Daniel Stendel makes Hearts plea to Scottish football authorities over coronavirus contingency plans

pDaniel Stendel has pleaded with the football authorities not to cut the season short due to the coronavirus and give a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/hearts-fcHearts/a 38 games to survive./p pGovernment big wigs met yesterday to discuss contingency plans for sport in the UK and what should be done to slow the spread of the virus, which has so far affected over 100,000 people globally./p pItaly has been one of the worst affected European nations, with matches such as Juventus#x2019; 2-0 win over Inter Milan on Sunday being played behind closed doors./p pEnding the season early remains a last resort as part of the a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/scottish-professional-football-leagueSPFL/aapos;s contingency plans, but could see Hearts relegated if they are still bottom when a drastic decision has to be taken./p pBut a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/daniel-stendelStendel/a believes a way should be found to give the Jambos the full season in order to save themselves./p p#x201C;I think, even everything that has happened with the coronavirus, the competition is 38 games,#x201D; he said./p p#x201C;You cannot say after however many games that you just stop the league./p p#x201C;I think it#x2019;s not really the rule, the spirit. Fair? Fair is not important to me./p p#x201C;I have my opinion. But it#x2019;s too difficult to express it fully in English at the moment.#x201D;/p img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article21659365.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_GettyImages-1206109810.jpg title=Juvents v Inter Milan was played behind closed doors data-portal-copyright=Getty pPlaying out the campaign behind closed doors remains a possibility, which would also be less than ideal given how the raucous Tynecastle atmosphere can help Stendel#x2019;s side./p pDiscussions about shutting out fans have begun in Stendel#x2019;s homeland, but he doesn#x2019;t want to see Scotland follow Italy#x2019;s lead in that regard./p pHe added: #x201C;That#x2019;s the worst case. But it#x2019;s not my decision. In the end, we all love the atmosphere in Tynecastle #x2013; and in every stadium./p p#x201C;This is the reason why we play this game. I hope it will not happen./p p#x201C;I concentrate entirely on the football, the work with the team. Other things, I cannot influence./p p#x2018;Yesterday was the start of talking about that in Germany, for the first time. I don#x2019;t know the future./p p#x201C;I#x2019;m very similar to Jurgen Klopp, I have no idea! I#x2019;m not a virologist. In Germany they#x2019;re like #x2018;woah!#x2019;. I don#x2019;t have enough information./p p#x201C;I have spoken to Ann [Budge} but nothing really concrete. I have some information but it is not helpful for my work.#x201D;/p pAssuming nothing major is decided before Wednesday, Hearts face a massive basement battle away to a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/st-mirren-fcSt Mirren/a./p pOriginally scheduled for 21 February, the initial clash was rained off by Storm Dennis./p img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article21659350.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_19888373.jpg data-portal-copyright=SNS pSince then, Hearts have dumped Rangers out the Scottish Cup and convincingly beat city rivals Hibs on their own patch before Saturday#x2019;s 1-1 draw against Motherwell./p pThey remain bottom of the table, but can overtake the Buddies on goal difference with a victory at the Simple Digital Arena./p pIt#x2019;s a key encounter in the battle for survival, but Stendel was keen not to build it up too much with eight games still to play afterwards./p p#x201C;It is an important game but I don#x2019;t want to have the feeling that it is the one and only game that decides it,#x201D; he explained. #x201C;It#x2019;s a good chance to bring it all together at the bottom - Ross County, St Mirren, us and Hamilton./p p#x201C;We all know how important the game is, but there is no difference between one game and the next./p p#x201C;That is when we don#x2019;t win. I think we can win. It#x2019;s not good when we give the the feeling we may not win and then we have no chance./p p#x201C;After this, we have eight games. It#x2019;s an important game, a big chance for us to improve our situation, and we want to use it./p p#x201C;The last couple of games have been really good. We have been defending better as a team. It has given us more chances to win games./p p#x201C;The situation isn#x2019;t really so much better, but the feeling for the team is so much better. We have stabilised our game especially in our defence./p img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article21659390.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_19888585.jpg data-portal-copyright=SNS pEven after falling behind at the weekend, Stendel could see his team had enough about them to get back into the game, which wouldn#x2019;t necessarily have been the case a few weeks ago./p p#x201C;They looked a little bit more comfortable even at 1-0 down,#x201D; he said./p p#x201C;In previous weeks, when they went 1-0 down, they felt like it was just the start #x2013; they would quickly go 2-0 and sometimes 3-0 down./p p#x201C;That has changed. And, when you see how we conceded the goal to Motherwell, it#x2019;s not easy for the players to say: #x201C;OK, that doesn#x2019;t matter./p p#x201C;The team understand that sometimes we miss chances. But that#x2019;s not the only reason we don#x2019;t win./p p#x201C;And sometimes we concede goals #x2013; but it#x2019;s a team game.quot;/p