Derek McInnes has broken his silence after Hearts' agonising near-miss in the Scottish Premiership title race, vowing to channel the disappointment into next season's campaign. The Tynecastle side lost 3-1 at Celtic Park on Saturday, allowing Martin O'Neill's Celtic to snatch the championship by just two points.
The defeat was marred by a pitch invasion by Celtic supporters after the third goal, with alleged assaults on Hearts players. McInnes and his squad were advised by police to leave the ground immediately, still in their playing kit, to ensure a swift return to Edinburgh.
Despite the setback, McInnes was named Manager of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers Association, his third individual honour this season. He acknowledged the pain but focused on the positives, saying: 'In the cold light of day, there's been so much positivity from where we were at the beginning of the season. We've exceeded all expectations.'
Hearts finished with a club record 80 points and have qualified for the Champions League qualifiers in July for the first time in 20 years. McInnes stressed the need to build a squad capable of handling both a title challenge and European football, aided by Jamestown Analytics.
'There will be more expected of us next season and rightly so,' McInnes said. 'We have to be that and a wee bit more again if we can go and try and lift silverware. I fully believe the challenges ahead will be met with the enthusiasm from everybody at the club.'
