BRUNO AGUIAR remains a remnant from Vladimir Romanov's swashbuckling early stewardship of Hearts, a player with a Scottish Cup winner's medal, Champions League experience and endless ability to back up any swagger. He arrived in Edinburgh at a time when all and sundry, even the Old Firm, were petrified of visiting Gorgie. It was an era not so long ago and one which the Portuguese is eager to rediscover.
In particular, ahead of hosting Hamilton Academical tonight, he wants Tynecastle reinstated as one of Scotland's most intimidating venues. It is Aguiar's argument that all home games are "must-win" because any team should feel most comfortable in the
ir own surroundings.
For Hearts, this has not been the case of late, as three victories from seven home fixtures this season confirms. Aguiar is not overly perturbed by statistics but recognises the need for home improvements after his recent return from an 18-month injury absence.
Reinvigorated by resuming his career, he believes Hearts' future is dependant upon their fortunes at Tynecastle, where Hamilton precede Falkirk and Rangers in a crucial run of league fixtures that also includes a potentially hazardous trip to Inverness.
"I think we must start again to kill every team who comes here," he said in an exclusive Evening News interview. "In your home, you must win. Every team should come to Tynecastle and be, not scared, but they should know it's a hard game because Hearts are dangerous. We need 100 per cent confidence when we play at home, we must go and win.
"I don't care about Saturday (against Inverness], tonight is like a final because now we must win every game. So, if you think about winning every game, tonight is a win and you don't care about Saturday. I want to win this game first and after we see what happens.
"I was out injured but I saw the first game against Hamilton when we won 2-1 away. Hamilton are a good team, a strong team, but when I play for Hearts I never have an easy game. Every game in Scotland is hard and we need 100 per cent concentration. You must go on the pitch and show you want to win."
Aguiar knows Hearts require his creative flair more than ever this evening. Minus the invention of Michael Stewart, Saulius Mikoliunas and Larry Kingston, the onus falls on others such as Aguiar and Andy Driver to fashion a victory over Hamilton.
Hearts prised three crucial points from Love Street last weekend to halt an unconvincing sequence of five matches without a win. The aim now is to continue afoot in forthcoming fixtures. Victories against all of the teams named above – with the exception of Rangers – are expected from a club with genuine European aspirations.
Aguiar's influence in recent weeks has been anything but insignificant. He returned from injury to score a stunning equaliser against Hibs last month, following up with another inspired display against Aberdeen.
Although no-one in maroon touched the same heights against Celtic, or St Mirren for that matter, the Iberian craft has been gratefully welcomed back into the side. Csaba Laszlo's use of Aguiar in an advanced midfield role has reaped reasonable dividends so far but, in the absence of similarly creative colleagues, the 27-year-old assumes an even greater sense of responsibility tonight. He isn't of a mind to complain.
"I feel very good. I am very happy just now because, in life, I just love playing football. Now I can play, I'm fit, and all I want is to help Hearts win. I definitely feel different now. I have my life, I go home and rest because I have training and games. When you are injured, you don't have anything. It's boring.
"I'm playing, training and enjoying my life again. I am enjoying playing further forward in the midfield because I have more possibilities to create chances. I think I am playing well there. We have a good squad of 25 players and we must have confidence in everyone. Some people cannot play tonight but I think our substitutes can help us do the job."
So deep is Aguiar's affection for Hearts that he now considers them officially his second team, behind his formative club and boyhood heroes, Benfica. He played under European coaching luminaries like Giovanni Trapattoni and Ronald Koeman at the Estadio da Luz having first joined Benfica's youth academy at the tender age of nine.
When given the opportunity to sample foreign climes, he chose Edinburgh via an initial loan deal with Romanov-financed FBK Kaunas. That has since been converted into a permanent transfer. The player's current Hearts contract is due to expire next summer and, while many Tynecastle natives will be eager for him to negotiate an extension, it isn't something he is fretting over.
"I think it's too early to think about this at the moment. I must enjoy playing football because I was out for so long," he said. "All that is in my mind is to play and help Hearts win, this is most important to me. I don't want to think about the future, I think day by day. Over the last 18 months I learned not to think long-term, you must enjoy every day. Tonight I have a game, that's all I know now. I am very happy with this club. Now I must give my all for them. I spent 18 months out, that was not my fault, it is part of life. I must play well for this club because they gave me the opportunity to play outside Portugal.
"Hearts is my second club. I have been here three years, I have a good relationship with the supporters and the people who work at the club, so Hearts is number two in my life and in my heart."
