SPFL Premiership preview - Hearts

HEARTS

LAST SEASON: 10th, 44 points

NOTABLE INS: Danny Wilson (Liverpool)

NOTABLE OUTS: Darren Barr (Kilmarnock), Danny Grainger (St. Mirren), Fraser Mullen (Hibernian), Arvydas Novikovas (Erzgebirge Aue), Denis Prychynenko (Nacional), Gordon Smith (Raith Rovers), John Sutton (Motherwell), Michael Ngoo (Liverpool, end of loan), Mehdi Taouil, Andy Webster, Marius Zaliukas

LAST SEASON'S BEST XI (departed players crossed out): MacDonald, Hamill, Webster, Zaliukas, Wilson, Walker, Stevenson, Taouil, Holt, Ngoo, Paterson

THE SQUAD (u-21 players in italics)
Goalkeepers: Jamie MacDonald, Mark Ridgers
Defenders: Jamie Hamill, Jordan McGhee, Dylan McGowan, Kevin McHattie, Brad McKay, Danny Wilson
Midfielders: Jason Holt, Billy King, Scott Robinson, Ryan Stevenson, Callum Tapping, Jason Walker
Forwards: Dale Carrick, Callum Paterson, David Smith

IF HE GETS INJURED, THEY'RE SCREWED: DANNY WILSON would have probably been the 'marquee' signing of the summer; in fact he's the only one.  A threadbare defence would become a complete disaster without the new team captain marshalling it.  The former Rangers youth talent will be looking to resurrect his career after a rotten spell at Liverpool.

STAR OF THE FUTURE? Star of the present, more like, given the club's dependence on their youngsters.  JASON HOLT scored some terrific goals last season, and is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest.

THE SEASON AHEAD: You'd have to be taking an awful lot of psychotropic medication to feel positive about what's been happening this summer down Gorgie way.  Hearts supporters will be less fussed about where the club finish in the table than whether they can actually complete the season at all.  While administration led to only one compulsory player redundancy - John Sutton - it also prevented the club from being able to retain the vast majority of their experienced players.  Thankfully, they managed to exploit a loophole in their ongoing transfer embargo to make Danny Wilson's loan spell permanent.  Even if they manage to exit administration, they are unlikely to be able to sign reinforcements until January; given the quality and depth in the squad currently, overcoming their 15 point deduction looks like a tall order.

THE BEST XI?



With only two outfield players over the age of 22, it will not come as a surprise that there are precious few options beyond the eleven players listed above.  The back four seems set in stone, with Wilson moving to central defence from the left back role he occupied last season.  McGowan played much of last season in midfield, where he didn't look particuarly special - will he better in defence?  If any of these four gets injured, there is very little cover available though Tapping and Paterson have previously been used as full-backs.  The latter is likely to play wide right or even up front.  Stevenson may also be used as a centre forward; certainly if Holt leaves I'd expect him to move into a more advanced role with Robinson coming into the side.

THE BOSS: With Vladimir Romanov no longer pulling the strings, the role of manager is automatically about a million times less precarious than it has been at any point in the last decade.  But the appointment of youth coach Gary Locke in February smacked of being the cheap and easy option.  On the other hand, Locke may be in a no-lose situation here - if the team struggles, it can be blamed on their off-field problems.  Locke is a Hearts man through and through, and he'll be as desperate as anyone to preserve their top flight status.

CLICHE YOU'RE MOST LIKELY TO HEAR: "Against the odds"

PREDICTION: Sorry, but I just can't see how Hearts can dig themselves out of the 15 point hole they start in.  If/when they can bring in new bodies, it could be too late.  I think they'll finish TWELFTH and lose their top flight status for the first time since 1983.

L.