Jose Mourinho in Gorgie: Debunking the notion that Hearts would be better off losing Europa League play-off

This fixture took place on the Meadows in Edinburgh’s Southside against Edinburgh Rifle Volunteers. Although beaten 2-0, it was the start of a mostly glorious story and a mostly glorious song.

Another major achievement, one which would deserve to sit near the very top of the charts, is within the club's grasp tomorrow evening. But some fans are fretful. They wonder if it might be better to let the chance to qualify for the group stage of Europe’s second tier competition slip from their grasp. 

Failure to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit against Viktoria Plzen at Tynecastle would allow Hearts to slink into the Conference League, where, it’s argued, there would be less chance of embarrassment as well as two fewer games in a season that’s already begun to unravel slightly. Supporters are trepidatious. Defeatist, even.

Whatever happened to the glory game? Whatever happened to principles embodied and endorsed by Dave Mackay, one of the club’s greatest-ever players. What connects Roma, Manchester United, Porto, Lyon and Fenerbahce? It’s not that most of them are either currently or formerly managed by Jose Mourinho, although that is indeed the case. They are also all potential opponents in the group stage of the Europa League.

There’s every chance Jose could be sampling some real football heritage with a visit to Gorgie if Steven Naismith’s side can secure their first win of the season and provide a belated lift-off to their season. Hearts must do something they could not do in that aforementioned first-ever match. Despite lining up in a 2-2-4 formation, Hearts drew a blank that afternoon on the Meadows. Problems in front of goal have returned to haunt them this season.

Their hopes in this department have not been helped by a knock sustained by Lawrence Shankland during Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Motherwell. He has missed the last two training sessions and must be classed as a serious doubt to take part against Plzen. His likely absence from a game on the eve of the transfer window deadline has simply served to stir speculation about his Hearts future.

Even given the striker's struggles for form in this campaign, the news represents a blow to a Hearts team striving to rediscover their mojo. Naismith backed Kenneth Vargas to come to the fore although, like Shankland, he has still to open his account for the season. The manager is confident others can step up to the plate, though pointing out Vargas "has had more shots" this season than Shankland sounded too much like clutching at straws.

But there is hope. Although the "fortress Tynecastle" claim might not withstand serious scrutiny - Hearts have won just five of their last 12 home European ties, stretching back 15 years - there is something about a European night in Gorgie. 

It was possible to detect a certain awe as the Plzen backroom staff wheeled their training accoutrements into Tynecastle earlier today. And this is before supporters are added to the mix.

Former winger John Colquhoun perhaps summed it up best when recalling a famous 2-0 win - he scored the second goal, greeted, he said, by the loudest-ever Tynecastle roar - against Atletico Madrid in the Uefa Cup 31 years ago. He remembered the "smoky" atmosphere and the lights struggling to pierce the haze. "The evening was heavy with damp and rain - and then we scored," he said.

There haven’t been too many nights like that in recent times although recently reinstalled first choice goalkeeper Craig Gordon recalled last season’s comeback win over Rosenborg. He wasn't playing but was better positioned to rate the atmosphere from his seat in the stand as he continued his recovery from serious injury.

Gordon has made more appearances for Hearts in Europe than anyone else and wants to add eight Europa League group matches to his current total of 23. “It’s huge, for everyone, for every single player, to get to that level and test yourself with some of the best European teams,” he said. “The standard across all the European competitions is so high. You just have to look at some of the names in the Europa League this season. We are desperate to be a part of that and play in as big a competition as we possibly can.”

He dismissed any anxiety about Hearts not being ready yet. “How do you know?" he asked. "You have to go there and give it your best shot. I think we have a big enough squad and the ability to defend well, like over in Plzen, when we defended well for the majority of the game. We put in a very good away performance and felt a bit unlucky to lose the game. It shows what we are capable of and we carried a threat as well.

“We could have scored and on another night could have won the game. We know if we can get things right even against bigger clubs we can still win matches. It does not matter what competition it is, I think we can be confident of doing well. We want to be in the biggest competition we possibly can.”

The 41-year-old had plenty of time to consider this question as he waited to provide a urine sample in the aftermath of last week’s first leg, having been randomly selected for a drugs test. It meant he had to disappoint former teammate Michael Pospisil, who had come to watch his old team in his home country.   

“I had to stay in the stadium for two hours and he had to go home,” he explained to a Czech Republic journalist. “But it was nice to speak to him again before the match. Good memories of a good team that went on to win the Scottish Cup here and finish second in the league.” 

That was a time when everything and anything seemed possible, before the full extent of the shaky foundations became apparent. It’s why no one should take such rare opportunities as tomorrow for granted.