It’s that time of the year again when someone other than Celtic or Rangers is being touted for the title.
Last year, it was Aberdeen with all the momentum to challenge Brendan Rodgers. Now, it’s Hearts.
A non-Glasgow team simply having a good start to the season is nothing new – Hearts’ ownership structure is.
Brighton and Union Saint-Gilloise owner Tony Bloom is now involved at Tynecastle, and he’s taking a hands-on approach with recruitment. When you look at his record with those two clubs, it’s understandable that this is exciting for Hearts.
And for one English executive, who will be a familiar face to some, Hearts could be challenging for titles sooner rather than later.
Charlie Methven on Tony Bloom challenging Celtic with Hearts
Bloom has not been shy with his ambitions at Hearts.
He has made it clear that his ambition is to win the Scottish Premiership with Hearts, and fast.
READ MORE: Matt O’Riley makes Celtic Park atmosphere admission as midfielder weighs up Marseille comparison
Viewers of Season Two of Sunderland Til I Die on Netflix will remember Charlie Methven, the charismatic executive who spawned a few internet memes.
And for him, speaking on the Where’s The Money Gone podcast, Hearts under Bloom are an immediate threat to Celtic.
Asked whether Hearts can disrupt the Glasgow clubs, Methven said: “Yes, absolutely, because I’m sat here in Belgium where he’s just achieved that with Union Saint-Gilloise. And believe me, getting Union Saint-Gilloise to win the Belgian league is a bigger achievement than Hearts.
“Hearts are the third-biggest club in Scotland. Union wouldn’t be in the top ten biggest clubs in Belgium. So for him to beat Anderlecht, Standard Liege and Brugge – big clubs who all won European trophies in their history.
“To do that with Union shows that absolutely if the big guys are sleeping and Tony Bloom gets a hold of a medium-sized club, absolutely with his data algorithm, in terms of the efficiency of spend, and their ability to turn a medium-sized budget into a winning budget… we’ve seen the evidence.
“We’ve seen it at Brighton, we’ve seen it at Union, and I would say that Hearts is the easiest challenge of those three, because you’re looking to disintermediate clubs that are not very well run. It’s not like he’s trying to beat Brugge, who are brilliantly well-run.
“At Hearts, he’s got two sitting ducks in front of him, who are so complacent or up their own backsides, who can’t even conceive of the notion that one of those medium-sized clubs would come and eat their lunch again.”
Can a stronger Hearts be good news for Celtic?
Celtic will always have far greater resources than Hearts – so in theory, should always be outperforming them.
However, we know that it isn’t that simple. Could Hearts being competitive push Celtic further domestically and in Europe?
Methven mentions that Celtic have been ‘complacent’ in moving the club forward, and it’s difficult to argue with that.
What’s less certain is whether Hearts can cause a shock that Scottish football hasn’t seen in 40 years.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
