“That addiction to just winning games of football is something that’s been screaming out of the club.”
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes says his players have the hunger to complete a historic Scottish Premiership title run as they travel to Motherwell on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. The Jambos sit three points clear of Celtic with three matches remaining, with Rangers a further four points behind.
Reflecting on their fightback against Rangers, McInnes — the Scottish Premiership manager of the season — said the comeback illustrated the team’s belief and determination. “It doesn’t surprise me that we don’t feel as if we’re ever beaten in games. The lads have got a real determination,” he told Sky Sports News. “The importance of just wanting to win, a desire to win games, no matter how you do it, is so fundamental to how we’ve been this season. That addiction to just winning games of football is something that’s been screaming out of the club.”
A victory at Fir Park could give Hearts the opportunity to clinch their first top-flight title since 1960 at Falkirk on Wednesday night, but only if Celtic drop points against Rangers on Sunday. If that does not happen, the championship race could come down to a final-day showdown between Hearts and Celtic at Parkhead.
McInnes said the team must remain focused on the immediate task. “In the context of the season, it’s such a big week, but we’re just really trying to focus on Motherwell,” he added. “You can tie yourself in knots looking at all the different connotations if you win there and they lose there. It’s so important that we just focus on ourselves.”
On Motherwell, McInnes warned of a challenging fixture. “It’s just really trying to focus on picking the right team and trying to make sure we’re in the best place possible for the game. Motherwell have caused problems for so many teams this season. They are a team who test your organisation and they are a very well-coached team. It’s a tough game for us at the weekend, but hopefully it’s tough for them and hopefully we can come out with a positive result.”