Mato: Hearts title challenge was no flash in the pan, we can go again

Hearts winger Rogers Mato has declared that last season’s dramatic title challenge was no one-off, insisting the Tynecastle side can go one better and land the Scottish Premiership crown this time round.

The Jambos famously took their title bid to the final day of last season, only to see Celtic snatch the championship away from them at Celtic Park, ending Hearts’ agonising 66-year wait for domestic glory. The disappointment has been compounded by the summer departures of manager Derek McInnes and captain Lawrence Shankland, both of whom have moved to Rangers.

Despite the upheaval, new head coach Wouter Vrancken has taken charge at Tynecastle and is tasked with building on last term’s near-miss. Mato, speaking from Spain where Hearts have been on a pre-season training camp, believes the squad can channel last season’s heartbreak into a fresh assault on the title.

“We have to raise that hope again”

Mato said: “We can do it. Like I said, that’s the hope the fans give us. We have to raise that hope again. We have to push ourselves because it’s gone now. It’s over. We have to think about the future. The future is tomorrow. We have to work hard for it. We’re waiting for the league champions.”

The Ugandan international acknowledged how painful last season’s conclusion was but said the squad had to move on quickly. He added: “The despair was there. Everyone was sad and it was a sad time. Like I said in my last interview at home, we gave the fans hope. So we can’t lose hope. We have to fight again. Last time they gave us 110 per cent, this time we have to give 150 per cent.”

He continued: “We give the fans hope, so we can’t let them down. We can’t let ourselves down. Football is a 24-hour game. If you miss out today, you don’t have to cry. We cried for 24 hours but then you have to recover because there is another game coming.”

Frustrating first six months

Mato joined Hearts from Vardar back in January but admits he found regular game time hard to come by under McInnes as he adapted to a different style of football to what he had experienced in Scotland and Macedonia previously.

He said: “We spoke a couple of times and he would tell me why I wasn’t playing when he needed me, but I was still training. I was training at 100 per cent every time. Of course, as a footballer you have to be disappointed, but that’s football.”

Reflecting on how close Hearts came to ending their long title drought, Mato said: “The team was doing well. I wasn’t that disappointed, but the team was doing well. I was happy with that; we almost won it. I was going to be a legend.”

Champions League qualifier looms

Hearts’ immediate focus turns to European action, with the club set to begin their Champions League qualifying campaign away to Sturm Graz in Austria. Mato, who scored three goals in four Conference League appearances for Vardar against La Fiorita and Lausanne Sport, is eager to make an impact on the continental stage.

He said: “It’s very big. It’s a dream that comes to mind. I dream of playing in the Champions League. I’m very excited to play in the Champions League. I hope we can win the matches and go to the group stage with Hearts. That would be incredible.”

On the tight turnaround before the qualifier, he added: “We have to be ready every time. We don’t have much time. As you can see, the boss is trying to do everything possible to get all the players, all the players at the club and the coaching staff ready. We, the players and the coaching staff are ready.”

Mato also praised the early impression made by Vrancken and his coaching staff, who are said to want Hearts to play a more expansive style than under the previous regime. He said: “Everything’s good, everyone’s happy. The manager is happy, the players are happy and everyone’s working hard to impress the manager. It’s a new manager and new players have arrived. They have to work hard to get to the starting level.”