Alexander Schwolow determined to help Hearts ‘achieve something very special’

Alexander Schwolow is intent on ensuring Hearts’ “incredible journey” ends in a blaze of glory as their William Hill Premiership title tilt enters its defining fortnight.

Within two weeks the Jambos will know if they have succeeded in their bid to become the first team outside of Rangers and Celtic to win the Scottish top flight since 1985.

Derek McInnes’ side have led the way since late September and – despite seeing second-placed Celtic move level on points with them on Sunday – have the chance to tighten their grip on top spot when they host third-placed Rangers in their penultimate home game on Monday.

“It has been an incredible journey,” said German goalkeeper Schwolow, who joined in late August. “We went from game to game and collected a lot of points and that’s made us stand in such a good position for the last four games.

“In two weeks, the season will be over and the team will change. It feels like, not sad, but you know that this journey will come to an end but hopefully with a great end for us.

“Obviously, everybody’s fighting and working for that. In two weeks we will split ways. Like it always is, some players will go, new players will come, so it’s mixed feelings a little bit.

“But obviously, this year is much different than the other years because we can achieve something very special.”

Schwolow has not allowed himself to envisage himself lifting the Premiership trophy. “Not yet,” he said. “We focus game by game. I think we’ve kept it like this the whole season and it’s worked out well so far.

“Maybe it sounds stupid, but you just focus on your daily work. Sometimes as a professional athlete, you work on autopilot. I think it’s worked out well for us.

“Why would I change that with visualisations of lifting the trophy? If that helps, that’s nice for a player. But I think we mainly focus on the game and what to do about set-pieces, the way we want to play, for example. That is more important.”

Hearts are four points ahead of Rangers and can all but eliminate Danny Rohl’s side from the three-way title battle if they win.

“This could be another important step for us,” said Schwolow. “We would love to take this step and to beat Rangers one more time.

“The three games this season were very close fights, and fortunately we could win two of the three games. Still in my head is the last game we lost at Rangers (4-2 in February), so we definitely want to turn that around and come back to winning ways against them, because those wins felt very nice afterwards.

“When you play against direct opponents for your position, it’s always a six-point game, but we just treat it like we have the whole season, we go game after game.

“It’s a very, very important game, but we feel confident, we feel especially confident at home with our amazing fans.”