Andy Halliday speaks on passion for Hearts, squad camaraderie and how team-mates feel about Open Goal laughs

He walked into the proverbial pressure cooker in September by joining Hearts’ quest for quick-fire promotion from the Championship. The passion he brings is clearer than ever in empty stadiums as he urges team-mates on and complains at refereeing decisions.

He also knows the importance of relaxing and how to do so. It is a key component in the midfielder’s character, witness his appearances on Si Ferry’s Open Goal episodes.

As one of the most experienced players at Tynecastle Park, he accepts the demands on him and others as 2021 begins and Hearts look to fight their way back into the Scottish Premiership.

A Scottish Cup semi-final and final added to the tension, although Halliday had been over those courses before at Rangers. His competitive edge hasn’t waned. If anything, it looks stronger.

The camaraderie within the Riccarton squad helped him settle and feel part of a club on a long-term restoration project. Halliday is determined to contribute and says he loves the new surroundings. He is even taking requests for his Open Goal appearances.

“I was a bit sceptical about the camaraderie when I first came in,” he told the Evening News. “Everybody can’t be in the same changing room together, you can’t shower after training or sit for lunch together [due to Covid restrictions]. That’s normally where you build that camaraderie.

Feeling welcomed

“I’ve been surprised by how well and how quickly we’ve all got along. A lot of that is down to the manager and experienced players.

“I was welcomed by everybody and that helped me settle so quickly. Since then, I feel we are getting stronger and stronger. I haven’t been here long but I care a lot about the boys.”

As much as Ferry and Slaney? “For me, Open Goal is just a laugh. People might take it seriously but to me it’s just like sitting in the pub talking about football – except without the drink.

“It’s stuff that we do every day with the Hearts players. A few of them watch it and ask me for shout-outs more than anything. I think a lot of them enjoy it and take it for what it is.”

Any type of release after such an awful year should be welcomed. Halliday enjoyed family time over Christmas and spoke glowingly about his time at Hearts so far.

“Christmas was the first time I got to see my family for a long time, like everyone else. It was the first chance I’ve had to speak to them about my football,” he said. “I’m loving it, I really am, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

“I’m at a good club in a good squad of players with a manager [Robbie Neilson] I really enjoy working with. We’re winning games so you can’t ask for much more. I still feel that little bit empty playing without fans and I think that’s sometimes why you see lulls in games.

“Normally the 12th man are behind you and it gives you that extra ten per cent as a player. That’s the only thing missing so far from my Hearts career.”

Plan two-thirds complete

Business must continue in 2021. Tomorrow's trip to Dundee is one of the biggest fixtures on Hearts’ calendar. They sit five points clear of Dunfermline at the top of the Championship, with Dundee eight points behind in third spot.

Wins against Ayr United on Boxing Day and Arbroath on Tuesday completed two-thirds of a plan to stretch that lead.

“We looked at the three games this week and felt we could increase the gap between us and second place if we took nine points,” said Halliday.

“We’ve won two out of two and the gap is starting to increase a bit. Saturday will be a real hard test because Dundee are back in their stride and are winning games.

“If we put in the kind of performance we did at the start of the season, we will be fine. If we play like we did in the second half against Arbroath, we will make it difficult for ourselves.

“Winning is a good habit to have but I still think we can be much better knowing the squad we’ve got. Look at the Ayr and Arbroath games, there was only really a 30-minute period in both games where we played our best football.

“We are talking about trying to build a juggernaut, trying to get a snowball effect and trying to win a league. You might not have that 30-minute spell to score two, three or four goals, then you’re struggling to put games to bed. So I still think we can be better because I have a lot of confidence in the group.

Mentality

“Other boys feel the same. We spoke about it in the changing room at full-time on Tuesday night. If you’re 3-0 up at half-time and you want to put a real statement down, you can’t put on the performance we did in the second half.

“We controlled the game but ultimately we lost the second half 1-0 so that needs to be our mentality going forward.”

Watching Halliday roar in anger summed up the frustration of that second half for Hearts. It also underlined his passion for the cause. “That’s littered throughout the squad and it’s so important when there are no fans,” he insisted.

“A game can go flat easily but in an empty stadium you can hear me, Naisy [Steven Naismith], Halks [Craig Halkett] and Christophe [Berra] trying to bring that intensity.

“I’m passionate about football, I’m a competitor and I want to win games. Whenever I pull on the Hearts jersey, I’m going to give it everything.”

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