Rangers boss returns to Tynecastle for first time since controversial summer move
Claudio Braga insists friendships will be forgotten when Rangers bring a clutch of former Hearts figures back to Tynecastle on Wednesday night.
Derek McInnes, Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin swapped Gorgie for Ibrox in the summer after finishing runners-up to Celtic in last year’s Premiership. While Shankland and Devlin will miss out with injury, Rangers manager McInnes’ move to the opposite dugout will create a frenzied midweek atmosphere, while former Hearts Player of the Year winner James Penrice is also likely to face his ex-side for the first time since joining the Light Blues from AEK Athens.
Braga comes into a game littered with grudges for home supporters in renewed confidence after scoring during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Motherwell. He says that the consequences of McInnes and co’s exit to a league rival will become apparent but his love for the trio who departed Hearts will remain.
What reception will Derek McInnes get at Hearts?
The striker said: “I really like Derek. I have nothing bad to say about him, Shanks or Cammy. I shared one amazing year with them and really love them as people. So, of course, it will be good to face them in a way, but I have nothing but love for them. We shared the locker room with them and we know them personally.
“And I couldn't just hate them just because they left the club. That's what a football player professionally needs to do. And that's their choice. I just could never judge that. But, I believe it will be a strong atmosphere for them. And that was their choice.
“So now, of course, they have the consequences. And they knew that, I think, when they left. But yeah, I think our focus and my focus and the team's focus needs to be on the game and not on the backstage. It could be my mother playing there! I don't really care. I want to win every game.”
Hearts come into the game with a raft of injuries that have impacted the likes of Ageu, Craig Halkett, Blair Spittal and Tom Renaud, to name a few. Braga added: “Every time you look, you just lose somebody. But in a way, if we go on a pitch like we did on Sunday and fight for each other, it doesn't matter. You have players playing out of position. I feel like that's a kind of spirit that can elevate us a little bit more compared to the negatives of having guys injured. I think we just need to fight for them and fight for us on the pitch.
“It's hard when you see so many injuries, and it's hard to lose players that are used to playing every week. You just need to adapt, get a chemistry with new players. But at the same time, like I said, we can't just have excuses.
Hearts reaction to mounting injuries
“It's kind of angry because you see guys that you share all the days with and suddenly it's like, ‘oh, this is an hamstring, oh, this one, another injury, one in the training.’ It's just like, it's hard because you care about these people and you know they will help you in the team. I think you have a little bit of motivational side on that because you want to also do good for them.
“Because it's hard, you know, like we are here, we are tired and everything. And sometimes we lose, but it's worse to be injured for your side. I just praise God because I've never been injured that bad. I'm really happy with that. And when you see guys that you care a lot and just suddenly they are unlucky enough to get the big injury and miss a lot of games, it's just hard. Last year, a player from our team was tired and he told me, ‘when you die, you have time to rest.’ So, I think we need to think a little bit like that.”
Meanwhile, defeat to Hearts means Motherwell have lost six league games on the spin, leaving them 10th ahead of a midweek trip to St Johnstone. Right-back Tom Sparrow insists things can change quickly in the Scottish top flight, explaining: "We're in October, so I'm not going to start saying it's a six-pointer and all that rubbish. But yes, we need points, so we need to dust ourselves down and be ready to go again, which I'm sure we will. We'll win again as a team, as individuals, and then a run can go the other way very quickly, especially up here in this league.”