Football Season Guide

Hearts came within 3 minutes of winning the title last season, and could consider themselves unfortunate to come up short given a series of refereeing decisions went against them in the closing matchdays of the campaign. Their performances were not quite as strong as their league status might have suggested, but they made their Tynecastle home a rock and went undefeated at the Edinburgh venue all season. However, over the summer, they have lost a series of key figures, including manager Derek McInnes, who underpinned the whole team and offered strong leadership throughout the campaign. On top of this, they have also seen vital players Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin both move to Hearts on a free transfer this summer, leaving them with a whole lot of work to do in the transfer market. Owned by Tony Bloom and masterminded by his Jamestown Analytics, the expectation is that Hearts will recruit well in the market, potentially from left-field destinations. There was some success in this regard last season, with Claudio Braga notably winning the Scottish Premiership’s Player of the Year prize for his displays in attack. Consequently, it’s difficult to judge the quality of their signings given the disparate nature of their previous clubs, which include two signings from France’s third tier. Instead, Jamestown’s algorithm is being trusted. Of the known quantities, Josh McPake was the standout player in the Championship last season with St Johnstone and arrived after signing a pre-contract agreement. Much will depend on the ability of new coach Wouter Vrancken. He got off to an alarming start in the Champions League as Hearts lost 4-0 against Sturm Graz, with their defence – the bedrock of their side under McInnes – looking thoroughly hapless. They conceded 2 from set pieces and their shape was appalling. The expectation is that this will improve, but it was an alarming start and the type of performance that leaves scars.