SPFL’s all-time leading scorer.
Captain Lawrence Shankland is back to his best after enduring a difficult previous campaign
With the likes of summer signings Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis also looking the part, Hearts’ front line is arguably the most exciting in the top flight.
Shankland’s omission from the latest Scotland squad was puzzling. McInnes said he ‘wasn’t surprised’, but there’s no doubt both he and the player will be a little irked by the decision.
It’s quite clear that he’s never going to be the go-to guy for Steve Clarke. But there’s still time to put himself in the frame for next summer’s World Cup, should the Scots get there of course.
He’ll have a perfect opportunity to take out any lingering frustration when Hibernian rock up this evening.
David Gray’s men — like their city rivals — are unbeaten in the Premiership this season, yet only have one win to their name.
European exertions have no doubt had an impact on their domestic performances, and so there’s not any cause for alarm — even if it’s not quite clicking at the moment.
Gray has already proven he is more than capable of putting a good run of form together with these players.
He could do with Kieron Bowie finding his scoring boots again, mind you. After a blistering start to the campaign, the 23-year-old has gone off the boil ever so slightly.
Hibs boss David Gray is desperate to take all three points at the home of his city rivals
Gray admitted on Friday that there is ‘no better place to win as a Hibs player than at Tynecastle’. Knocking the league leaders off their perch today would be an added bonus.
They went undefeated last season in this fixture, haven’t lost on their neighbours’ patch in three years, and are aiming for a third successive derby win for the first time in more than a century.
Hearts may be the talk of the town at the moment, but Hibs have undoubtedly held the upper hand of late when the pair have shared the same pitch.
Last month’s Old Firm clash was a painful watch. Two bang-average teams slugging it out over 90 torturous minutes at Ibrox.
With so much at stake, this evening’s Edinburgh derby is perfectly set up to be an altogether more memorable affair.
