London Hearts Supporters Club

Report Index--> 2005-06--> All for 20060422
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Valdas Ivanauskas <-auth None auth-> Charlie Richmond
[D Riordan 15] ;[A Benjelloun 78]
91 of 099 Roman Bednar 45 L SPL A

Hearts Worthy Challengers


Respecting your opponents is a sign that they are really making life difficult for the established set up. Hearts have split the Old Fiorm for most of the season. Can they make it a permanent split in the statistics for season 2005-06?

The season has seen another team added to the challengers for Champions League places. Hearts have proved to be the 'Third Force' this time around and Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has been impressed with their form overall. Today’s game ends the round of SPL games between the two sides with Celtic running out winners twice by a one-goal margin with the other game drawn. Strachan believes this season games against Hearts have rivalled the intensity and passion of Old Firm derbies. Strachan said: "I would think our games with Hearts have been as big as the games against Rangers this season because they have been first or second for most of the year. They have been huge games and you can't put that aside. A lot happened in those three games and we will be trying with as much effort this time. Indeed, there will be as much effort, probably more, than there was last Sunday when we played Rangers."

One Celtic man who is expected to be influential at Tynecastle is striker Shaun Maloney. He is expected to pick up the player-of-the-year award from the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association after the trip to Hearts. It has also been suggested that he may be the first player to pick up both Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season. He has become a regular under Strachan this season after failing to make a significant impact on the first team under previous manager Martin O'Neill. Celtic captain Neil Lennon believes Maloney deserves a reward for his patience in breaking into the first 11. Lennon said: "Shaun is a very quiet and well-mannered boy. He has worked tremendously hard to get into this position because he had so may setbacks and was in and out of the team for a while."


Taken From http://www.scotland-mad.co.uk
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