Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has delivered a classic piece of football pragmatism, insisting he'd be happy to play the season's decisive fixtures "in a car park" as he addressed fan frustration over the Scottish Premiership's post-split schedule. With Hearts leading a thrilling three-way title race ahead of Rangers and reigning champions Celtic, the final five games promise high drama, but the fixture list has sparked complaints.

The Scottish Professional Football League confirmed it could not maintain the tradition of giving the league leaders a final-day home game before the split. This means Hearts will face a monumental away trip to Celtic Park on Saturday, May 16th, a potential title decider. Furthermore, numerous kick-off times have been shifted for television, disrupting the traditional Saturday 3 PM slot for many supporters.

McInnes, while acknowledging the inconvenience for fans, emphasized his squad's unwavering focus. "We could play them in a car park, I'll be honest with that," he stated. "I actually don't really care from our point of view where we play and the times and all the rest of it." His comments underscore a manager's mindset: when you're in a title fight, you play wherever and whenever required.

The coach admitted the schedule was "no real surprise," as the club had been pre-warned, and chose to highlight the positive. "We're just delighted to be part of the whole conversation," McInnes said, reflecting on Hearts' impressive campaign. He recognized the league's difficult task in balancing broadcast demands with fan convenience but concluded with anticipation for the spectacle ahead: "These fixtures will sort everything out... They're brilliant fixtures." For Hearts, the mission is clear, regardless of the venue—even if it hypothetically were a car park.