Robbie Neilson knows Rangers could make a second bid to prise John Souttar from Tynecastle before Hearts take on Celtic on Wednesday night but insists his team will cope if the move happens.
The Jambos boss probably suspects the Ibrox club will hold off until after their rivals head east.
After all, Hearts ’ chances of taking points off Ange Postecoglou’s men will be enhanced if the 25-year-old is in his usual position on the right of a back three.
But the Gorgie club have already rejected a £300,000 offer to take pre-contract signing Souttar now and stranger things have happened than another bid being made.
If it does materialise, Neilson will simply shrug and get on with it in the knowledge he has coped with last-minute changes of plan already this season due to Covid.
He said: “We almost have a full squad to pick from including John, who still has a slight issue with his ankle. But I still expect him to be ready for Wednesday.
“There’s been nothing else (from Rangers ) and I don’t think it will be a distraction.
“We have a massive game on Wednesday and another one on Saturday (against Motherwell).
“So from our perspective there is no distraction. John is a Hearts player and he will continue to be until things change.
“For all the downsides of Covid, one of the upsides is you need to think on your feet.
“You never know day to day who is going to turn up for training. It’s the same for games.
“We had it a couple of weeks ago when we had done all our work, then we had two boys out with Covid on the Saturday morning. You just need to adapt.
“It’s the same situation when players are coming or going. You take it daily.”
Neilson knows scepticism surrounded Souttar’s omission from the Hearts team that beat Auchinleck Talbot 5-0 in the
Scottish Cup on Saturday.
Former boss Craig Levein even suggested the ankle injury may have been a red – or maroon – herring so the defender isn’t cup-tied if Rangers come back for him this month.
The Tynecastle gaffer is having none of it, though.
Neilson said: “Everyone has an opinion on different things but, at the end of the day, the boy has an injury. I can’t really be any clearer than that, so I’m not sure why he [Levein] would say that.”
Hearts beat Celtic on the opening day of the season but Postecoglou’s squad has changed significantly since then and their form has improved with it.
Although Celtic picked up three injuries at Alloa on Saturday, the Jambos manager is convinced there is enough strength in depth to make up for absentees.
“They probably have 30 top players,” added Neilson, whose side lost 1-0 to Celtic last month. “They have a huge squad and resources where they can buy players for four and five million. We have to try to find gems in the market, then try to keep them together.
“We are trying to keep continuity within the group and we have managed to get the majority of out-of-contract players signed up.
“We have one or two more who we want to keep as well. We are getting closer but there is still a long way to go.
“We run with a squad of about 16. We decided at the start of the season to go with quality over quantity. A lot of teams will run with 20 players and maybe only 12 or 14 are up to standard.
“We decided to go with 16 who are really good.
“We don’t have the Old Firm budget but we’ve got enough to get good players in.
“We have a good squad who know the formation we play and know their roles.
“It makes it a lot easier to bring guys in and
out. There will be times when, with suspensions and injuries, we are down to the bare bones but we decided to do that.
“Celtic can bring in a number of good players.
“If Liel Abada goes out, James Forrest comes in and they don’t change formation.
“We just work towards
that and deal with whoever turns up on the night.
“We had a brilliant result against Celtic at the start of the season and ran them close at Parkhead.
“The aim for us is to try to go through to Glasgow and win games.
“At Tynecastle we feel we have a great chance of taking three points. This is another opportunity for
us, although Celtic are a good team. We will have to bring our best form if we are to take anything out of the game.”
Beni Baningime and Ben Woodburn are available after injuries but defender Taylor Moore, who has a minor thigh problem, will miss out.
