Why Hearts' title tilt is unlikely to be a one-off

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"I think we've got a very good chance of at least being second this season."

Tony Bloom's long-term vision for investing in Hearts is going about exactly as he expected so far.

Yes, heartbreak at the hands of Celtic was a devastating blow in their bid for a first title in 66 years.

Some might feel they will never get a better chance, having been within a few minutes from an historic triumph after leading the league for 250 days.

However, Bloom's plan was to win the league in a decade, and it has taken just one season for the businessman and his data analytics company to shred the staus quo in Scottish football and split the Old Firm.

Over 40 years of Celtic and Rangers sharing the title may not be over, but Hearts have shown it will not necessarily last forever.

There have been plenty of surprise champions and performers in European football, but few back it up over the long-term and over-perform wealthier opposition.

Fortunately for Hearts, Bloom's clubs are among those who have.

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Hearts have earned a place in the second round of Champions League qualifying for next season.

Reaching the tournament proper would require them to win three tough ties, but the safety net of first the Europa League, then the Conference League lies beneath.

Apart from Celtic and Rangers, Scottish clubs who have entered European competitions after successful seasons have struggled to cope.

More games against quality opposition has stretched squads and damaged league results the following season.

Since the 2021-22 season, eight of the 12 sides finishing from third to fifth place have dropped into the bottom half in the next campaign.

And those clubs to have competed in group or league stage football up to Christmas have largely toiled.

Aberdeen went from fifth place and the Scottish Cup last season to the bottom half this year, the same drop Hearts themselves suffered the year before.

Former Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson dealt with the extra load on his squad when he managed in the Conference League in the 2022-23 campaign.

He says the dilemma is whether to run with a larger squad to cope with the extra load, or focus on quality and hope injuries do not set in, like it did for Neilson's Hearts when they took on Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir and RFS of Latvia.

"It takes three or four campaigns in Europe to get you used to playing Thursday and Sunday," Neilson said. "I think you need that experience.

"You see that with all the good European teams, initially it's difficult the first two or three campaigns. But once you get into the rhythm of it and understand it, it becomes easier.

"The squad will have to have 22 to 24 top players, all good enough to play. It will be about recruitment over the summer.

"That's the next step for Hearts. Can they now do it in Europe and the league? There are a number of players who have not played on a Thursday and have to win on the Sunday to stay at the top end of the league."