Paulo Sergio takes a reality check as Hearts plot assault on third place

By ANTHONY BROWN
Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 12:32

PAULO SERGIO has praised the resolve of his Hearts squad for coming through a hectic fixture schedule still in with a chance of Scottish Cup glory and third place.

However, the Tynecastle manager admits it will still take a massive effort to overhaul Motherwell in the race for third and pretty much ruled out any possibility of his team taking advantage of Rangers’ ten-point deduction to clinch second place.

Hearts played four games in the space of nine days, culminating in their extra-time Scottish Cup triumph at St Johnstone on Tuesday night. Although they lost heavily at home to Celtic in the SPL a week past Wednesday, they showed their spirit in the 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock when a stoppage-time Suso Santana equaliser kept them within six points of today’s opponents Motherwell. “In the last few games, when we’ve been playing every three days, we have missed a bit of freshness in forward areas to be more explosive and create chances,” acknowledged Sergio. “But to manage the team in this period I’m very happy with what the players did. I am also very happy that we have come through this period without picking up any injuries. After Motherwell we have a good period of games on the weekend only, which is good for us.”

Sergio also admitted the off-field uncertainty at Hearts had made their accomplishments in staying competitive until this stage of the season even more admirable. “[The nature of the tiredness] has been mental and physical here,” he revealed. “When the mental is not okay you can be very well physically but you can’t do things properly. The mentality of a player is more important than any other issue.”

To most onlookers, Hearts, assuming they can avoid defeat at Motherwell today, still look to have a decent chance of finishing third, even though the Lanarkshire side were six points to the good with a game in hand before today’s match. While Sergio has full belief in his side, he is wary of talking up their prospects given all the obstacles they have had to overcome this season. With that in mind, he is reluctant to bill today’s trip to Fir Park as a must-win match.

“We fight the problems, we did what we have to do, but nobody can be asking for us to be second or third this season after what we’ve been through. If we achieve third or fourth at the end of the season it will be a great result after a hard season like that.

“You can’t forget that we lost three or four important players in the transfer market – Eggert Jonsson, Ryan Stevenson, John Sutton. They were important players for us so we’re not looking at the game this way [as a must-win]. Everybody can be sure we want to win. We recognise Stuart and Motherwell are doing very well, they are a strong side that’s very well organised. But we believe we can go there and beat them so I think it’ll be a very competitive game.”

One factor which aids Hearts’ cause is that they enter this weekend’s game without the distraction of recent months of not having been paid in time after the wages of all the staff arrived safely in their bank accounts on Thursday, as scheduled. Sergio hopes this can remain the case and Hearts can move forward without further off-field hindrances.

“This month they paid us on time and we are very happy with that,” he said. “I trust our board and I don’t believe it will happen again. They are doing everything they can to make sure it doesn’t happen again so we need to be positive. There are moments in life and in football when it’s not easy but you have to be strong to keep moving and focusing on the what you’re trying to do. I’m a positive man – it’s the way I am.”

Not positive enough, however, to be roped into the fanciful notion that Hearts could somehow catch Rangers, whose advantage over the Edinburgh club was hacked back to a still massive 15 points on the back of their midweek ten-point deduction. “I’m not focused on trying to catch Rangers,” he said. “I would like to be closer to Rangers because we have won ten more points, not because they lose ten points. I’m not happy because of the problems of other teams. I don’t know if another team can get second place. Motherwell have shown lots of consistency but nobody knows how it will effect the Rangers players. It might make them better. I believe that a big, powerful institution like Rangers will solve their problems. I’ve had my problems at Hearts but I sat here with the same face and kept fighting. I believe Ally (McCoist) will do the same.”

Comments

There are 10 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

10

Hammy1874

Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 10:21 PM

7...................... 3-0 is not good..... but 5-0 at home, well, thats the stuff of relegation, eh moochachos?

• Report Unsuitable

9

First Green

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:03 PM

Despite their league position,Motherwell have struggled at home recently so this latest defeat is a bad one for Hearts and Sergio must be beginning to worry about his position (till May, after that presumably he doesn`t want or expect to be in Gorgie). If Vlad was as interested in Hearts as he was 2 or 3 years ago, he`d probably have sacked him by now.

• Report Unsuitable

8

Robbo27Hammerof the hibs

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 06:05 PM

ok #7 is being tightfisted something you would like to tell us about or just your kinky secret,any team that is 3 down with 20-30 mins to go away from home is going to find thier supporters leaving,a bit like april 2006 at hampden(well the ones that were there anyway) now your point about a rangers style crisis, lets put this to bed pay attention all you sad hibbies one a jambo thread HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN FOOTBALL CLUB owe ukio bankas in the region of £30-£40 million, who owns said bank, correct, if vlad takes hearts into admin who loses £30-£40 million,correct, let this be an end to your delusions of administration it will not happen,

• Report Unsuitable

7

Tightfisted

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:22 PM

Well Jambozos.....................oyu'll have been back long enough to shower, shave, and paint the back bedroom if you've attended at Motherwell today...what with that ONE HOUR maximum presence you guys adopt at games. From what I've heard on BBC Sportsound today it looks like the Lanarkshire side could EASILY have scored SIX or more........and with TEN men for half the game. All that, and a HUGE Rangers -style crisis just around the corner.........make sure that you've booked your suicide spot on the North Bridge ....it's filling up quickly .....Eh Moochachos???

• Report Unsuitable

6

Baldrick

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:13 PM

I fancy Motherwell to absolutely thrash whoever they are playing next.

• Report Unsuitable

5

themanwith2brains

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:02 PM

just saw a camel going past ma windae, sorry it was just hearts getting humped. they will be lucky to make top six hee haw hee haw,

• Report Unsuitable

4

FFF

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:00 PM

**PoP** and **CRAAAAAAAASH** Double whammy for the beggars of the SPL rankgers and herts. Motherwell to split the OF and a 4th Edinburgh derby? Watch this space!

• Report Unsuitable

3

themanwith2brains

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 04:42 PM

sergio your getting assaulted by well, 3rd place your having a laugh

• Report Unsuitable

2

Tightfisted

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 04:23 PM

#1 FTH HHhhmmm............looks like that's not gonna be easy.....not that any Jambozos who went to Motherwell will still be there...after all, they SPECIALISE in leaving after an hour of play....don't they Compadres??? ..............................and on a serious note....Jambozos might do well to look at how far the Fir parkers have come since they had their OWN problems some years back Despite it all, they are back in 3rd place , with NO debt, and have just reported that rare thing in the SPL these days...a WORKING PROFIT........and with a ppromise of "fans in the boardroom" very soon and a £1.5M "rainy day" fund, they must be doing something right There are surely lessons there if HMFC wanna have a careful look !!!

• Report Unsuitable

1

FTH22inarow

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 01:10 PM

Start by winning today Hearts and who gives a sheite about Rangers!

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.