Lawrence Shankland has bit back at the Hearts boo boys – insisting they’re not helping the Jambos’ dire situation.
The Tynecastle skipper reckons the punters went way too early with their jeers on Thursday as Neil Critchley’s side crashed out of the Conference League to Moldovan minnows Petrocub to add to their Premiership woes. Boos could be heard as early as the fifth minute as an expectant home crowd urged their side to make an early breakthrough. But it turned toxic after the visitors took a 20th minute lead – and was poisonous by full time as their fate was confirmed.
Shankland admits it was a missed opportunity as Hearts blew the chance to secure Euro football beyond Christmas for the first time in 35 years against the side that finished bottom of the 36-team league phase. Critchley, his players and the board got it in the neck from irate punters and will face them again tomorrow afternoon when St Johnstone visit Gorgie for a crunch bottom of the table clash.
Hearts are rooted to the basement – a point behind the Perth side – with a Boxing Day derby against Hibs at Tynecastle also on the horizon. And Shankland has called on his team mates to block out the noise and deliver the goods ahead of Christmas.
Asked about the toxic atmosphere inside the ground, he said: “From five minutes in… it doesn’t help. I was actually looking forward to the game, I thought they’d be right behind us from the off. But it was a kind of weird atmosphere.
“Listen, the fans are really good and I’m happy to give them credit when they are good. But I just felt like they were waiting on one mistake to turn on us and all in all it didn’t help the way the game went.
“I’m certainly not blaming the support for what happened on the pitch. I’m just saying it didn’t help. Usually on European nights they are brilliant. They can cheer you over the line. But as I said there was a weird atmosphere and I know the league form isn’t helping with things. We are looking to improve that. It was a difficult night all round.
Shankland had felt the full force of the vitriol himself three weeks earlier when his missed penalty proved costly in the 2-0 defeat away to Cercle Brugge that ultimately piled the pressure on Thursday night’s do-or-die clash with the Moldovan minnows. He shoulders responsibility as skipper but he said: “All the boys are feeling it. Obviously there’s that bit of responsibility (on me) to try and keep people’s heads up. At times on Thursday I thought we showed good character to keep trying to do what we were trying to do.
“But every time the ball went backwards there was boos. It’s not easy to take the ball and do that when you are wanting to make the right decisions. It’s difficult for boys out there.”
Shankland knows it’s down to the players to deliver the performances – and results – that will get the punters back on side. He understands the flak. And asked if he would urge the fans to get behind the players come kick off time tomorrow, he said: “I’m not asking the fans to do anything.
“They can turn up and do whatever they want, they pay their money for tickets and expect us to win games. I totally understand that. Right now we are not doing that so I understand the criticism. But it was very early on against Petrocub that it got hostile.
“It’s a missed opportunity. Without doubt. Qualification was there for us after the start we had. But it wasn’t to be. It’s a sore one. The objective was to win the game and get through and we’ve not managed to do that.
“We’re missing that final bit of quality to create that chance. We’re probably counting half chances as chances just now. I don’t remember the goalie making a good save apart from dealing with crosses. That’s what we need to work on – making the goalkeeper work and keeping him busy.”
A huge week in Gorgie sees a Boxing Day derby with Hibs follow hard on the heels of tomorrow’s visit of St Johnstone. Hearts are needing big characters to stand up if they are to drag themselves out of the mire. With just four wins from 14 games under Critchley there’s no hiding place for the players or the new boss.
Shankland said: “It’s difficult times. When you are out there and it gets that hostile it’s going to be hard for boys. But they are going to have to dig in and accept it. They know what they are getting into when they sign for the club. They know it can be like that and we need to stand up to it and be ready for St Johnstone.
“We need to get up and get on with it now. We really need to start winning matches in the league. That’s all we have to concentrate on.”