Hearts investor Tony Bloom has conceded that the club must accept the dramatic end to last season, even though the manner of it remains a source of disappointment. He has also said he would be disappointed if Hearts fail to win the Scottish Premiership within his 10-year plan.
Final-day heartbreak at Parkhead
The Jambos were within minutes of sealing a first Scottish top-flight crown in 66 years before late goals from Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand saw Celtic pip them on the final day. A mass pitch invasion following Osmand's stoppage-time clincher forced the Hearts players to make a hasty exit and head back to the capital still in their kit as the Celtic fans celebrated.
Confusion reigned over whether referee Don Robertson had actually ended the game, although this was later confirmed by the SPFL. Bloom claimed in the aftermath that a number of Derek McInnes' players had been assaulted when trying to leave the pitch.
A Police Scotland investigation is ongoing, although one fan has since been charged over an alleged assault while another has been handed a football banning order. Bloom has opened up on the mood that lingers since the end of last season ahead of Hearts returning to Parkhead this Sunday, and his comments suggest that the capital club are not planning to take matters any further.
Acceptance and disappointment
"The way it [last season] ended, in difficult circumstances from a Hearts point of view, is exceptionally disappointing for the club and for me as well," Bloom told Sky Sports. "At the end of the day, we've got to accept what's happened, if not be happy about how things ended."
Bloom created headlines after ploughing £10 million into Hearts last summer in exchange for a 29 per cent shareholding, claiming they could win the league within the next decade, helped by world-leading data recruitment company Jamestown Analytics. They were so close to doing it nine years ahead of schedule, and the Brighton owner has admitted that failing within his own specified time frame would be a blow.
"Absolutely," he said. "I'd be really disappointed if Hearts have not won the Scottish Premiership within the 10 years."
Looking ahead under Vrancken
McInnes has since left for Rangers, replaced by Belgian Wouter Vrancken, who has the Gorgie Boys third in the table, the league's top scorers, and preparing to kick off their Conference League campaign against Nordsjaelland at Tynecastle on Thursday night. Based on what he's seen from Vrancken's side so far, Bloom is hopeful of more success.
"We move on to this season," he said. "We've started reasonably well, got a new head coach, so again we've got to be hopeful and optimistic for the season to come.
"It was really difficult with the head coach coming in literally just before the start of pre-season, but as a football club you have to recover, and you have to recover quickly. I think we have done.
"We've brought in a lot of new players, and there's a lot to play for in the season for Hearts, so I think there's a lot for the Hearts fans to look forward to this season."
