Hearts Aim for Silverware Under McInnes
Hearts are determined to pursue silverware this season, with head coach Derek McInnes asserting that there is "nothing wrong" with such ambition.
The Tynecastle side is set to face St Mirren on Saturday in the second round of the Scottish League Cup, having kicked off the McInnes era with six consecutive victories in both the cup and the league.
Currently leading the early Scottish Premiership table, new investor Tony Bloom has confidently stated that the team can finish "at least second" this season.
Optimism abounds in Gorgie, and McInnes believes that a club of Hearts' stature should aim high. "There’s nothing wrong with setting lofty ambitions and envisioning the end goal," he remarked. "We have to imagine that day at Hampden.
"Of course, we need to focus on defeating St Mirren, who have proven to be a strong side over time. However, if we can get through this match, we will be just 90 minutes away from a semi-final. We enter the game with high expectations of ourselves."
Hearts have revamped their squad this summer following Bloom's investment and McInnes' appointment, and the new players have been clearly informed of the club's expectations.
"I’ve reiterated this to them several times: not a single player should have signed for Hearts without the aspiration to win a trophy here," McInnes stated. "Players join clubs for various reasons—financial incentives, viewing it as a stepping stone—but a fundamental reason for joining a club like Hearts should be the desire to succeed and lift silverware."
Hearts last secured a major honor in 2012 and haven't won the League Cup since 1963. McInnes is committed to ending that drought. "That’s what we all desire—I want that for myself and my staff," he expressed. "If we don’t win the cup, it doesn’t mean we were wrong to express our ambitions. I don’t believe you’re setting yourself up for failure.
"We genuinely believe we are capable of going all the way, and there’s no point in thinking otherwise."
Hearts 'Not Ripping Up Trees' Yet
When asked if he has been surprised by Hearts' rapid start to the season, following four wins in the League Cup group stages and successive Premiership victories over Aberdeen and Dundee United, McInnes stated that the team is simply meeting expectations and must remain grounded.
"We haven’t done anything that I wouldn’t have anticipated," he noted. "It’s not as if we’re tearing up the league and achieving things beyond our expectations. I expected us to beat Aberdeen, win the group stages of the cup, and I anticipated a tough match against Dundee United, but I always believed we could win that game.
"We need to approach our tasks quietly, refrain from boasting, work hard, and see where it leads us."