Hearts are on a long-term mission and have excelled over the last 12 months in particular.
Pat Nevin has been left convinced over Hearts’ long-term project after meeting some Tynecastle executives.
The Jambos had investment put into them by Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom last year. He declared the club would win the Premiership within a decade and the minority investor was almost right within 12 months as they narrowly missed out on title glory last season during a final day match versus Celtic. His Jamestown Analytics software has transformed recruitment at Tynecastle and the club are currently second under head coach Wouter Vrancken.
Whether or not they sustain a challenge this term remains to be seen after a summer of change, but former Scotland international Nevin recently met some high-ranking officials from Hearts, who provided some insight. He’s now been left comparing the situation to Arsenal, who hired Mikel Arteta as head coach in 2019, taking a patient approach that brought the Premier League to North London in term 25/26. A boyhood Hibs fan, he’s happy to see Hearts challenge Celtic and Rangers dominance within Scottish football, and sees the Gorgie club up there with them consistently for years to come.
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Can Hearts challenge Rangers and Celtic long-term?
Now a pundit across various channels, the ex-Scotland and Chelsea winger said: “I met some of the Hearts owners and executives. They gave me a bit of an insight, 'we were so close, we were three minutes away from winning the league and it was decisions here and there'. They were like, we are miles ahead of where we thought we would be. It's a shock to us. We never thought we would get there this quickly.
"They have some of the brightest and best, and money as well to some degree. I asked them about next season and they said, it's not about this season or next season, it's about the overall plan. Like it has been with Arsenal and Arteta. They know they're going to be there competing eventually. The manager's gone, it doesn't matter, we've got a plan. They know exactly what the plan is and they're going to continue doing it."
"So will it happen this season for Hearts? Maybe. Absolutely can't tell because they've had a gigantic number of changes. Unlikely. Will they, in three-four years time, get surely and slowly closer to Celtic and Rangers? Yes. Absolutely.
Hearts finished second last seasonplaceholder image
Hearts finished second last season | SNS Group
Is Hearts challenging Celtic and Rangers good for Scottish football?
"Coming from a Hibbie, it's still not difficult to say, honestly. I want to see competition in Scotland. Because last season's league title chase, it was staggering. I was doing a lot of games for the BBC and the interest from England, because let's be fair, England doesn't care, unless you happen to be a Celtic or Rangers fan living there.
“They don't even look or know, but they cared this year. They bought into it. And that's what Scotland needs. They need that buy-in, that interest." That interest is a sellable asset and if it's that, you can bring money into it and build it further. That's the way it works."
Nevin was speaking withPariuriX | 18+ | Gamble Responsibly