Exclusive: Craig Gordon delivers Derek McInnes Hearts verdict and has words for ‘incredible’ Sunderland fans.
Craig Gordon thinks Hearts will go back to their roots with Derek McInnes’ arrival.
Following a difficult 2024–25 season, Hearts custodian Craig Gordon thinks that Derek McInnes’ hiring as Tynecastle’s new head coach will help the team rediscover who they are.
After a challenging season that ended in the bottom six, the club fired head coach Steven Naismith in September. The veteran former Kilmarnock and Aberdeen manager McInnes was appointed last month after his replacement, Neil Critchley, was fired after a 1-0 home loss to Dundee in April after only six months in the position.
After signing a one-year contract extension with Hearts last month, Gordon, 42, will begin his 20th season as a professional next season. He hopes McInnes will return the team to its roots and contend for a spot in Europe.
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Gordon stated, “I think this is a really good appointment.” “Just what we require. It’s usually a really tough game because I’ve played against his teams throughout the years, and I believe that’s exactly what the Hearts supporters want us to be. I am eagerly anticipating the start of the preseason. There is so much for us to anticipate. New players, new management.
“He [McInnes] has been very open about his desires, how he envisions his Hearts team looking, and what he wants Hearts to be.” returning to a more violent, physical style. Hearts supporters also want to see it. We would have to sacrifice everything for the uniform. Going forward, he and his coaching staff will instill it in the players. Above everything, we want to succeed, and that’s what the Hearts supporters want to see.
The team announced on Friday that Gordon will be honoured at Tynecastle with a special testimonial match against his old team Sunderland on July 26. Hearts fans will likely get a preview of what McInnes’ squad will look like in the upcoming season as well as a chance to commemorate their beloved goalkeeper’s career.
Gordon, who joined Sunderland for a British record transfer cost of £9 million following their promotion to the English Premier League in 2007, spent five seasons at the Stadium of Light. The Scotland international, who still has 81 caps, was thrilled to see his old team return to the top division of English football last month after they defeated Sheffield United 2-1 in the EFL Championship play-off final at Wembley. He thinks the crowd will be fantastic when they come to the capital for his testimonial.
Gordon remarked, “The Sunderland away fans are just amazing.” “It’s likely that they will come here and fill the entire stand. They’re noisy! They were a great group, and I had a great time in Sunderland. Their return to the Premier League makes me very happy. They have had a long and difficult journey to get there. However, for everyone, some of the coaching staff from my time there are still there. It’s fantastic for everyone to be a Premier League team once more.
When I joined Sunderland, I was still a relatively young goalie. Too young, maybe, to jump that high. We were most likely struggling to make a name for ourselves and remain in the league over the first few years. There were a lot of late goals because of the hard ethic and never-say-die mentality that Roy Keane instilled. Our group’s unity helped us get through those challenging times and ultimately earned us enough points to maintain our league standing.
We enjoyed a few seasons in the middle of the league and were never demoted during our five years in the Premier League; we could have performed much better. We had some talented athletes and teams.
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