‘Passion and pride are the two most important goals’

SOME Hearts supporters might be worried by Paulo Sergio’s suggestion that he will play some fringe players against Spurs tonight, but they should not be. When it comes to trying to restore some respectability after last week’s 5-0 defeat, personnel is not the most important thing. What will be crucial is the game plan of the coach, and the character shown by the players.

What Hearts need first and foremost is to play with passion and pride, and to show the kind of competitiveness that was lacking at Tynecastle last Thursday. In fact, it’s not just tonight that they need that, it’s also in the domestic campaign in the weeks and months to come – and if they get it right tonight that could be a big help when it comes to SPL games.

The previous manager, Jim Jefferies, was relieved of his post because he had the team playing a certain type of football and the club’s owner wanted them to play in a different way. The trouble is, the more patient, ‘European’ style of football does not come naturally to Scottish players, who are more used to trying to win their individual battles. Maybe in time Sergio will be able to transform the way Hearts play, but I can’t see tonight being mainly about patience. There was arguably too much of that last week, with players sitting back and allowing Spurs to play.

This time, we need to play far more of a pressing game. That demands hard work and a high amount of energy, and hopefully the young legs of some of those fringe players will be able to provide that.

With the likes of Scott Robinson, Arvydas Novikovas and Gordon Smith involved, along with more established first-team regulars such as Eggert Jonsson and David Templeton, Hearts will at least have a chance of harrying Spurs a bit more than they did in the first leg.

Young players lack experience but they always have the legs to keep running all night. They will have to do that – use their energy, press the game, get in their opponents’ faces and don’t allow them as much freedom as they did at Tynecastle. The two centre-backs have a big role to play here too. Andy Webster and Marius Zaliukas have to ensure Hearts do not play as long a game as they did last week. Because the two defenders stayed deep, there was too much space between the back four and the midfield – space in which Spurs had all the freedom they needed to pass the ball around. Even after ten minutes last week I felt huge sympathy for Adrian Mrowiec because of the impossible task he had as a holding midfielder trying to link up with the defence. Playing a long game against a better quality side always exposes you to danger.