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Powys County Times
3 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Derek McInnes hopes Tony Bloom enjoyed Hearts' win over Aberdeen
Derek McInnes was delighted Hearts were able to kick off their William Hill Premiership campaign with a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen in front of ambitious new shareholder Tony Bloom. The Brighton owner was at Tynecastle for the first time after recently completing a deal to invest in the Edinburgh club, and he had his name sung by supporters lapping up his bold pre-match declarations that Hearts can win the Scottish title and break into the Champions League. After an early own goal from Dons skipper Graeme Shinnie and a 73rd-minute header from Stuart Findlay sent Hearts top of the fledgling league table, manager McInnes said of Bloom's attendance at the match: 'He'll have loved getting his name sung. I haven't spoken to him yet, I'm meeting him tomorrow. 'We've had a couple of text conversations. I think he would have been encouraged as well, seeing Tynecastle the way it was. I think he would have enjoyed it. He certainly would have enjoyed the result because, as he's said, he just wants to see a winning Hearts team more often than not. That's what we're all wanting.' McInnes smiled wryly when asked about Bloom's bullish comments in the 24 hours leading up to the match, but he said: 'I knew what Tony was going to say, I heard what you guys heard, absolutely no problem with it at all. 'There's so many people, including Tony, who are ambitious and want Hearts to be successful at the club. He's obviously come in with a fresh pair of eyes and came out and shot for exactly what he wants. 'We're trying to make progress and I think we can make progress. Where Tony and others and myself think we can bridge the gap and maybe try and get ahead of others is the confidence they have in the recruitment.' McInnes felt he had 'a team screaming to win the game of football there, absolutely busting'. 'For sheer commitment, guts, effort, I thought we were 10 out of 10,' he said. Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin conceded the better team won. 'We had an idea of how we were going to take on the game today in the first half with the ball, and we didn't succeed in that,' he said. 'Hearts put good pressure on us, and then they win these second balls and create a momentum with the crosses. They were better in the first half. 'I think in the second half we got better with the ball and started creating some chances in their box, but we were not really clinical. We were not really there.'
STV News
4 hours ago
- STV News
Derek McInnes hopes Tony Bloom enjoyed Hearts' win over Aberdeen
Derek McInnes was delighted Hearts were able to kick off their William Hill Premiership campaign with a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen in front of ambitious new shareholder Tony Bloom. The Brighton owner was at Tynecastle for the first time after recently completing a deal to invest in the Edinburgh club, and he had his name sung by supporters lapping up his bold pre-match declarations that Hearts can win the Scottish title and break into the Champions League. After an early own goal from Dons skipper Graeme Shinnie and a 73rd-minute header from Stuart Findlay sent Hearts top of the fledgling league table, manager McInnes said of Bloom's attendance at the match: 'He'll have loved getting his name sung. I haven't spoken to him yet, I'm meeting him tomorrow. 'We've had a couple of text conversations. I think he would have been encouraged as well, seeing Tynecastle the way it was. I think he would have enjoyed it. He certainly would have enjoyed the result because, as he's said, he just wants to see a winning Hearts team more often than not. That's what we're all wanting.' McInnes smiled wryly when asked about Bloom's bullish comments in the 24 hours leading up to the match, but he said: 'I knew what Tony was going to say, I heard what you guys heard, absolutely no problem with it at all. 'There's so many people, including Tony, who are ambitious and want Hearts to be successful at the club. He's obviously come in with a fresh pair of eyes and came out and shot for exactly what he wants. 'We're trying to make progress and I think we can make progress. Where Tony and others and myself think we can bridge the gap and maybe try and get ahead of others is the confidence they have in the recruitment.' McInnes felt he had 'a team screaming to win the game of football there, absolutely busting'. 'For sheer commitment, guts, effort, I thought we were 10 out of 10,' he said. Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin conceded the better team won. 'We had an idea of how we were going to take on the game today in the first half with the ball, and we didn't succeed in that,' he said. 'Hearts put good pressure on us, and then they win these second balls and create a momentum with the crosses. They were better in the first half. 'I think in the second half we got better with the ball and started creating some chances in their box, but we were not really clinical. We were not really there.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hearts 2-0 Aberdeen: Flying start fuels high hopes that Derek McInnes can disrupt natural order
As Tony Bloom talks the talk about his lofty ambitions for Hearts, Derek McInnes and his players indicated they are ready to walk the walk in the Premiership. The Brighton owner's desire to disrupt the natural order of Scottish football through his investment in the Gorgie club may be met with scepticism in some quarters. There were no doubters inside a raucous Tynecastle here, however, as Bloom watched Hearts make the perfect start to their league campaign with an impressive win over Aberdeen. An early own goal from Graeme Shinnie and a second-half header from Stuart Findlay secured a result which leaves Hearts sitting top of the nascent Premiership table. Whether they can sustain the kind of challenge envisaged by Bloom remains to be seen but these are undoubtedly exciting times for a re-energised club. It was a painful return to action for Scottish Cup holders Aberdeen who were second best for most of the evening. In the build-up to kick off, Bloom had encouraged the hype and sense of anticipation among Hearts fans by claiming McInnes' side can split the Old Firm this season and finish second. The hosts certainly looked in a hurry to lend some credibility to that bold assertion as they made a vibrant and aggressive start which was rewarded by the 11th minute breakthrough. Aberdeen struggled to cope with the intensity of Hearts' play, both in and out of possession, and paid the price for being stretched out of position at the back as the impressive Claudio Braga turned Mats Knoester inside out down the right flank. Braga's cross found Oisin McEntee whose close-range header was parried by Dimitar Mitov. Hearts pounced to reclaim the loose ball, working it to Harry Milne on the left. His low cross was intended for McEntee but it was Dons skipper Shinnie who turned it into his own net. It was the perfect start for Hearts who had eye-catching contributors all over the pitch. There may have been concerns over how they would replace James Penrice, following the left-back's move to AEK Athens, but Milne appears more than capable of filling the position just as effectively. The former Partick Thistle player had the home fans on their feet again when he smashed a shot against Mitov's left-hand upright from 22 yards. It appeared ominous for Aberdeen but they almost snatched an equaliser with their first attack of note two minutes later as two of Jimmy Thelin's summer signings combined. Australian winger Nicolas Milanovic showed neat skill down the right and his low cross found compatriot Kusini Yengi who should have done better than divert the ball against Zander Clark's left-hand post. It sparked a more evenly contested period of play, although Hearts still carried the edge in midfield and should have doubled their lead in the 28th minute. When Aberdeen were unable to properly clear a corner, the ball was recycled to Findlay on the left. His cross found Frankie Kent in the six-yard box but he glanced his header wide. Hearts finished the first half firmly on the front foot as they looked for what would have been a deserved second goal. It looked as if they had got it in spectacular fashion in the 44th minute when Lawrence Shankland curled in a brilliant shot from the left corner of the penalty area. After a lengthy VAR check, however, his early goal of the season contender was ruled out for an offside against Craig Halkett in the build-up. Braga had a shot blocked in first-half stoppage time and Aberdeen looked relieved to hear the whistle for the interval. They re-emerged for the second half with a greater sense of purpose and should have levelled in the 50th minute. Leighton Clarkson's sweetly delivered free-kick from the right found Yengi at the back post but the big striker scuffed his shot wide from close range. Aberdeen were suddenly carrying a greater attacking threat and the excellent Milanovic forced a smart save from Clark after cutting in and unleashing a rising shot. As Hearts sought to regain control, McInnes made a quadruple substitution in the 70th minute and his team made it 2-0 three minutes later. Milne's dangerous free-kick from the right was flicked on inadvertently by Knoester for Findlay to steal in and bravely head home at the back post. Hearts (3-5-2): Clark 7; Kent 6 (Steinwender 70), Halkett 7, Findlay 7; Borchgrevnik 6 (Forrest 70), McEntee 7, Devlin 8, Spittal 6 (Kyziridis 70), Milne 7; Braga 7 (Wilson 70), Shankland 7 (Magnusson 91). Booked: Kent, Halkett, Devlin. Manager: Derek McInnes 8. Aberdeen (4-2-3-1): Mitov 6; Jensen 6, Milne 5, Knoester 5, Shinnie 6 (Devlin 81); Nilsen 5 (Morris 69), Clarkson 6; Milanovic 7 (Sokler 81), Aouchiche 6, Keskinen 5 (Polvara 62); Yengi 5 (Boyd 62). Booked: Aouchiche, Milanovic. Manager: Jimmy Thelin 5.
