Claudio Braga was quick to show his disappointment as Hearts were defeated by John McGlynn’s Falkirk at Tynecastle.
Hearts have had a very impressive home record at Tynecastle since last season, with Falkirk being the only side to leave with a win last campaign. This season, Falkirk have once again become the first side to win at Tynecastle in the league.
Claudio Braga on their strong home record: “Very difficult, when you find yourself. Like, we know we are really strong at home, and that’s for a reason, because normally we show more passion than everybody else here. Just getting cheered by the fans also helps, of course. But we show that we play at home and we actually have more passion.”
He added: “And then, even when things are not going that right, you have that part of intensity that helps you. And today was definitely a day when it comes to that, from everybody.”
Hearts have had a horrid time with injuries, as they continue to face setback after setback, with Fegan-Walcott going off with an injury, adding to that long list.
Claudio Braga feels it’s difficult when they’re getting setbacks each week with injuries: “Of course it is, but in a way it shouldn’t be. Just because that shouldn’t change what your standards are, in a way. I think we need to put those standards there, and then it just can’t drop.”
The Hearts number ten added: “It doesn’t matter what is in the backstage, it shouldn’t affect you that much that you drop the standards, you know what I mean? So, yeah. It is hard, but it shouldn’t be.”
Hearts now have 12 players sidelined, as they are feeling the effects of players continuing to drop out with injuries each week.
Braga feels Hearts are playing so many games, which isn’t helping the squad: “Yeah, it’s hard. I feel like we’re playing a lot of games because we’re in Conference, but that’s a plus. It should be a plus for us, we shouldn’t see it as negative. It’s bad that we’re having a lot of injuries, but it’s also time for the guys.”
He added: “For example, Mati and Kabashi came in today and that was really positive, that the guys came in and showed passion and stepped up when we most needed it. And I think that’s the goal, of course. It’s hard losing guys that would probably start every game.
“If you see, of course. But I just feel like all 11 substitutions, we just need to do more. It doesn’t matter who plays alongside you, it doesn’t matter how many games you play, it doesn’t matter if you’re comfortable because you think you’re going to start every game, or if you’re not comfortable and you just come up.
“I think we just can’t make excuses from that. Yeah, I think this break comes at the right time. I think we need to look ourselves in the mirror as players and as a team and feel like we have a big opportunity playing on this stage, playing in Europe.
“I don’t think we’re using it the right way at the moment, of course. Like you said, it’s a lot of setbacks, it’s a lot of injuries, it’s a lot of stuff. But I feel like there’s one thing that we can’t miss.
“And then if we lose a game because we play bad, it’s alright. If we lose a game because they win more duels or they want more than us, I don’t think it’s alright, to be honest. It’s shameless, to be honest.
“That was a shame because, like I said, I don’t think losing 4-0 at half-time at home can only be one option. It’s just that we were not wanting enough, you know? And that’s a shame for everybody that was on that pitch for the first and second half. It got better a little bit, for sure, but still, it’s a shame for us.”
Braga was full of disappointment, having been 4-0 down at the break at a place where they have been unbeatable of late.
Braga spoke about his feelings following the match: “I feel ashamed and I believe every one of my teammates felt ashamed the same, being losing 4-0 at halftime when we had that big record that we were unbeatable here. It doesn’t sum up really well, to be honest. It’s kind of weird and I think the managers just I think it was a little bit hard to explain what was happening.”
He added: “Normally we have some tactical stuff, but it was not necessary because everybody knew how bad we were doing and just needed to mentally switch.”
It was a different type of team talk at the break, as Vrancken didn’t do his usual routine of showing the players videos and images of what had gone wrong, as the players were already aware of how bad things were going.
Braga commented on the team talk: “I think he didn’t show the videos because I feel everybody knew how bad we were doing and that was not because of details, it was actually because of wanting more or less than the other team.
“So, he knew that, we knew that. I think it was hard that halftime, just because everybody knew how bad we were and there was nothing to do to change that unless going to the second half, but still, it’s a 4-0 at the first half, so everybody knew how bad that was.”
Braga had a goal chopped off in the first half for a suspected foul, which Braga was adamant he didn’t commit. He felt the goal should have stood.
The Hearts main man stated: “I feel like first he checked for a foul, which I didn’t make at all. I think I was in fault, to be honest, if you see the images. And then, if he touched me, I didn’t feel it, but if he touched me, to be honest, I’m not really aware 100% of how the rules work in that sense. If he’s 100% sure, even if he comes from the other player or not. I think it was a really soft, disallowed goal, but of course, it would be my goal, so of course I’m going to be unhappy with that. But yeah, I don’t know.”
He added: “I just didn’t feel it was going to be disallowed at the time, to be honest, because I didn’t feel I made nothing incorrect, but they probably had more images than what I did. Was it a handball with you before? I think so, yeah.”
