Hartley: Hearts have players to play pretty football

Entering a new season equipped with a midfield refreshed by the addition of Mehdi Taouil to supplement such existing creative talent as David Templeton, Andy Driver, and Rudi Skacel heralded the dawn of an exciting new era for Hearts.

Glimpses of the brand of fluid, flowing football that many fans expected of a combination of such skilful players may have been fleeting in the Gorgie club's three domestic outings so far, but a former exponent of flair football at Tynecastle foresees a bright future for expectant Jambos fans.

Paul Hartley is among the finest examples of midfield maestro to have graced a maroon shirt in recent times, the type with the ability to single-handedly turn around a 1-0 deficit in an insipid league encounter against, say, Dundee United or Motherwell - teams to whom Hearts have suffered slender defeats in the past two weekends. A lack of artistry in the centre of the pitch from the men in maroon was cited by some fans and observers as a major reason behind both those losses.

Four-and-a-half years after leaving Edinburgh, Hartley sees sufficient promise among the current crop of gifted playmakers, and a willingness by new boss Paulo Sergio to encourage their offensive productiveness, to ensure Hearts' fortunes pick up soon.

"I'm not sure what system he intends to play, but Portuguese managers are usually very adventurous. With forward players, they need to be given free reign at times, give them a chance to create chances and score. But, you also need to have shape to the team.

"I think (Sergio's appointment] will be good for them if you're an attacking player. Hearts have got good players, no doubt about that.

"You've got creative players there already, like Temps (David Templeton], (Ryan] Stevenson, and Skacel. Rudi's not been fit - he has had a problem with achilles. Once he's fit, he'll be fine.

"They've made a shrewd signing in John Sutton and, along with Stephen Elliot, he'll get a lot of goals."

Rudi Skacel, returning from injury, is one player who will be itching to stake his claim for a creative role - and to fill it in similar fashion to last season, when he hit 13 goals in 29 appearances. Hartley is a big fan of the Czech goalscoring midfielder, as well as a close friend: he will be at Tynecastle for next week's visit of Tottenham Hotspur as a guest of 32-year-old Skacel.

"We're always on the phone, every couple of days," said Hartley. "He's delighted to have signed (a six-month contract]. He's a big hero at Tynecastle and will always plays with a smile on his face. He was top goalscorer last season, and it was important for the club to keep him."

In a different footballing dimension to the jinking play traditionally exported by new signing Taouil and the mesmerising wing play of Templeton, Ian Black's overly-aggressive tackling in midfield, which resulted in a red card for the combative midfielder, was the talking point from Hearts' visit to Motherwell on Sunday. Hearts fans will wish for an improvement in their team's on-field discipline and, more importantly, are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to indulge in the fruits of assembling some of Scottish football's most inventive individuals.

Hartley, and his Scottish Cup semi-final hat-trick against Hibs in particular, is revered among Hearts fans for his peerless displays as an attacking midfielder. While he revelled in the electric Tynecastle atmosphere he often helped create, the 34-year-old, now player-manager at Third Division club Alloa Athletic, admits that "luxury players" must be only too mindful of the need to carry out the so-called "dirty work".

"I was an attacking player, but there was another side to my game. If I didn't have the ball, I got back to the defensive side.

"You have to have two sides to the game. You have to be a real team player, to have that discipline that not everyone likes. It's in your mindset that you have to do it, and it's part and parcel of the game."

There's never a dull moment at Tynecastle these days, and events of the past fortnight have presented enough turmoil and movement to fill a whole season at the average club. A loss of sense of perspective among observers of Hearts has ensued as a result, says Hartley, who looked to calm suggestions that his old club have pressing matters to address on the pitch.

"They've only played three games, which everybody seems to forget," said Hartley. "They had a great result at Ibrox, and away in Europe and at home (against Paksi]. There's not too much wrong. They've brought a few players in, and they need time to gel. I'm sure they'll come good.

"It takes time. I watched them in pre-season and against Rangers, and I think Hearts will be fine. They're a powerful team and they will be strong.

"Sometimes you need a bit of patience. Once you start winning games you're fine. Hearts will be fine - they always are.