Celtic can use opening day disadvantage as motivation

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Just to make it clear immediately, I have no problem with Hearts deciding to halt Celtic fans from entering Tynecastle.

Speaking yesterday, Hearts Chief Executive Andrew McKinlay stated that the club was looking to bring in more season ticket holders for the Premiership opener at Tynecastle. The Jambos therefore won’t allow away fans in “unless forced to” [Scottish Sun].

You can totally understand this. Fans have been locked out of Scottish football grounds for far too long. Euro 2020 has shown, however, that the time has arrived to start bringing them back. You can see why, then, Hearts want to accommodate their own fans first and foremost.

A final decision hasn’t yet been made by the SPFL of course. It could be the case that Hearts are told they simply have to make room for a certain number of away supporters.

The match will take place on July 31st, meaning it’ll become before the August 9th date when all legal restrictions on social contact is lifted.

However, in banning Celtic fans from Tynecastle, Hearts have helped create a much-needed siege mentality heading into the first game of the new Premiership season.

Ange Postecoglou will experience a Celtic vs The World atmosphere against Hearts

Hearts vs Celtic is always a fixture that brings the club together. Regardless of whatever on or off-field turmoil we’re experiencing, a game in Gorgie tends to unite this football club. We forget about our woes and focus on winning what is always a fierce battle at the second most intimidating ground in Scotland.

When Postecoglou heads into the dugout in Midlothian for his first Premiership experience, he’ll be in for a shock. Tynecastle, with an increased capacity, will be full of Hearts fans baying to put Celtic to the sword.

This is, by all accounts, the kind if intimidating environment Postecoglou will thrive upon. He loves being a man under pressure. He works at his best when he needs to rally the troops in the face of strong adversity. At Tynecastle with no away fans in support, it gives him a glorious chance to input a siege mentality into the squad. A Celtic vs The World state of mind that provides the players with extra motivation.

And let’s not forget the external factors heading into that game in Edinburgh. Postecoglou’s doubters will almost certainly be out pushing what a bad result will mean for the football club. How dropped points at Tynecastle could mean the league is over already. You can hear the pundits and see the headlines now.

Hearts refusing to allow Celtic fans in only allows Postecoglou to motivate his squad further. To give them that special motivational tool of having everyone against you that you can only have from an environment like Tynecastle with no supporters.

Granted, this still needs rubber-stamped by the SPFL. But if it is, Hearts may have just given us the additional boost needed to put in a performance.

In other news, the Celtic supporters are set to find out a lot more about Ange Postecoglou this week.