Craig Gordon, the experienced goalkeeper, prepares for what he hopes will be his last campaign at Tynecastle Park. And as the first anniversary of his 43rd birthday looms this December, Gordon has committed to a new one-year deal with Scottish side Heart of Midlothian FC. He’s motivated to build on last year’s awful performance.
The longtime pro as he prepares to head into his 24th season of professional football. As it stands, he will line up under his 12th permanent manager at Tynecastle, with Hearts having recently secured the services of Derek McInnes to replace Neil Critchley. Gordon’s dedication to fixing the club runs deeper as he hopes to make a meaningful mark before retiring at the end of the season.
Gordon had stated his intention to retire alongside both Hearts and the Scotland national team. He stated, “If I could write it right now, that would be the perfect ending [to end my career at the World Cup].” His resolve is evident as he resolves to continue to rebuild his body and get into the best shape of his life before the next season. He has one goal — to get in as many games as he can catch.
Deploying his well-known high sports IQ, the Vancouver Whitecaps keeper is acutely attuned to the obstacles that wait over the horizon for him and the Tartan Army. He pointed out the need to focus on actually winning those key qualifying games. “We need to do very well in the six games to make sure that we’re there and we’re not in a play-off,” he noted. Gordon believes that Scotland has the potential to qualify for next summer’s World Cup, asserting, “To win the group is not impossible. I believe there will be two other teams if not more that feel they can beat out that pack. It’s there on the horizon.
Yet Gordon’s career has not been a straight trajectory of success. He missed Euro 2020 through injury, and he’s now been left out of the Dutch squad for Euro 2024. It has been his toughness that has allowed him to stay motivated and remain focused on big dreams. He’s keen to exit on a high with Hearts. He wants to make Scotland undeniably successful on the world stage.
As Gordon prepares for this potentially career defining season, he has the small matter of his testimonial match – against Sunderland – on July 26 to look forward to. Come along as we celebrate his unflagging devotion to the sport! We’ll celebrate his amazing achievements with Hearts, Celtic and Sunderland during his amazing career.
Former Hearts player and assistant coach Derek McInnes, the new manager at Tynecastle, understands the impact Gordon has as a player. He commented, “His teams that I’ve always played against have been really difficult to play against.” This special acknowledgment speaks both to the respect Gordon commands among the game itself.
In addition to the excitement surrounding Gordon’s final season, Hearts recently received a significant boost with Tony Bloom’s £9.86m investment offer being approved. This kind of financial support could give us the means to significantly improve the club’s results this season and in the future.
Craig Gordon begins an exhilarating, soul-stirring new chapter at Tynecastle Park. Now, he’s dead set on making his transition out of professional football just as rewarding as the game helped shape him to be. His personal goal is to make it to the World Cup and assist Hearts in winning more trophies. Armed with that dream, he’s hell-bent on making this season one for the storybooks.
Leave a Reply