By Alan Pattullo

Copyright scotsman

This time last year, Scottish football was all a-quiver. Was a title race involving someone other than just Celtic and Rangers developing before our eyes? It seemed so. But then, as has happened in the majority of the previous 39 years, the non Old-Firm challenge quickly fell away. Celtic streaked away, Rangers trailed rather hopelessly in their wake and Aberdeen proved to be big red teases before collecting significant consolation in the form of the Scottish Cup. It might – might – be different this time around. In not much longer than the time it takes to say Tony Bloom, Heart of Midlothian suddenly look built for success. Never mind looking back 12 months to note what was happening at the top of the league, what was going on at the bottom? At the equivalent stage last season, after five league games, the Tynecastle side had just slipped to the bottom on goal difference following a 2-0 defeat against Celtic at Parkhead. Manager Steven Naismith was sacked the following weekend after a 2-1 defeat against St Mirren. Fast forward a year, and, well, they’re already treating the upcoming Hearts v Celtic fixture like high noon, literally. Confirmation has arrived via the SPFL that the fixture, now scheduled for 28 October, will kick-off at midday to accommodate the Sky TV cameras. Even though Rangers play Kilmarnock on the same afternoon, Premier Sports has chosen to cover Aberdeen v Hibernian at 2.30pm on what’s being dubbed a ‘Super Sunday’. At least the most most mouth-watering part of the double-bill is on live TV; the first title showdown between the teams lying in first and second place last season wasn’t even shown. The then high-flying Aberdeen travelled to face Celtic at roughly the same time of year. As much as a fifth of the championship had been contested and they both still boasted 100 per cent records. That won’t be the case when Hearts play Celtic next month. It’s not even the case now. Hearts have already dropped points in a 3-3 draw with Motherwell, with even the point gained looking unlikely at around the 62-minute mark, when they were trailing 3-0. Celtic, meanwhile, will curse the goalless draw at Ibrox, the venue where Hearts posted such a strong statement of their intent at the weekend. There are no 100 per cent records still standing in the top flight – unless you count Motherwell’s 100 per cent record of draws and Aberdeen’s 100 per cent record of not scoring. It feels a competitive environment. Aberdeen, with probably better players than last season, are bottom. Rangers, well, we all know about Rangers. Their title challenge appears moribund already. There’s a sequence of potential events that no one who works in an office or spends any time in a pub or cafe can avoid having had explained to them in the last 48 hours; if Dundee beat Livingston on Saturday and Aberdeen beat Dundee United next midweek, then Rangers will sit bottom of the Premiership when they next taste league action at Livingston a week on Sunday. Our gaze will be quite rightly directed there if that happens. Now, however, it’s worth contemplating where Hearts, currently below leaders Celtic on goal difference, might be in the coming weeks and whether they can sustain their current momentum. Even Aberdeen supporters will admit there appears to be more substance behind Hearts’ bid to muscle in on Celtic’s territory compared to their side’s striking but slightly freakish start under Jimmy Thelin last season. Listening to manager Derek McInnes, it’s easy to believe the Tynecastle side can keep the heat on Celtic. Hearing him speak compared to Russell Martin, for example, and it’s easy to see why Rangers fans are shaking their heads at what seems like umpteen missed opportunities to install McInnes at Ibrox in addition to the one time when he himself declined the challenge while at Aberdeen. The Tynecastle manager explained some of his methods in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Rangers to the Edinburgh Evening News. He admitted his son Jack had even questioned why his father was playing Harry Milne, normally left back or left wing-back, at right midfield, when he saw the team written out on Thursday night. The idea was to double up on Djeidi Gassama, Rangers’ perceived main threat, although the winger ended up playing on the right at first. Not that it mattered. Sometimes managers just get it right. McInnes’ appears to be in that groove. And if he’s not right at first, he gets it right at half-time – see the recent victory against Livingston and that comeback draw with Motherwell. The win at Ibrox, courtesy of Lawrence Shankland’s double, was secured despite the absence of exciting new Brazilian midfielder Ageu, who is out injured until next month at least, and first-team regular Frankie Kent in defence. “I think they have a strong enough squad,” said former Hearts and Rangers winger Neil McCann on Sportscene on Saturday. “It’s yet to be proven whether they can have the longevity…. But right now, they are sitting pretty.” He impishly added Hearts are nine years ahead of game-changing investor Bloom’s schedule to win the title within ten years. The Tynecastle side now have a break before successive home league games against Falkirk and Hibs. It seems unlikely that McInnes will be taking his players wild swimming in the Forth.