Claudio Braga Says Injuries Have Boosted Morale; Rangers’ McInnes Should Be Wary

Derek McInnes will be visiting Tynecastle Park for the first time since he left Heart of Midlothian during the course of the summer, when Scottish club Rangers visit the stadium for a top-flight clash on Wednesday. 

With several injuries plaguing the team and no less than 8 first-team players unavailable, Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken has a tough task at hand; if he does manage to break their impeccable away record this season and beat Rangers, they will come very close to the second-placed Gers, the gap reducing to just one point.

However, as reported by media outlet The Scottish Sun, the team have, since the injuries started affecting them, grown a “siege mentality”, as said by Portuguese forward Claúdio Braga. 

Braga, as written in the article, said, “But Braga believes the mounting absences have fuelled a siege mentality at the club. 

He said: “In a way, it was a little bit like that last year when we lost players.”

Braga then went on to say that players suffering such injuries always affect the other players morally; however, the situation has somewhat boosted the morale of the team. The Scottish Sun quoted the player as saying, “It's hard because you care about these people and you know they will help you in the team.

But it gives you a little bit more on the motivational side because you also want to do well for them.”

He further said, “It's hard when you see guys you care a lot about suddenly being unlucky enough to get a big injury and miss a lot of games.”

The Hearts’ suffering from injuries plagued them most in the game against league leaders Celtic, when they were battered 7-1. In the next game, however, the team managed to make a turnaround and beat Motherwell 2-0. Although Wednesday’s result will not change positions, a Hearts victory will bring them closer to the second-placed Rangers.

It is noteworthy that the victory against Motherwell came in very dire circumstances: players like attacker Rogers Mato were forced to play out of position, filling in at the right-back position after slotting in at left-back in Hearts’ UEFA Europa Conference League fixture against Trabzonspor. Jordi Altena, a defender, played in the midfield.

Braga, as quoted by The Scottish Sun, said, “It's the most frustrating part for the group. Every time you look at the squad it feels like you just lose somebody.

But if we go on a pitch like we did against Motherwell and fight for each other like that, then it doesn't matter.

I feel like that kind of spirit can elevate us a little bit more compared to the negativity of having guys out injured.”

The Portuguese forward also stressed the fact that while it's tough to lose so many players due to injuries, excuses are unacceptable even in this situation, and the players will have to “adapt and get a chemistry with the new players coming in”.

Whether Hearts manage to hold out Rangers despite their injury woes will be a story that Wednesday will reveal. However, Derek McInnes will surely be wary and not get too relaxed because, as reiterated by Claúdio Braga, situations like these can act as a brilliant morale booster for a club.