Birkirkara revisited

[Watt-Zeefuik]

This came up in the transfer thread and I think it's a relevant point to consider so let's have a thread about it.

 

I remain an avowed Neilson fan, was very happy when he got appointed to replace Stendel, and generally think the moaning and agony over the Brora and Alloa losses or the Hibs cup loss years ago is overdone. The one result that really sticks in my craw though is Birkirkara.

 

I've thought for years that Hearts' most important route forward to at least closing some of the gap on the OF and establishing ourselves as an internationally known club was through Europe. Granted the early qualifying rounds (of the sort we thankfully get to skip this year) are tough sledding but they also build up the club's coefficient and open up opportunities for much bigger more glamorous ties.

 

I confess that I have never seen the both games start to finish. At the time technical difficulties meant I was only able to listen to Laurie's commentary on Hearts TV and didn't get video, and I've just seen the highlights and the goals. The worrisome thing for me is just how flat-footed we looked both games but particularly at Tynecastle. Defenders were literally standing around looking at each other at both goals, and while Jack was a below average keeper for us the last decade (certainly not the worst obviously) he really wasn't at fault on either goal.

 

Admittedly the strike force of Sammon, Juanma, Zanatta, and Muirhead was possibly the weakest across the board. Sammon was yet to be revealed as the hard working but utterly toothless attacker, and Juanma's actual ability was lost in his unfathomable laziness and wretched attitude. Zanatta and Muirhead were good lads who just weren't good enough.

 

Still, with players like Paterson, Djoum, Walker, Nicholson, Cowie, and Rossi, we should have had more than enough quality to overpower them. In the game in Malta, the team were clearly affected by the heat, and a determined team sitting in against better opposition for a scoreless draw is hardly unheard of in continental competitions. Yes, it was early season and the team clearly weren't fully on the same page, but what disturbs me on watching extended highlights is just how little trouble we seemed to be causing them. This wasn't an instance like some of the losses this past season where we shelled the goal and just couldn't find the finish. Rather, we seemed to settle for shots from distance and a lot of cutting around at the top of the box.

 

If there's a long-lasting criticism of Robbie, I think it's that he has as deep an understanding of how to deploy a defence and a midfield as you can hope for from a manager, but lacks an understanding of how to create that bit of dangerous chaos in attack that breaks down a defence. Birkirkara weren't the only team to frustrate that for us, but to me it was by far the worst instance given the competition and the stakes. It also was in Robbie's old days where we were always and forever in a 4-2-3-1, which got extremely predictable after a while. (I know some preferred it this season, but to me the 3-4-3 was a welcome and refreshing change and also made the 4-2-3-1 more effective when we switched to it because we weren't so predictable.)

 

Lack of desire, early season lack of team cohesion, and an inability to solve a defence are not uncommon at that stage of the season, but they're also the responsibility of the manager to solve. Once again, I am a big Robbie defender and am thrilled that he's our manager but as we finally make it back to Europe (at a much higher level), it's natural to revisit our last attempt there. I think Neilson's matured and improved on these fronts, and we'll be further into our season this time around, and hopefully will have a better striker or two in by then. Let's hope.

[August Landmesser]

First leg, Sammon had a perfectly good goal chalked off for an incorrect offside, score that and the tie is completely different. We maybe score more on the night as BK have to come out a wee bit, but at very least we go home with an away goal and/or a 1-0 lead.

 

Fine margins really make a difference. 

[1971fozzy]

It’s really not in anyones interest to revisit that. Why bring up dead ducks from whenever as the clubs in a great place on and off the pitch 🤷🏻‍♂️

Binned in the past and rightfully so.

 

[mikey51]

Seriously! So much positive stuff happening all around the club and you regurgitate this sh@! 🙈

[Homme]

We had the chances to win that home tie 10-0.

 

Just one of those things. 

[The Gorgie]

I take responsibility for that defeat. Took my mrs to it for her first hearts game. Was hard to get her to understand my love for Hearts after that game.

[Bull's-eye]

Shan Lieson like drivel.

[jamboinglasgow]

I think its worth looking at it to learn from it. Robbie was at the start of his third full season as a manager, having never managed in Europe (something that can be very different to Scottish football.) Listening to Robbie on SATF podcast, its clear he has learnt a lot from that first time and the club have been looking into everything to ensure the team is in the best shape possible for the match. One example Robbie gave was that with European games, when you are away the manager and two players are expected to give a press conference the day before the game. This messed up a lot of training as players had to hang around while the manager has to do this and meant the players were training late at night. Now they know what to expect and can manage to get training arranged around it so minimal hassle happens.

 

One thing though, the team that played Birkirkara in the next round was Krasnador who got to the last 16. So chances were we would not have got past the third round.

[briever]

1 hour ago, Led Tasso said:

This came up in the transfer thread and I think it's a relevant point to consider so let's have a thread about it.

 

I remain an avowed Neilson fan, was very happy when he got appointed to replace Stendel, and generally think the moaning and agony over the Brora and Alloa losses or the Hibs cup loss years ago is overdone. The one result that really sticks in my craw though is Birkirkara.

 

I've thought for years that Hearts' most important route forward to at least closing some of the gap on the OF and establishing ourselves as an internationally known club was through Europe. Granted the early qualifying rounds (of the sort we thankfully get to skip this year) are tough sledding but they also build up the club's coefficient and open up opportunities for much bigger more glamorous ties.

 

I confess that I have never seen the both games start to finish. At the time technical difficulties meant I was only able to listen to Laurie's commentary on Hearts TV and didn't get video, and I've just seen the highlights and the goals. The worrisome thing for me is just how flat-footed we looked both games but particularly at Tynecastle. Defenders were literally standing around looking at each other at both goals, and while Jack was a below average keeper for us the last decade (certainly not the worst obviously) he really wasn't at fault on either goal.

 

Admittedly the strike force of Sammon, Juanma, Zanatta, and Muirhead was possibly the weakest across the board. Sammon was yet to be revealed as the hard working but utterly toothless attacker, and Juanma's actual ability was lost in his unfathomable laziness and wretched attitude. Zanatta and Muirhead were good lads who just weren't good enough.

 

Still, with players like Paterson, Djoum, Walker, Nicholson, Cowie, and Rossi, we should have had more than enough quality to overpower them. In the game in Malta, the team were clearly affected by the heat, and a determined team sitting in against better opposition for a scoreless draw is hardly unheard of in continental competitions. Yes, it was early season and the team clearly weren't fully on the same page, but what disturbs me on watching extended highlights is just how little trouble we seemed to be causing them. This wasn't an instance like some of the losses this past season where we shelled the goal and just couldn't find the finish. Rather, we seemed to settle for shots from distance and a lot of cutting around at the top of the box.

 

If there's a long-lasting criticism of Robbie, I think it's that he has as deep an understanding of how to deploy a defence and a midfield as you can hope for from a manager, but lacks an understanding of how to create that bit of dangerous chaos in attack that breaks down a defence. Birkirkara weren't the only team to frustrate that for us, but to me it was by far the worst instance given the competition and the stakes. It also was in Robbie's old days where we were always and forever in a 4-2-3-1, which got extremely predictable after a while. (I know some preferred it this season, but to me the 3-4-3 was a welcome and refreshing change and also made the 4-2-3-1 more effective when we switched to it because we weren't so predictable.)

 

Lack of desire, early season lack of team cohesion, and an inability to solve a defence are not uncommon at that stage of the season, but they're also the responsibility of the manager to solve. Once again, I am a big Robbie defender and am thrilled that he's our manager but as we finally make it back to Europe (at a much higher level), it's natural to revisit our last attempt there. I think Neilson's matured and improved on these fronts, and we'll be further into our season this time around, and hopefully will have a better striker or two in by then. Let's hope.

 

It wasn't actually that hot that night in Malta.  Just a balmy med evening - certainly not enough to cause pro athletes that much bother.  The problem in both those games were our timid tactics.

Edited June 10, 2022 by briever

[Watt-Zeefuik]

2 hours ago, mikey51 said:

Seriously! So much positive stuff happening all around the club and you regurgitate this sh@! 🙈

As mentioned it was already getting discussed in the Transfer thread so it's clearly on folks minds. I put it in a different thread so folk who aren't interested could not bother. So . . . .

 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

1 hour ago, jamboinglasgow said:

I think its worth looking at it to learn from it. Robbie was at the start of his third full season as a manager, having never managed in Europe (something that can be very different to Scottish football.) Listening to Robbie on SATF podcast, its clear he has learnt a lot from that first time and the club have been looking into everything to ensure the team is in the best shape possible for the match. One example Robbie gave was that with European games, when you are away the manager and two players are expected to give a press conference the day before the game. This messed up a lot of training as players had to hang around while the manager has to do this and meant the players were training late at night. Now they know what to expect and can manage to get training arranged around it so minimal hassle happens.

 

One thing though, the team that played Birkirkara in the next round was Krasnador who got to the last 16. So chances were we would not have got past the third round.

 

Cheers, I hadn't heard that.

 

As I said I do think Robbie has learned a lot since then. His system is far more flexible these days for one.

[Jeff]

If Watt and Sammon took their chances we'd have Cowdenbeath'd them.

 

They took their 2 chances very well

[Des Lynam]

Were you at the game caller? 

[frankblack]

All I remember about that day was getting stuck in traffic for over two hours in baking hot temperatures trying to get home, rushing out immediately for the game and arriving 5 mins late.

 

Things went downhill after that.

[Bazzas right boot]

All over them, hit the woodwork twice and missed a penalty. 

Bad day at the office. 

 

I remember their second was a cracking break away goal. 

 

Thankfully, thanks to Bob we are back dining at the European table and in the league stages as well. 

 

"All hail King Bob" 

[Bazzas right boot]

Cannae wait for the Brora  thread next season once the sc thread starts. 

 

[kila]

 

Nothing to add other than reminiscing the old main stand

 

[Weakened Offender]

3 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

This came up in the transfer thread and I think it's a relevant point to consider so let's have a thread about it.

 

I remain an avowed Neilson fan, was very happy when he got appointed to replace Stendel, and generally think the moaning and agony over the Brora and Alloa losses or the Hibs cup loss years ago is overdone. The one result that really sticks in my craw though is Birkirkara.

 

I've thought for years that Hearts' most important route forward to at least closing some of the gap on the OF and establishing ourselves as an internationally known club was through Europe. Granted the early qualifying rounds (of the sort we thankfully get to skip this year) are tough sledding but they also build up the club's coefficient and open up opportunities for much bigger more glamorous ties.

 

I confess that I have never seen the both games start to finish. At the time technical difficulties meant I was only able to listen to Laurie's commentary on Hearts TV and didn't get video, and I've just seen the highlights and the goals. The worrisome thing for me is just how flat-footed we looked both games but particularly at Tynecastle. Defenders were literally standing around looking at each other at both goals, and while Jack was a below average keeper for us the last decade (certainly not the worst obviously) he really wasn't at fault on either goal.

 

Admittedly the strike force of Sammon, Juanma, Zanatta, and Muirhead was possibly the weakest across the board. Sammon was yet to be revealed as the hard working but utterly toothless attacker, and Juanma's actual ability was lost in his unfathomable laziness and wretched attitude. Zanatta and Muirhead were good lads who just weren't good enough.

 

Still, with players like Paterson, Djoum, Walker, Nicholson, Cowie, and Rossi, we should have had more than enough quality to overpower them. In the game in Malta, the team were clearly affected by the heat, and a determined team sitting in against better opposition for a scoreless draw is hardly unheard of in continental competitions. Yes, it was early season and the team clearly weren't fully on the same page, but what disturbs me on watching extended highlights is just how little trouble we seemed to be causing them. This wasn't an instance like some of the losses this past season where we shelled the goal and just couldn't find the finish. Rather, we seemed to settle for shots from distance and a lot of cutting around at the top of the box.

 

If there's a long-lasting criticism of Robbie, I think it's that he has as deep an understanding of how to deploy a defence and a midfield as you can hope for from a manager, but lacks an understanding of how to create that bit of dangerous chaos in attack that breaks down a defence. Birkirkara weren't the only team to frustrate that for us, but to me it was by far the worst instance given the competition and the stakes. It also was in Robbie's old days where we were always and forever in a 4-2-3-1, which got extremely predictable after a while. (I know some preferred it this season, but to me the 3-4-3 was a welcome and refreshing change and also made the 4-2-3-1 more effective when we switched to it because we weren't so predictable.)

 

Lack of desire, early season lack of team cohesion, and an inability to solve a defence are not uncommon at that stage of the season, but they're also the responsibility of the manager to solve. Once again, I am a big Robbie defender and am thrilled that he's our manager but as we finally make it back to Europe (at a much higher level), it's natural to revisit our last attempt there. I think Neilson's matured and improved on these fronts, and we'll be further into our season this time around, and hopefully will have a better striker or two in by then. Let's hope.

 

Yeah you really are coming across as that big Robbie defender.... 😊

[AlimOzturk]

People being Absoloute dicks to the OP over what is a reasoned and articulated post. 
 

Circumstances have changed massively since the last game in Europe and as the OP rightly said Robbie has far more experience since then. 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

25 minutes ago, Weakened Offender said:

 

Yeah you really are coming across as that big Robbie defender.... 😊

 

If you really care, go back and look at the sundry "Neilson" threads over the past season and search under my username.

[Bazzas right boot]

28 minutes ago, Weakened Offender said:

 

Yeah you really are coming across as that big Robbie defender.... 😊

 

 

He is. 

He likes Bob. 

 

Tbh the op isn't that bad, it's the Robbie oot rabids that will ruin it. 

 

 

[Captain Sausage]

Did Buaben not miss a pen at 0-0 in the home leg?

 

Was in hospitality for the match and alcohol/result has repressed most of that evening. 
 

Was clear as day that we needed to match them 442 and it took Robbie until we went 2-0 down to match it up. Except for Brora, our worst result under RN. 

[Bazzas right boot]

4 minutes ago, Captain Sausage said:

Did Buaben not miss a pen at 0-0 in the home leg?

 

Was in hospitality for the match and alcohol/result has repressed most of that evening. 
 

Was clear as day that we needed to match them 442 and it took Robbie until we went 2-0 down to match it up. Except for Brora, our worst result under RN. 

 

 

Missed a pk and the fish hit the post at 0-0.

Walkee hit the bar at 0-1 iirc. 

[Jambo92]

Sammon up top and Jack Hamilton in the sticks is all you need to know.  That summer was a total disaster from a recruitment point of view.

[briever]

Just now, Jambo92 said:

Sammon up top and Jack Hamilton in the sticks is all you need to know.  That summer was a total disaster from a recruitment point of view.

 

Was Hamilton to blame for the goals conceded?

[AlimOzturk]

Jack Hamilton one of the biggest let downs from the youth system. Had every opportunity, early Scotland recognising and everything. Failed to live up for the hype. 
 

 

[AlimOzturk]

14 minutes ago, Captain Sausage said:

Did Buaben not miss a pen at 0-0 in the home leg?

 

Was in hospitality for the match and alcohol/result has repressed most of that evening. 
 

Was clear as day that we needed to match them 442 and it took Robbie until we went 2-0 down to match it up. Except for Brora, our worst result under RN. 

Worst result was against Hibs in the cup. 
 

Then take your pick. 
 

still deserves his job IMO

 

Kinda feel bad results can make a man. We have many things to go and achieve under Robbie imo. 

[Bazzas right boot]

What happens if the next European team does what many seem to want us to do v rangers/ celtic. 

 

-Press, believe and try really hard. 

How will we counter this tactic? 

[briever]

1 minute ago, AlimOzturk said:

Worst result was against Hibs in the cup. 
 

Then take your pick. 
 

still deserves his job IMO

 

Kinda feel bad results can make a man. We have many things to go and achieve under Robbie imo. 

 

The worst results IMO were:

 

Brora
Maltese Waiters

Hobbos in the cup.

[briever]

4 minutes ago, AlimOzturk said:

Jack Hamilton one of the biggest let downs from the youth system. Had every opportunity, early Scotland recognising and everything. Failed to live up for the hype. 
 

 

 

He wasn't responsible for us losing to a bunch of Maltese part-timers.

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

I mind being steaming in the old main stand and having to go for 2 pishes before half time. That made me give up drinking before the football. And we were shite that day as well.

[AlimOzturk]

1 minute ago, briever said:

 

The worst results IMO were:

 

Brora
Maltese Waiters

Hobbos in the cup.

In terms of quality of opposition I would agree however what Hibs went on to achieve in winning the cup that year could have been avoided had we just ****ing held on. Not all on Robbie but unfortunately a big stain on his record and undoubtedly the main reason most hearts fans have a dislike of him (not me fwiw)

1 minute ago, briever said:

 

He wasn't responsible for us losing to a bunch of Maltese part-timers.

 

No he wasn’t. 

[Jeff]

Did an Estonian mob not give us a scare the round before?

 

Sure they scored a beauty into the Gorgie end too

[Bazzas right boot]

2 minutes ago, Steak said:

Did an Estonian mob not give us a scare the round before?

 

Sure they scored a beauty into the Gorgie end too

 

 

Naw, we beat them 4-2 away in the first leg. 

 

[Fxxx the SPFL]

What a crap thread to start the op should have posted it on hibsnet I’m sure the interlopers will be having a laugh maybe the op could balance it with a mention of Malmo 

[kingantti1874]

 

 

 Thing going great let’s bring up some old negative pish.

 

weird and suspicious in equal measure

[Jeff]

8 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

Naw, we beat them 4-2 away in the first leg. 

 

 

Yeah but the first leg was tight iirc

[Byyy The Light]

My overriding memory is two screeching women (who were no strangers to the Gorgie Fry) sitting behind me singing Sammon’s on fire your defence is terrified. Over and over.

 

I still have nightmares.

[JimmyCant]

One of the things I remember about the aftermath is Robbie saying it was pre-season (I was angry with that remark. it wasn’t pre-season, it was European football, the thing we had worked hard for a whole season to get), we weren’t ready, we hadn’t brought anyone in. All things he could have done better IMO. He didn’t take it seriously enough when planning after the season before ended and we got caught cold.

 

It was borderline sackable not to be ready to beat a minnow like them. I’m sure it won’t be repeated. We’ll be ready this time.

[gorgie rd eh11]

4 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

This came up in the transfer thread and I think it's a relevant point to consider so let's have a thread about it.

 

I remain an avowed Neilson fan, was very happy when he got appointed to replace Stendel, and generally think the moaning and agony over the Brora and Alloa losses or the Hibs cup loss years ago is overdone. The one result that really sticks in my craw though is Birkirkara.

 

I've thought for years that Hearts' most important route forward to at least closing some of the gap on the OF and establishing ourselves as an internationally known club was through Europe. Granted the early qualifying rounds (of the sort we thankfully get to skip this year) are tough sledding but they also build up the club's coefficient and open up opportunities for much bigger more glamorous ties.

 

I confess that I have never seen the both games start to finish. At the time technical difficulties meant I was only able to listen to Laurie's commentary on Hearts TV and didn't get video, and I've just seen the highlights and the goals. The worrisome thing for me is just how flat-footed we looked both games but particularly at Tynecastle. Defenders were literally standing around looking at each other at both goals, and while Jack was a below average keeper for us the last decade (certainly not the worst obviously) he really wasn't at fault on either goal.

 

Admittedly the strike force of Sammon, Juanma, Zanatta, and Muirhead was possibly the weakest across the board. Sammon was yet to be revealed as the hard working but utterly toothless attacker, and Juanma's actual ability was lost in his unfathomable laziness and wretched attitude. Zanatta and Muirhead were good lads who just weren't good enough.

 

Still, with players like Paterson, Djoum, Walker, Nicholson, Cowie, and Rossi, we should have had more than enough quality to overpower them. In the game in Malta, the team were clearly affected by the heat, and a determined team sitting in against better opposition for a scoreless draw is hardly unheard of in continental competitions. Yes, it was early season and the team clearly weren't fully on the same page, but what disturbs me on watching extended highlights is just how little trouble we seemed to be causing them. This wasn't an instance like some of the losses this past season where we shelled the goal and just couldn't find the finish. Rather, we seemed to settle for shots from distance and a lot of cutting around at the top of the box.

 

If there's a long-lasting criticism of Robbie, I think it's that he has as deep an understanding of how to deploy a defence and a midfield as you can hope for from a manager, but lacks an understanding of how to create that bit of dangerous chaos in attack that breaks down a defence. Birkirkara weren't the only team to frustrate that for us, but to me it was by far the worst instance given the competition and the stakes. It also was in Robbie's old days where we were always and forever in a 4-2-3-1, which got extremely predictable after a while. (I know some preferred it this season, but to me the 3-4-3 was a welcome and refreshing change and also made the 4-2-3-1 more effective when we switched to it because we weren't so predictable.)

 

Lack of desire, early season lack of team cohesion, and an inability to solve a defence are not uncommon at that stage of the season, but they're also the responsibility of the manager to solve. Once again, I am a big Robbie defender and am thrilled that he's our manager but as we finally make it back to Europe (at a much higher level), it's natural to revisit our last attempt there. I think Neilson's matured and improved on these fronts, and we'll be further into our season this time around, and hopefully will have a better striker or two in by then. Let's hope.

😄

[WorldChampions1902]

1 hour ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

 

 Thing going great let’s bring up some old negative pish.

 

weird and suspicious in equal measure

Thread title needs changing to , “Malmo Memories”.

[davemclaren]

Personally I’m more imterested in the Ghosts of Europe future than the Ghosts of Europe past. 

[obua]

10 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Personally I’m more imterested in the Ghosts of Europe future than the Ghosts of Europe past. 

Nailed it.

[karipidis]

6 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

This came up in the transfer thread and I think it's a relevant point to consider so let's have a thread about it.

 

I remain an avowed Neilson fan, was very happy when he got appointed to replace Stendel, and generally think the moaning and agony over the Brora and Alloa losses or the Hibs cup loss years ago is overdone. The one result that really sticks in my craw though is Birkirkara.

 

I've thought for years that Hearts' most important route forward to at least closing some of the gap on the OF and establishing ourselves as an internationally known club was through Europe. Granted the early qualifying rounds (of the sort we thankfully get to skip this year) are tough sledding but they also build up the club's coefficient and open up opportunities for much bigger more glamorous ties.

 

I confess that I have never seen the both games start to finish. At the time technical difficulties meant I was only able to listen to Laurie's commentary on Hearts TV and didn't get video, and I've just seen the highlights and the goals. The worrisome thing for me is just how flat-footed we looked both games but particularly at Tynecastle. Defenders were literally standing around looking at each other at both goals, and while Jack was a below average keeper for us the last decade (certainly not the worst obviously) he really wasn't at fault on either goal.

 

Admittedly the strike force of Sammon, Juanma, Zanatta, and Muirhead was possibly the weakest across the board. Sammon was yet to be revealed as the hard working but utterly toothless attacker, and Juanma's actual ability was lost in his unfathomable laziness and wretched attitude. Zanatta and Muirhead were good lads who just weren't good enough.

 

Still, with players like Paterson, Djoum, Walker, Nicholson, Cowie, and Rossi, we should have had more than enough quality to overpower them. In the game in Malta, the team were clearly affected by the heat, and a determined team sitting in against better opposition for a scoreless draw is hardly unheard of in continental competitions. Yes, it was early season and the team clearly weren't fully on the same page, but what disturbs me on watching extended highlights is just how little trouble we seemed to be causing them. This wasn't an instance like some of the losses this past season where we shelled the goal and just couldn't find the finish. Rather, we seemed to settle for shots from distance and a lot of cutting around at the top of the box.

 

If there's a long-lasting criticism of Robbie, I think it's that he has as deep an understanding of how to deploy a defence and a midfield as you can hope for from a manager, but lacks an understanding of how to create that bit of dangerous chaos in attack that breaks down a defence. Birkirkara weren't the only team to frustrate that for us, but to me it was by far the worst instance given the competition and the stakes. It also was in Robbie's old days where we were always and forever in a 4-2-3-1, which got extremely predictable after a while. (I know some preferred it this season, but to me the 3-4-3 was a welcome and refreshing change and also made the 4-2-3-1 more effective when we switched to it because we weren't so predictable.)

 

Lack of desire, early season lack of team cohesion, and an inability to solve a defence are not uncommon at that stage of the season, but they're also the responsibility of the manager to solve. Once again, I am a big Robbie defender and am thrilled that he's our manager but as we finally make it back to Europe (at a much higher level), it's natural to revisit our last attempt there. I think Neilson's matured and improved on these fronts, and we'll be further into our season this time around, and hopefully will have a better striker or two in by then. Let's hope.

Give it a rest 

[karipidis]

2 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

Naw, we beat them 4-2 away in the first leg. 

 

Second leg. Home leg was a nervy 2-1 win. 

[iwasthere1954]

3 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

 

 Thing going great let’s bring up some old negative pish.

 

weird and suspicious in equal measure

My thoughts too. Why would anyone want to bring up that pish after the season we've had. I reckon the week after we beat them at Hampden  Kickback was short on posters.🤣🤣🤣

[Armageddon]

**** reading that.

[Bazzas right boot]

36 minutes ago, karipidis said:

Second leg. Home leg was a nervy 2-1 win. 

 

6-3 on agg. 

 

Piece of piss. 

[Bazzas right boot]

3 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

One of the things I remember about the aftermath is Robbie saying it was pre-season (I was angry with that remark. it wasn’t pre-season, it was European football, the thing we had worked hard for a whole season to get), we weren’t ready, we hadn’t brought anyone in. All things he could have done better IMO. He didn’t take it seriously enough when planning after the season before ended and we got caught cold.

 

It was borderline sackable not to be ready to beat a minnow like them. I’m sure it won’t be repeated. We’ll be ready this time.

 

Minnow like them.. 

 

Look at Hearts record in Europe, particularly the last 10 or 15 years. 

 

We are a minnow. 

Like it, or lump it, we are a minnow. 

 

Tbh, Hearts fans talking of minnows in terms of Europe need a reality check. 

 

Hearts fans using a European result against a manager that has 2 x 3rd place as his record in Scotland need sanctioned. 

 

 

 

[Shaggy2]

Birkirkara was awful, Alloa was even worse and Brora was absolutely the bottom of the barrel. Hibs defeat hardly even registers in comparison to these three.

None of the above must ever be allowed to happen again.