“I just like watching Hearts. I really like the team."
Heart of Midlothian legend Paul Hartley watches his former team whenever he can and has recently been a pundit for Sky Sports, covering wins over Dundee at Dens Park and Rangers at Tynecastle Park.
The Cove Rangers manager believes Hearts are favourites for the Scottish Premiership title, ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with Celtic, another of his former teams, on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of the game, Hartley discussed some of the key players from the league leaders.
One he would have loved to play alongside, one he did play alongside and one he managed.
Cammy Devlin
The Australian has been one of the best players in the league this season and the heartbeat of the Hearts team. He will be a big miss in the coming weeks, having been ruled out for between six and eight weeks.
For Hartley, Devlin reminds him of two former teammates. One of whom, Scott Brown, was effusive in his praise of Devlin this season.
Hartley said: “For me, he’s an old-fashioned midfielder that likes to get stuck in. I don’t think you see that enough now.
“There’s nothing fancy about his game. He’s not going to score you 10 goals a season. But, he’s got such an effect on the team with how he plays. He breaks play up, he keeps it simple.
“He’s a great teammate, he’s ferocious, he can put the boot in. You don’t see that often now, I don’t think too many teams have got that. Somebody who will get leathered into an opponent.”
He added: “When I look at Devlin, I would’ve liked to have played against him. But I think he’s just one of those characters who would annoy you…like Broony used to.
“When it was Hibs and Hearts and Scott was in the Hibs team, I hated playing against him. But when he was my teammate, I loved playing with him. So, Devlin is that type of player.
“It was a bit like [Julien] Brellier in my time at Hearts. He would do the dirty stuff and I just went towards the box and scored a few goals. Devlin does the same.
“People might not like what they see sometimes. But he noises up the opposition and their supporters. He looks like a real team player for me.”
Craig Gordon
The Hearts legend is still producing heroics at 43 years of age, as seen with his stunning stop to deny Emile Acquah in the win over Dundee at Dens Park earlier this month.
It reminded Hartley of the famous save from David Clarkson at home to Motherwell during the 2005/06 season. A save Hartley watches "every week".
That will likely be a topic of conversation at Gordon's testimonial dinner in March, which Hartley is a guest at.
“He’s as good now. It’s an unbelievable career he’s had and you also have to consider the periods he’s been out with serious injuries, a couple of years," he said.
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“He’s inspirational and he’s experienced. He’s won titles before; he knows about it. But he’s also got a calmness to his game. [Alexander] Schwolow’s had a good season. Derek’s got the two best choices for keepers.
“I saw him at Dens Park last week and that save…
"He texted me on the Monday to see if I would come to his testimonial dinner in March. I just said to him, ‘How did you pull that save off?’ He said: ‘I don’t know.’
“That was something else. The big striker was away celebrating!"
Harry Milne
Hartley spoke to Hearts Standard nearly 12 months ago to provide insight on the left-back following his arrival from Partick Thistle.
The left-back has made the position his own since taking over from James Penrice, while also featuring at right midfield, wing-back and centre midfield.
Hartley describes his career trajectory as "an unbelievable story". He has gone from playing Highland League to working in a bar on nights before matches in the SPFL to playing a key role for the Premiership leaders.
"Cove in 2022, his final season, he was working in a pub on a Friday night for extra money. We had to stop that, to get him away from the pub, because he was on his feet for hours. We would give him the money to cover the shift," Hartley said.
“I never ever thought he wanted to be a full-time pro. Harry was very laid-back, but I always thought the potential was there to go to the next level. I always thought he was just an easy-oasy guy…and he is.
“Hearts phoned me about him, just to get the lowdown on what he was like. I said he was a clever boy, a good lad, but I felt there were more levels in him as a player.
“Obviously, Ian McCall took him to Thistle. But he needed that full-time environment to see what a good professional is. Harry’s really kicked on.
“Derek’s played him on the right. I didn’t have that nous to play him on the right. I didn’t see him there.
“But I could see him playing as a centre-back because he’s magnificent in the air, he's very good with the ball at his feet, he can play as a wing-back or a winger. But I didn’t see him playing off the right…but it just shows you. He can do a job for the team.
“He’s a polite boy. He’s not a stupid footballer, he’s got brains. He’s a clever boy. I just thought at Cove he was happy and in that comfort zone.
“Stephen Kingsley’s probably good for him, but I also think Penrice leaving has given him that opportunity."
Hartley also spoke of his admiration for Craig Halkett and Stuart Findlay.
“Halkett at centre-back, very aggressive, reminds me of Pressley a bit. Captain material," he said. “Findlay, too.
“They know how to defend. No nonsense. They love headering the ball.
“Hearts have won the last couple of [league] games after going down to 10 men. They’ve shown their resilience. That says a lot about them as a team.”
