Graeme Jones insists Hearts’ recruitment plans have him convinced they WILL get their fairytale ending after suffering title heartache last month.
Derek McInnes’ side were just moments away from ending their 66-year wait to become Scottish champions before Celtic struck in the 87th minute of their last day decider to snatch the title from the Jambos’ grasp.
Sporting Director Jones admits the agony has left the club “a bit deflated”.
But having led the table for more than half the season, and backed by Jamestown analytics, he insists Hearts will come back stronger next season as he set his sights on silverware.
Major investor Tony Bloom had vowed to win the title within 10 years when he got involved with the Jambos last summer.
And reflecting on the season, Jones said: “We are naturally disappointed we never won the league title. But we were a matter of minutes away from doing that.
“While we never got the fairytale ending this time – we will get it in the future, I have no doubts.
“We want to step on and improve on what’s been achieved.
“I’m hugely enthused by the levels of what we’ve got to this season but also what might be capable next season with the recruitment that we’ve got in place already and what we plan to have in place going forward.
“With Derek as our manager, we’ve got best in class, and as the team evolves this summer, going into next season, I would hope that we’re going to get that improvement and hopefully some silverware as well.
“It’s really important to everybody that we start to get some trophies off the back of the success that we’ve had this season.”
The second place finish however does mean Hearts qualify for the Champions League second qualifying round, where they will meet either Sturm Graz or Fenerbahce.
And Jones says recruitment will be aligned with year-on-year improvement to allow the Jambos to compete at the top end.
He said: “We want to be competing in the Champions League. That’s our aim.
“In order to do that we need success in the league and then develop a team year on year that will be able to compete domestically as well as in Europe.
“Preparations are underway as we know who we could be playing.
“In terms of recruitment that’s very much aligned to success domestically.
“We’ll bring in the best players all aligned with the Jamestown model that Derek and I feel are going to move the team forward as fast as we can and as a result be competitive within in European football.”
Hearts hope to bring in a new head of recruitment to replace Will Lancefield this month.
Lancefield is moving on to a similar position at Luton Town.
And Jones said: “We’ll be recruiting a new head of recruitment that will be with us hopefully in the coming month or so.
“Will had a career decision. He had an opportunity to take on a slightly bigger role at Luton Town.
“He has been a great asset to me since I came in. His role naturally had to change when Jamestown came in but he adapted really well.”