Hearts No1 Craig Gordon on pre-season, feelgood factor and Euro preparations

Craig Gordon has opened up on the Hearts 'feelgood factor' as they gear up for a big season both domestically and in Europe.

The Jambos are guaranteed European group stage football next term with the capital club set to enter the Europa League play-off round. Victory over the 180 minutes and it is a spot in the group stages. Defeat, and they have the parachute of knowing they will drop into the Europa Conference League proper - meaning some big European nights under the lights at Tynecastle.

Hearts finished third behind Celtic and Rangers in the Premiership last season and reached the Scottish Cup Final in a stunning return to the top flight having won the Scottish Championship the season before. Robbie Neilson has been busy adding to his squad ahead of the campaign and been working his players hard during a Spanish warm-weather training camp. Hearts' European adventure means a guaranteed eight Thursday-Sunday games this coming campaign at minimum - something Gordon has experienced during his Celtic days.

For Hearts, they are trying to recreate these scenarios as much as possible with the Scotland No1 determined to continue last season's success into the new one.

He told the Daily Record: “That’s what the coaching staff have been looking to do pre-season – put things in place that are going to come up during the season. The potential is that we could have to go and play somewhere quite warm.

"Also going back to play two games a week from next week which is what we’ll encounter when we go into Europe, playing and then travelling.

“We’re trying to recreate that as much as possible so we get into the swing of things. Recovery is going to be huge for us this season The sports science guys have been on top of that and