Derek McInnes tried to insist Hearts are fully focused on Falkirk, but the Hearts manager still ended up sounding like somebody getting carried away by the occasion.
McInnes said there would be “no distractions” before discussing the possibility of Hearts winning the league at Tynecastle.
That was the moment Celtic supporters will immediately notice.
The Hearts manager said when asked about the possibility of winning the title tonight: “Could be, but it’s like for us, the team meeting we have when I come out of this press conference with the players will just be about we’re focused on this game and no distractions other than that really.
“I think that any of that kind of talk, I understand it, and it’s actually nice to even hear that Hearts could win the league at Tynecastle.
“I mean I don’t know how many people have been able to say that in a lifetime, you know.”
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Derek McInnes is already emotionally engaging with the occasion
Managers usually spend title races avoiding exactly this type of language. McInnes repeatedly tried to bring the conversation back to focus and discipline, but the fact he openly admitted hearing talk about Hearts winning the league at Tynecastle clearly means the noise around the club is growing.
Hearts can become champions tonight if they beat Falkirk and Celtic lose to Motherwell.
But from a Celtic perspective, hearing Hearts already discussing historic title scenarios before anything has actually been secured will not exactly create panic.
Celtic have been through too many title races for supporters to get carried away by comments like these.
Celtic still know pressure changes everything at this stage
Hearts remain top of the Premiership and deserve huge credit for sustaining the challenge this long.
Hearts have taken seven points from nine post-split and have handled pressure far better than most expected.
But title races become different when players and managers start openly acknowledging the scale of what is in front of them.
There is a reason McInnes immediately tried to stress “no distractions” before speaking about the possibility of winning the league at Tynecastle.
He knows emotions can change everything at this stage of a season.
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