‘I’m 68, I should grow up, but Hearts being top of the league is killing me – as a childhood Hibernian supporter, I think “Oh no, not them!” But I think they're the favourites, they're adrenaline junkies’ Former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan talks to FFT

Gordon Strachan has won five Scottish titles as a player and manager, but he fears that this year’s champions could be a team who haven’t won the league since he was three years old.

Strachan clinched the title twice during the glory days with Aberdeen in 1980 and 1984, then led Celtic to the trophy as manager in three consecutive seasons between 2006 and 2008.

The former Scotland player and boss is now the technical director at Dundee, having joined the club in 2019.

Gordon Strachan's mixed feelings

Dundee currently sit ninth in the Scottish Premiership table, but all the talk this season has been about an unexpected three-way title race.

Hearts remain the surprise leaders, four points clear of Rangers, with reigning champions Celtic a further two points behind.

It would be Hearts’ first league title since 1960 if they go all the way – Strachan thinks they remain favourites to lift the trophy, even if he personally isn’t entirely cheering them on.

“It’s very hard to remain unbiased – I’m a childhood Hibs supporter, which is killing me, and I really should grow up by the time I’m 68, but there’s this thing of ‘Oh no, not Hearts!’” he laughs, as he talks to FourFourTwo.

“But then you think to yourselves, ‘Who deserves to be top of the league right now?’ I think it’s Hearts, it’s definitely Hearts.

“They’ve been the most consistent, their football is full of life, especially at Tynecastle, they can be a bit crash bang wallop at times, but that’s what we want as fans.

“We see shots, headers, tackles, aggression, they’re giving us that, so they deserve to be there.

“Rangers are coming on a great run, but I would still think Hearts are favourites to win it.”

"Hearts are adrenaline junkies"

Strachan believes the key to Hearts’ success would be their away form – they’re yet to lose a home match at Tynecastle this season, drawing 2-2 with Celtic last weekend, and must continue to get results on the road, having won seven of their 11 away fixtures so far.

“At home, with the fan and the atmosphere, I don’t know the word for it, but something happens with Hearts," he says, speaking in association with Poker Scout.

"It gives them that 10 per cent extra – jumping 10 per cent higher, pushing themselves into tackles.

“When they go away from home, it kind of loses it and the actual football itself might need to come out at times. Having said that, they won at Dundee recently and the goalkeeper (Craig Gordon) made a heck of a save.

“It’s places where the atmosphere’s not quite the same, because their players are like adrenaline junkies now. Tynecastle turns them on.

“At the weekend, they didn’t let Celtic breathe. Celtic had about 200-and-something passes, which is unheard of, because they usually have 400 or 500 passes. Hearts’ passion and drive affects teams, and there’s no lack of football in there as well.”