Hearts title talk 'stupid' at this stage, says McInnes

Head coach Derek McInnes says it is "stupid" to suggest Heart of Midlothian are title contenders after just six matches of the Scottish Premiership season.

Hearts currently sit top of the table with 16 points from five wins and a draw, but McInnes insists that, despite some pundits tipping them to mount a challenge, it is far too early to say whether they will still be in the race come May.

"Let's be honest, we're six league games into the season," he said. "Our fight is with ourselves. It's stupid to say we're in a title fight at the minute.

"We're not getting drawn into that. For us, the focus is on improving what wasn't good enough last season and we need to keep working on that."

McInnes is concentrating on Hearts' next game - a home derby against a Hibernian side who sit sixth but remain unbeaten in the league.

"We just need to try and win a derby, which, regardless of form, is always huge," he said. "In derbies across the country, form usually goes out the window and it's all about the game itself."

McInnes' squad has been boosted by the return of goalkeeper Craig Gordon, the 42-year-old who has also been drafted back into Steve Clarke's Scotland set-up after a lengthy spell out through injury.

"Craig's managed to put together four or five days of training since Thursday," he reported. "He played 45 minutes in a bounce game today.

"I spoke with Steve yesterday and we were happy he was fully fit and back training, which is why he's in the Scotland squad. Steve's keen to put him back in.

"We're now 12 or 13 games into the season and we haven't really had him available. Hopefully, he can now build up his training minutes and momentum."

While it was good news for Gordon, Lawrence Shankland, has once again missed out on a call-up for Scotland.

The 30-year-old striker has scored seven times for Hearts this season and became the all-time record goalscorer in the Scottish Professional Football League when he netted his side's second in their 3–0 win over Falkirk.

McInnes believes that, although there was disappointment for Shankland this time around, continuing to perform for Hearts will eventually earn him a recall.

"Scotland's two strikers did well last time out and Steve said as much," he added.

"The motivation for Lawrence, and for all players hoping to be involved with Scotland, is the World Cup. That has to be the goal."