The influence of Tony Bloom’s analytical recruitment system at Hearts makes Kris Boyd ‘genuinely believe’ the Jambos could win the Scottish Premiership in his lifetime.
Bloom is chairman of Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion and it was revealed in September that he is in talks with Hearts regarding a £10m investment into the club.
As part of any deal, it was said the Tynecastle outfit would utilise Bloom’s Starlizard sport analysis company for player recruitment.
No further movement has been reported since then as talks presumably continue. But conversation then arose about Hearts then being able to reach the next level, with Boyd stating at the time that Celtic and Rangers should start looking over their shoulders.
Kris Boyd on Hearts title chances
Now, Boyd has appeared on the SPFL’s The Warm-Up podcast and was asked by host Gordon Duncan if a team outside of the Old Firm will win the Scottish top-flight in the former Kilmarnock striker’s lifetime.
Boyd pointed to Hearts by replying: “If you said to me a few years ago, I would have said no because I thought the financial gulf was too big.
“But I now look at what is going on at Hearts and I genuinely believe there could be. You only have to take a quick glimpse at what is happening in Belgium right now, a similar set-up.
“And I would imagine that in the next few months, that’s exactly what will happen at Tynecastle. So I don’t think it will be a foregone conclusion or a certainty to happen.
“But there will be more of a chance with the takeover of Tony Bloom’s analytical company going in. It’s not a takeover but managing the football side of it.”
Former Hearts boss Craig Levein counters Boyd’s point
Craig Levein was on the podcast alongside Boyd and former Scotland manager Gordon Strachan.
And Levein was first to argue Boyd’s point, saying that both Old Firm teams would have to go through a ‘terrible’ season at the same time in order for a team like Hearts to have a chance at winning the title.
Levein said: “They’ll (Hearts) get access to their (Tony Bloom’s) system, which I think is exciting for Hearts.
“But in my opinion, for anyone to win it outside the Old Firm, the two Old Firm teams have to have a terrible year. They have to have a terrible year at the same time.
“Who was the last team to finish second, was it Aberdeen? With Derek (McInnes) I think. That was exceptional.”