Stephen Kingsley: Why Hearts can be encouraged ahead of Rangers clash

The match pits the Premiership's two most in-form teams against each other, and both sets of players have every reason to believe they can secure an important victory.

Stephen Kingsley, for one, is targeting another three points as Hearts aim to extend their unbeaten run, but the versatile defender is under no illusions about the scale of the task that awaits him and his team-mates in Govan.

Kingsley met the press ahead of Saturday's game where the defender discussed the team's confidence, the pressure facing Rangers, what can be learned from previous meetings with the Old Firm this season, and whether or not he has one eye on this summer's European Championships in Germany.

Here's everything the 29-year-old said.

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Is it fair to assume that with the form the team are in, this is as confident as you have ever been going to Ibrox?

In terms of form, yeah. We always feel we have got a chance wherever we go, Parkhead or Ibrox. If you look at the 10 wins in 11 games, it leads us really well into the game but at the same time we do realise what good form Rangers are in as well so we know it is going to be a tough, tough game.

Do you focus more on the last game at Ibrox or the last game at Celtic Park?

We have a look at both. We concentrate on ourselves as much as possible while obviously looking at the dangers that Rangers possess. There are areas where they have been strong recently but we showed that for what was it, 88 or 89 minutes, the last time we were at Ibrox that we were capable of competing and getting a positive result. We just need to brush up on a few things and tidy up those things so it doesn't end the same way it did last time. We've got confidence from that, we've got confidence from the game against Celtic at Parkhead. I think that leads us on nicely to this game.

What do you need to brush up on?

To be honest it was small margins that define games, especially against Rangers and Celtic. You need to be on the right side of them. In general, I feel it has been really good up against the big two. The last time at Ibrox it was generally was very good, defensively pretty solid, done really well. It was those small margins in the end when you are tired and things get a bit harder. It is very tough in the last five, 10 minutes of these games when they are trying to get back in it. It's keeping on top of the small margins and making sure you are on the right side of them.

How exciting is the week coming up?

It is an exciting time to be at the club. But I think that is great credit to us as players but the staff and everybody involved. We were talking about it, it's been a long season, we had a hard start at the beginning, but then we've worked very, very hard at everything to have us in this position we are in now. Yeah, it is exciting times. Everybody will say you can only focus on the next game and it's all we have done up to this point. Looking too far ahead is when you can slip up. We've shown that we have the right mentality in the last few games to just deal with the next game. It is going to be tough but it's a big week.

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Is the vibe now that there’s a genuine level of excitement for the games?

We see it for what it is, an opportunity to kick on. We've worked hard to be the position we are in. What an opportunity it is this week. Away to Ibrox, then the derby on the Wednesday, and then home to Celtic. What a chance you have got to go and continue that good form and try to go and get something. We believe we are good enough to do it, we always believe we are good enough to go and get something, but everyone is starting to see we've got that confidence to go and genuinely do it.

Is there a belief that this could be a special season?

To be honest, we've had that belief throughout the whole season that if we get it right we are going to kick on and we are going to achieve the targets we set at the start of the season. Nothing really changes from now. You look at the table and yeah, it looks like that. You are going to start looking up rather than behind you but as players you can't really get embroiled in that. You've just got to think, 'what an opportunity this week is'. Don't think anything after that. What an opportunity it is on Saturday, we'll get through that, hopefully we will have another positive result, and we'll look at Hibs and Celtic and reevaluate and go again.

What kind of statement would win make?

It would be huge, obviously. If you look at where we were at the beginning of the season to where we are now, we have come on leaps and bounds. The results have been great recently. From a mental point of view to go to Ibrox and get a result is what everyone tries to do. They have been in great form as well as us. We know it is going to be a tough task. But it would be massive if we could go and get a result and I think we can do it. And that would lead us in nicely to the Hibs and Celtic games, tails will be up and confidence flowing through the boys.

Does it feel the same as going to Parkhead? Obviously it’s two different teams but is the challenge the same?

I think so. Your gameplan might change but your targets are the same. You want to go and be tough to beat, be on the right side of the small margins and take it one stage at a time. I feel if we do that we have every chance. We have been doing well defensively, we have been scoring goals. So we’ll understand the challenge but focus on ourselves.

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With Rangers top of the league, the pressure is on them even more. Do you think that helps you?

They have this title challenge on with Celtic now and they’ve done very well to get their noses in front from where they were. So the place will be bouncing. It’s going to be a great atmosphere, and it’s just a really exciting game. It’s one we’re all looking forward to and rightly so. We’re doing well, they’re doing well, these are the games you want to play in, aren’t they? It’s an occasion that has been coming up. We have had the games prior that we really needed to focus on because with the games in front of you, you need to set yourself up to kick on. We’ve given ourselves a great opportunity. We need to take it and enjoy it.

From the outside looking in, it looks as though there has been a mentality shift. Is that the same within the squad as well?

I think there’s a confidence but that naturally comes with results, it’s the same with any team. You’re going to have that confidence when you win games of football. But I think there has always been that belief in the squad, even in the beginning when results weren’t going our way. There were times earlier in the season when results weren’t going out way when it was still very good. Off the top of my head I can think of Aberdeen at home, Rosenborg in the Europa Conference League. There was always the belief we could do it, we just needed to find that consistency. That’s another key word we have been looking at recently, consistency. We’ve had that, as everyone can see, it’s about continuing that on. So I think that belief has always been there but of course confidence comes with being on the right end of results.

On a personal level, how happy have you been with your performances this season? You’ve played in a few different positions.

That’s where the manager has wanted me to play, depending on formations or personnel. That’s my job, to go and give the best performances I can. I feel like I have been pretty solid and I’m happy with my performances. It’s obviously an enjoyable place to be when results are going your way and the atmosphere is good. I am happy where I am at. And it’s a great opportunity, not for just myself, but everyone in the team to kick on.

Is the Euros in your thoughts at all at the moment?

No, to be honest it’s really not. I’m riding the wave of that confidence and belief we have got of coming into games and feeling like we are going to do well and get good results. Everything else doesn’t really come into it. It’s not something we have spoken about or thought about much. Everything is going pretty well just now so I’m just going to stick with that, I think.

Fancy getting a free kick in a good area against Rangers?

Hopefully, that would be nice! I don’t think I have had one since Celtic! Just getting one would be good. I haven’t worked on it for a wee while. We always do shooting drills before games at the weekend to get your eye in. I haven’t worked on it for a wee while but hopefully I get one.