HEARTS BOSS John McGlynn has held up Shamrock Rovers’ qualification for the group stages of last year’s Europa League as an example to his side of what can be achieved ahead of the first leg of their play-off tie against Liverpool at Tynecastle tonight.
Rovers became the first Irish side to make the group stages of a European competition when they knocked out Partizan Belgrade at this stage of last year’s competition.
“You need to look at a team like Shamrock Rovers who got into the Europa League group stages last season. How did they get to that stage? They took a scalp along the line,” said McGlynn.
Rovers went on to lose all six of their games in a group that included Tottenham Hotspur, a side that ended Hearts’ interest at this stage of last year’s competition with a 5-0 hiding at Tynecatle.
Paulo Sergio was the manager at that time, but McGlynn knows the attitude of his players must be different this time around.
“The players could have been starstruck against Spurs last season. The occasion and atmosphere is great and before you realise it, you’re into the game and you’re 2-0 down. That’s what we have to get across – don’t get caught up in the hype.”
“We’ve got a lot of young players who haven’t played in a game of this magnitude before so the concentration levels must be high.”
Hearts’ flamboyant owner, Vladimir Romanov, has reined in his spending on the Edinburgh club and as things stand, McGlynn must operate with just a single recognised first-team striker.
“They’ve just signed Joe Allen for £15 million. When did a Scottish team last spend any amount of money like that? When did Hearts last sign a player for money?” said McGlynn.
Still, it would be an exaggeration to suggest Hearts are totally bereft of hope against the five-time European Cup champions.
“You’re looking to play at your absolute best and get a bit of luck along the way. And we’ll need that because even their bench on Saturday had Joe Cole, Charlie Adam, Andy Carroll and Jamie Carragher.
“If at the end of the game it says Liverpool ‘0’ then we’ll be in the second leg. That’s not to say we’re going to be defensive because we have the players who can cause them one or two problems.”
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists he is not taking victory for granted despite his decision to rest key players for the first leg.
Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson have all been left on Merseyside, with one eye on Sunday’s Premier League visit of champions Manchester City as they look to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat to West Brom on the opening day of the season.
Rodgers admitted that he has to look to rotate his squad after a busy start to the season.
“We had a tough game away in Gomel . It was a very difficult game and thankfully we won the game 1-0.
“Hearts will be a very, very difficult game for us. I’ve still taken a squad here that is a strong group. It’s a chance to see some young players but I’ve got some strong, experienced players.
“There are international captains and Champions League winners so it’s still a strong enough squad.
“It will be a difficult game. Tynecastle is a wonderful, tight little ground and supporters will be behind their team and there are some good players.”
