Alan Forrest on finally beating Celtic and Hearts' feel-good factor

The midfielder met the press ahead of today's Premiership encounter at Tynecastle, where he was asked about the victory at Parkhead, the feel-good factor around the team, and getting one over his older brother at long last.

Here's everything Forrest had to say:

READ MORE: Will Barrie McKay or Alex Lowry plug Hearts hole in midfield? - Predicted line-ups

How’s the mood been around the place after last weekend?

Off the back of that result the place is buzzing, I thought we deserved it as well. We had a game plan and every player carried it out. If you’re going to places like that you need everybody at it and I think everyone was.

Is it satisfying when a game plan comes off as well as that?

Yeah. You’re playing against Celtic and you can work on it during the week but you know they have great players that can hurt you all over. Maybe you need to ride your luck at times as well, which maybe we did. I think we were quite comfortable in the game as well. The place was buzzing, especially after the result the week before.

When the games are all bunched up, can results like that help the team kick on before the winter break?

Yeah, definitely. We have four games coming up in two weeks. You go into that one not as a free hit because you want to win the game, but you know it’s a difficult place to go. It’s a bonus getting that result and it stands us in good stead now for the next four games.

It’s not often you’ve got one over your brother?

That’s the first time I’ve beaten Celtic as a player so I was delighted with that. It’s usually him beating me.

Was he magnanimous?

To be fair he took it well and said the same as well, that we kind of deserved it. We were having a bit of banter after the game but it was one that he was happy for me as well that he got to watch me play and it was great for us to get the result.

You’ve seen all the success he’s had at Celtic, does that make it even sweeter? Those results don’t come around very often.

Yeah, exactly. You’re going into it not really expecting much because it’s a difficult place to go and in my time, I’ve played against them a few times and been on the end of heavy defeats. You know if they score early that they can hurt you all over. I was delighted to get the result but I think we deserved it the way the game went. To a man we all did our jobs well.

READ MORE: Naismith provides injury updates on Boyce and Grant as Lowry and Kingsley return

Will you be getting James a DVD of the game for his Christmas?

(Laughs) I might get that one sorted!

How much has the Celtic win elevated the mood even more, after the disappointment of the previous week?

It was the first time we had won there since 2007 in the league. It just highlights how difficult a place it is to go and it’s got to do well for us. We’ve had a good week in training and hopefully one we can kick on. We have these four games before the break, they’re not easy games but ones where we’re looking to win. That will set you in good stead for the rest of the season.

The manager came under criticism at the AGM but results like that show a sense of vindication that the team is on the right track?

Yeah, definitely. At a club like this you’re going to get scrutinised and get fans expecting better, that’s always going to happen. You even saw it with Celtic last week with boos around the stadium. Even the top teams are getting it. There is going to be outside noise, we trust the group and everyone is playing for the manager. You have to control what we can control and that is putting performances on the park and if you do that more often than not hopefully the fans can get behind us and see a style of play that they enjoy.

You’ve played at right wing, right wing-back and now up top with Lawrence Shankland. How did you find that?

I liked it up there. I have played a few positions since coming here and that was one I enjoyed. Being further up the park, it was good to play up there with Shanks. He is really clever and it is good to play off him. If he comes short, I can run in behind. I felt as if there was a good relationship there and I was delighted to play further up. But at the same time if I’m needed in other positions then if I’m selected I’m happy to play wherever and just try to carry out plans.

READ MORE: Bravery on the ball and clever defensive tactics: How Hearts overcame Celtic

What was Naismith’s message to you as a striker?

I was playing as an extra striker so we talked about my work off the ball and watching McGregor as well. And when we got forward and we are on the ball, then Shanks can drop deep and I can run in behind and try to cause them a problem that way. It worked well for us on Saturday. But everyone did really well. The full-backs were pushing up, the centre mids did their job and the defenders defended brilliantly when they had to. And Zander was there when he was needed. To get a result like that, you need everyone there. If one or two are off it, that’s when you get punished.

You don’t want to come back down to Earth after a result like that, it’s important to kick on this weekend?

Definitely. It is one where we have a tough side in St Mirren, who have done really well, and are on the same points as us. They are right at us in the table so just because we have had a result like that, you can’t take your foot off the gas. I think that’s where you need to go in and don’t underestimate them. We know their strengths and we know that this is one, along with the three coming after, where you want to kick on rather than take your foot off the gas or take a step back. You need to be at it.

How important is it for you as players that come the winter break you are in third?

I think that’s big. Because we have two or three weeks off, things will be going through your head and you’ll be looking at the table and you will enjoy the break better if you are in third, on a decent amount of points, getting as close to second place as you can. In that way, you can see you are closer to where we want to be rather than the games not going well and we are looking up at third. Everyone wants to be at it and make sure we get maximum points if we can.