Somehow, somehow, Hearts, and their fans, appear to have decided that this season was not a success.
Never mind that they came third in the league, always holding a comfortable cushion over the chasing pack. Never mind that they best both halves of the Old Firm on their home ground this season. Never mind that manager Jim Jefferies left me with considerable egg on my face for suggesting that he was an overrated, bumbling oaf.
But they rather limped over the finish line, winning only one of their last twelve games - a shame, as it looked like they might have had a smidgeon of a chance of splitting the Old Firm after a smash-and-grab win over Rangers in February. And their successes on the pitch have been rather overshadowed by that idiot "supporter" whose attempt to punch Neil Lennon would have even put Audley Harrison to shame. Plus Vladimir Romanov has been whinging again, as he still holds the belief that he, a Lithuanian banker (no, that's not a spelling error, I didn't mean to put a 'w' in that word) is better equipped to pick the team than any manager.
Hearts' big problem, the one that kept them well adrift of The Gruesome Twosome, was squad depth, which is more shallow than Ed Miliband's personality...despite having an enormous first team squad (this tells you about the quality of the backups). No side outside the Old Firm, in truth, could afford to lose the likes of Lee Wallace, Andrew Driver and Kevin Kyle for half a season each. So Jefferies has, already, hit the transfer market hard to try and plug the gaps; John Sutton is a Kyle-esque target man and should prove a good acquisition from Motherwell, while Jamie Hamill (Kilmarnock) and Danny Grainger (St Johnstone) both provide competition in the full-back area. Expect at least one other former Killie player (probably Mehdi Taouil, possibly Craig Bryson) to join his old manager at Tynecastle, while the arrival of Zander Diamond from Aberdeen is dependent only on a medical.
It's not a bad gameplan Hearts have - buy up the best players from every other SPL side. Is it enough to displace the Old Firm next year. No chance. But it's nice to dream.
They certainly appear in better nick than their closest challengers for a place on the SPL podium, Dundee United, who couldn't match a 2009-10 season with a 3rd place finish and a cup win but still did pretty well under the unheralded Peter Houston. The Arabs' coach has proven he can motivate his players and that he has tactical flexibility; this summer will test his transfer acumen, for he needs almost an entire midfield to offset the departures of his engine room partnership, Morgaro Gomis and Prince Buaben, and Scotland international winger Craig Conway.
Houston has managed to convince Willo Flood back to the club for the third time, after the diminutive Irishman was released by Middlesbrough, and and appears to have a bit of a thing for midgets as he has also signed John Rankin, anotehr clever midfielder who never really showed his best at Hibernian. On the plus side, highly-rated striker David Goodwillie - I will, never, ever, tire of sniggering at that surname - signed a new contract in the Spring, but this was less out of loyalty and more out of giving him security at a time when he still has a rape charge hanging over him.
The story is that United are yet another SPL team who are obliged to make budget cuts this summer. I just wonder whether Houston can emulate his predecessor, Craig Levein, who picked up Gomis from Cowdenbeath and Buaben from Ajax reserves. But he has to be pleased with his side's campaign, particularly either side of Christmas when Goodwillie peaked in form, and with their sensational 3-2 win at Ibrox on April 2. Keeping up that level of performance is going to be a huge task, though, and barring some amazing signings upset wins over the Old Firm will be rare treats rather than the norm in the years to come. I can envisage Dundee United dropping out of the top six next season. But I've been wrong before. Lots and lots and lots of times.
HEARTS
League: 3rd, 63pts
League Cup: 3rd round
Scottish Cup: 4th round
Star man: Rudi Skacel's return to the club was a surprising success, but this season's star was Slovak keeper Marian Kello.
Waste of space: Defender Darren Barr arrived from Falkirk last summer with a burgeoning reputation and a Scotland cap. Now he only gets in the team as an emergency full-back.
Confirmed first team departures: Dawid Kucharski, Jamie Mole, Paul Mulrooney, Ruben Palazuelos
Other likely departures: Janos Balogh, Calum Elliot, Gary Glen
Needs for next season: If Diamond and Taouil sign, Jefferies can say he has two decent guys at every position. But has he got the cash to improve the squad quality further?
DUNDEE UTD
League: 4th, 61pts
League Cup: quarter finals
Scottish Cup: quarter finals
Star man: David Goodwillie was awesome this season, and will go on to great things if he can avoid trouble with the law.
Waste of space: Mihael Kovacevic, who missed most of the season with a knee injury and then, in his first start, got sent off within 20 minutes against Rangers.
Confirmed first team departures: Prince Buaben, Craig Conway, Darren Dods, Morgaro Gomis, Mihael Kovacevic, David Robertson, Andis Shala
Other likely departures: Barry Douglas
Needs for next season: A dominating centre-half so Scott Severin can be pushed into midfield; a wide player to replace Conway; a defensive midfield player.
L.
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