Hearts boss Vrancken targets another title tilt despite style change

Heart of Midlothian head coach Wouter Vrancken is looking to maintain the club's competitive edge in the Scottish Premiership, despite the need to adapt his rebuilt squad to a "totally different style of play." The Edinburgh side heads into the new league campaign following a disappointing exit from Champions League qualifying, where they were defeated by Sturm Graz.

Vrancken, who has integrated 12 new players into the team, insists that the club's ambitions remain unchanged. "At the end, you want to compete for the highest position possible, so in this case it's the same," he said. The manager emphasized the necessity of quality and quick adaptation given the significant turnover in both playing staff and training methods.

In football, there is no long term, it's only short term and it's only what you can do in the next game. Wouter Vrancken

Looking ahead to Saturday’s opening match away at Aberdeen, Vrancken acknowledged the urgency for results. He has closely studied the opposition and expects tactical adjustments under manager Stephen Robinson. Vrancken believes that securing a win on the opening day would provide a vital boost to his team's morale.