Craig Gordon explains why Hearts are the ‘Gretna’ of the 2022 Scottish Cup final
Craig Gordon #CraigGordon
The Scottish international was a fresh-faced 23-year-old back in 2006 when he played a significant role in Hearts beating the aforementioned lower-league side to claim their first piece of major silverware during the Vladimir Romanov era.
Gordon saved a spot-kick from Derek Townsley, which gave Valdas Ivanauskas’ side a crucial lead on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw at the conclusion of 120 minutes. Once Gavin Skelton blasted his attempt off the crossbar the match was over and Gordon led the celebrations as he skipped away to celebrate in front of 35,000 Jambos.
It’ll be a very different sort of fixture at the national stadium tomorrow. Though Rangers will be slightly disadvantaged with having played extra-time and penalties before succumbing to Europa League final heartache against Eintracht Frankfurt, the Ibrox side are still favourites going into the game.
Gordon stressed the need for every single member of the Tynecastle squad to be at the top of their game in order to cause an upset.
“If someone had told me back in 2006 I’d be at Hearts playing in another Scottish Cup final I wouldn’t have believed them,” said Gordon. “It has been a long time, I’m not sure if anyone has won two cups sixteen years apart. That might be another little bit of history, but we have to get everything right for that to happen.
“This is a chance to go out of this season on a high and that’s what we have been preparing for. The Gretna game years ago shows it’s just about winning, any way you can. And it also shows how well underdogs can do in football.
“There are always things from games gone by you can pick up inspiration from. We made heavy weather of it that day, we struggled to win it but got there on penalties in the end.
“This time we go into it as the underdogs, we’re the Gretna in this one, but that’s fine. Do I prefer that? I have had it both ways. I do like going in with the confidence knowing you’re the bigger team and if you get everything absolutely right then you should win it. But the other side of that is, as underdog you have to get everything right to give yourselves a chance.
“That’s what we have to aim for this week – get everything spot on.”
It’s Gordon second final since making his return to Gorgie in 2020 after Hearts lost their own Hampden penalty shoot-out when Celtic defeated them after a 3-3 draw.
“We got there last season, actually two seasons ago but it was played last season, but didn’t win it,” said Gordon. “We think we have improved since then, we’re in a better place and have new players who didn’t experience that final.
“It’s never nice to lose a final, I’ve been lucky enough to not lose too many but it’s not a nice feeling. We know how it feels and we don’t want to feel that way again.”
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