Craig Gordon addresses Hearts form ahead of crucial Europa League tie versus Plzen

yeah exciting um great opportunity for us um these are always massive nights at T Castle um atmosphere is going to be tremendous and um I think we probably need that at the moment um it's it's a great chance to to Kickstart our season um and in no better way than to do that is here under the lights in a European Time the Elder Statesman of the the dressing room um includ the management team I think actually St anyway um how do you cope with the the criticism that's coming the way the team just know in terms of performances and results we just have to stick together um the only way we can change that is by by going out there and getting results um there's been elements in the game that have been good but we're also very aware of the fact that there's been of the performances that we we really need to get better at um and we'll do that we we've got a number of new players and it's about getting everybody together um and and moving forward we we didn't have the best start last season so uh it's not a strange thing for us to to be there we've turned it around and went on to have a a great season last season and I'm very confident we we'll do the same again but we're pry focused on on this next game if we can get a win and get through then uh that really giv us the short and the arm that we need do you take some of the players aside and have a chat with them about what's required being a heart player um I don't think that's necessary I think that they can see they've been here for a few months now um and we we do have a a demanding fan base and me personally wouldn't have it any other way I like the the demands that are on us um as players at this Football Club um it shows how much they want it um and how much they want us to do well and it's up to to us to go out there and do everything that we can to to give them that success the manager seems to be giving yourself the no at the moment overand a bigger boost to you is that yeah at the moment it's just kind of game by game just trying to do as well as I can when I I'm given that opportunity um and then leave that that decision up to the manager um yeah I want to play as as many games as I as I possibly can but to to do that I'm going to have to train really well uh and and play well given the opportunity so that's uh that's kind of situation at the moment you said that to you at the moment just game game and see what happens no but I haven't heard any difference all I can do is it's one day at a time whether that's training or whether that's a game so uh yeah just uh full focused try and do as well as I possibly can around these guys for as long as you haven't and and the way that the team played last season to get has it shocked you the the result performances that it started this season um I think you can you can lose games in this league if you you don't play well um especially away from home teams have have managed to to get on top we've made errors that we we shouldn't be making um uh and that goes for for probably most of the players um but yeah we we can fix that um I had no bigger opportunity than than tomorrow night so yeah we know that we there are aspects of our game that we we need to improve on um individually and collectively so we're working hard to to do that um we worked hard to do that last season and we got our rewards and I think if we continue to do that then then this season will be the same talking about be 19 at Castle can you can you describe what it's like on the pit you feel that energy and you feel the momentum that can bring the you're up against maybe unfamiliar opposition maybe that that starts to get to them what's that like yeah it's it's brilliant here at at tank Castle you you do feel as if you have that extra man that they really get behind the the team um know even recently Rosenberg RFS the the atmospheres in those games where we've we've won the matches that the fans have been a huge part of that um and we're going to we're going to need them again uh tomorrow night they'll be hearing their numbers I'm sure they'll they'll pack the place out and uh yeah even even if there is setbacks then then they'll be able to pick us up we done that in the the Rosenberg game where we we went behind but we still managed to to come together and and make make sure we we still got the result and that's everybody from the the guys in the the stands to the the management team and the the players everybody pushing in the same direction and if we can have that togetherness with with everybody um and everybody sticking together and that is when when hearts are at their best um you know it's if if it's not like that then that that's when things can go wrong but when everybody is is pulling together we're forced to be reckoned with fors 20 years ago when got to you C group stage you played in the conference League a couple years ago how big a deal would it be if you getting a Europa League group stage for yourself and for the club yeah huge for everybody for for every single player as well to to get to that level to to test yourself uh against some of the best European teams um you know the standard across all the the European competitions is is so high um but to you just have to look at some of the names that are in the Europa League this season um there there's some huge ties and matches to be played and to test yourself against the the very best and to try and improve so yeah it's it would be huge we would desperately like to to be a part of that and to play in as as big a competition as we possibly can on the back of recent results but feel you're ready as a club to go into Europe League yeah I mean how do you know you got to go there and you got to give it your best shot um yeah I think we we uh we have a big enough Squad we have the the ability to to defend well and like like we did over in uh in po where we we defended really well for for the majority of the game and we um we put in a very good away performance um you we felt a little bit unlucky to to lose the game but shows what we are capable of um and we carried a threat as well we could have scored uh and know on another night possibly could have won the game ourselves so we we know that we if we get things right then then we're a a match and we we can win games even against bigger clubs we can still win matches so I think no matter what competition we're going to be confid that we can go in there and and do do very well but I say we want to be in the biggest competition that we can question when you started your career in hard there was a group of check players how you what are your memories on and very good uh we had a fantastic team H here at hars at that stage and and they were a huge part of it actually uh I spoke to to poo when we were just before the the match I was going to meet up with him after the after the game to to speak with him um unfortunately I got drug tested and had to stay in the the stadium for for two hours and he had to go home but um yeah it was uh it was nice to to speak to him again before the match and uh yeah good good memories of a very good team that that went on to to win the Scottish cup here and and finish second in the league so yeah it was uh really good team great players that uh had a had a good time here at Hearts okay thank you all right