Robbie Neilson admitted Hearts’ courtroom battle with Raith Rovers over the summer will be ‘bubbling’ in the background of tonight’s game.
The Kircaldy club were one of the responders to the Jambos’ petition launched to prevent their relegation from the Scottish Premiership, while Raith felt that action put their own promotion from League One at risk.
Both stood, and it was perhaps inevitable Hearts would draw one of Dundee United, Raith or Cove Rangers in a cup competition after that.
The lack of fans means it won’t be as heated as it might have been.
But Neilson believes there will be plenty of games played with the bad feeling from the summer fresh in the mind for his team this season, and it’s something they’ll try and use for motivation.
“There’s obviously a lot of things that have happened in the background over the last six or seven months,” he said.
“There will be a number of games like this this season.
“From our perspective, every game we go into this season, we have to win and in every game, there’s something bubbling in the background that we have to try and use, and it’ll be no different tonight.”
Meanwhile Jamie Walker believes he and Steven Naismith can play together rather than necessarily vying for the number ten position.
Walker began the game against Inverness playing wide right with Naismith playing off of Craig Wighton, then Naismith led the line against Cowdenbeath with Walker in the hole.
The return of Liam Boyce for Friday’s Championship opener against Dundee will likely see another reshuffle, but Walker sees no reason why they can’t make it work if both start behind the Northern Irish international, in whatever position.
“We could play like that on some occasions, but in different games there will be different ways in which the gaffer wants to play,” he told Hearts TV.
“Maybe width could win us the game.
“We’ve got a lot of options in the forward areas now and hopefully we can use them to our advantage.”
