Hearts ready to 'rip up script' in title showdown
Image source, Getty Images- Published1 hour ago
Derek McInnes has faith that Hearts can "rip up the script" and prevail in a "pure box office" final-day showdown at Celtic Park with the Scottish Premiership title on the line.
The Edinburgh side will be champions of Scotland for the first time since 1960 if they can avoid defeat at the defending champions on Saturday.
"It's a perfect ending to a season for the league, for Scottish football, for drama and excitement," said head coach McInnes.
"It's pure box office. I felt for a while it would go the full way, and we've been preparing for that.
"We knew we'd have to get good wins, and obviously Celtic in the last wee while have shown improvements. Fair play to them and to our boys for making this the situation.
"It's important now that we have that one big performance in us to try and get over the line. The confidence I feel in the players is so strong. We have to go there with courage, with belief and be bullish."
Hearts will have the backing of fewer than 800 supporters at the 60,000-capacity stadium but McInnes is sure his players can rise to the occasion, having been out in front since September.
"It'll be bedlam, it'll be an unbelievable atmosphere," he said. "There might be people out there who think everything's back on script - 'Celtic win their home game, they win the league'.
"But we've ripped the script up so often this season, and we've got one more in us I think, and it's up to us to try and make that happen.
"There's been a lot of pressure on our lads for a long time now, but the players have dealt with it brilliantly.
"Of course the game's huge, and it'll be different in so many aspects, but it's also exciting. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, it has been a brilliant campaign, but it could be the most special campaign.
"It's up to us to try and create our own history and our own legacy with a big performance."
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The gap between the sides is one point after Celtic beat Motherwell with a controversial stoppage-time penalty on Wednesday.
An emotional McInnes described the spot-kick decision as "disgusting" in the wake of Hearts' 3-0 win over Falkirk on the same night. He was also furious at the denial of a penalty for his side in a 1-1 draw at Fir Park last weekend.
"From the aftermath of the last couple of games for us and the comment and condemnation of a lot of what's went on, I think it's quite telling to be honest," he said.
"There are questions that need to be asked about glaring inconsistencies, a lot of confusion.
"But today isn't the day for it. We all benefit, all clubs, all managers benefit from fortuitous decisions throughout a campaign. And times when you think you've been so hard done to. That's normal.
"There's been huge focus on the Scottish Premiership and we're part of the story.
"It's just a pity that there's been [some controversy] instead of all the positives. What I'm really out to concentrate on today is so much of the positive stuff from our point of view.
"Despite everything, we've got a job to do. And if we do our job well enough, we can still get the outcome that we want."
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