Rangers and Hearts under pressure as disrespect shown - why the laughing has stopped in Gorgie and Govan

The wind still shakes the barley and yet Scotland is shivering in the wake of an Arctic air blast that has brought a first light dusting of snow to upland areas.

It’s been a shock to the system everywhere except Gorgie and Govan. A cold dose of reality has already hit these parts of the Scottish football map. Pre-season optimism – if it even existed - has long since melted, as has patience.

There is even talk of ‘must-win’ games or, from those applying a little more consideration, games that are ‘must not lose’. There are reports of 'axes' that are 'preparing to fall' on manager heads. As with Christmas, sacking season seems to come round earlier and earlier. 

Like those first snowfalls of earlier this week, is it not a bit early for all this? Can we not just hold off a bit before considering the question of cracked badges and clubs being in crisis? Can we not allow some semblance of settling-in period for players who might have arrived at new stadiums, in new cities and whose families are still in the process of unrooting themselves from their last ports of call?

Can we not display some tolerance towards managers, for example, who might be undertaking rebuilding jobs? Or, for example, strikers who are struggling to relocate their shooting boots amid uncertainty about their future? 

Or how about granting some grace to a skipper, let’s say one with nearly ten years' service to the club and who is British football's highest-scoring defender ever, and giving him the respect that he deserves. Might it be possible to curb the urge to toss insults in the street towards a player whose contribution has been judged notable enough for him to warrant induction in the Hall of Fame?

James Tavernier has unfairly taken the brunt of the criticism for Rangers poor start to the season. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group) | SNS Group

The answer, it seems, is no. It's not possible, at least in the case of one thug, to employ such restraint when James Tavernier was crossing the road in front of him. It is not too early to write-off or at least wonder what's eating a striker who is finding it hard to slip back into the groove following last season's goalscoring exploits, as in the case of Lawrence Shankland. Done it myself.

It is not too early to be sceptical about the worth of Gerald Taylor, despite the right back having played so well on his debut for Hearts against Rangers after swapping Costa Rica for Scotland. It’s not too early to start fretting that Ibrox defender Robin Propper isn’t the upgrade on Connor Goldson that it was hoped he would be. And it’s most definitely not too early for bookies to draw up odds showing who's leading the way in the sacking race. Knee-jerk is association football's middle name. 

The managers of Hearts and Rangers are fighting for their managerial lives, which underlines how pointless announcements about contract extensions are in this day and age. Steven Naismith and Philippe Clement both signed new deals as recently as last month and yet are already tugging at their collars as life gets more uncomfortable.

While the season might seem to be well into its stride, it's actually barely got going. Amid League Cup matches, European matches and now internationals, there's only been four league games. It's barely worth drawing up a league table. Arranging the teams in alphabetical order might be as relevant at this juncture.

But here we are. Casting judgements. Apportioning blame. Counting down days until boards are forced to make changes in order to save a season. Pundits muse that it's not a matter of if, it's when. 

Hearts manager Steven Naismith looks on as his side fall 1-0 behind to Dundee United at Tynecastle. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Against this backdrop, Naismith is taking his Hearts team to Parkhead this weekend. The strange thing is, not only does he have little to lose against Celtic, with defeat number seven-in-a row already expected, there is some reason to source some hope from the situation. 

Hearts fans peeking at the fixture list through the cracks in their fingers following the international break might even have yelped with excitement. Celtic away? Bring it on.

It was here in December where a win revived Hearts’ campaign and saw them embark on a 12-match unbeaten run, 11 of which were wins. It was here where Shankland scored and then practically did not stop scoring again for the rest of the season. And it was here where Naismith issued a response to the critics after dissent and discord had swirled at the club’s agm just a couple of days earlier. 

Hearts had posted a record turnover of £20 million and yet two successive defeats, the latest of which was a bleak reversal in the rain in Aberdeen, was occupying minds, as was the perceived low standard of fare being served up. At least they’d given the manager as long as December.

Amid these grumbles, CEO Andrew McKinlay reminded shareholders that Naismith was the actual reigning manager of the month, which he was (Hearts had won four successive league games in November). It didn’t go down well. “You can laugh all you want,” said McKinlay. “It’s a fact.”

The laughing has stopped down Gorgie way. It’s stopped in Govan too. Instead, it's reached the point where vehement abuse is being meted out to players as they emerged from Ibrox after a 3-0 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead. Tavernier was on the end of the brunt of it, for the umpteenth time in his Ibrox career.

Now it’s a realistic possibility that he’s played his last game amid persistent speculation linking him with moves to Turkey, where the window remains open until next week, and Saudi Arabia. Who'd blame him for utilising this escape route even if it means sacrificing a testimonial?

It's more likely the redoubtable Tavernier leads Rangers out on Sunday against Dundee United at Tannadice, where they've come unstuck twice in their last four visits. The Ibrox side did win there in December 2020 en route to lifting the title under Steven Gerrard. Tavernier slotted home one of his trademark free-kicks from 35 yards and set up Goldson’s winner in front of empty stands. Easier times, in some respects.