Nat Atkinson confident Hearts are heading for glory under Steven Naismith and uses Down Under example

Nat Atkinson knows Hearts fans might struggle to comprehend how this season’s Hampden hardships can be a springboard for success with Sunday’s semi final setback still raw.

But nobody needs to convince the Aussie that adversity can lead to triumph after he turned agony to ecstasy as a breakthrough kid back home in the A-League with Melbourne City.

As a result he doesn’t just hope - he is absolutely convinced Hearts will be winners under Steven Naismith. Atkinson was an A-League Championship and Premiership runner-up down under in 2019-20.

As a raw 20-year-old he wasn’t sure how to digest the pain of being so close yet so far. That was until a senior member of City’s squad told him it would be the fire to light their drive to glory. And that’s exactly how it turned out.

A Premiership and Grand Final winner’s medal was secured 12 months later before Atkinson decided to make the switch half way across the globe to Gorgie. From Edinburgh he watched his old side go on to make it three A-League Premiership titles in a row.

It might be half the world away but the lessons were the exact same. On top of that Atkinson has watched Naismith roll with the punches at the start of the season - and come back stronger for it by guiding Hearts 11 points clear in third spot.

So it’s no wonder the Jambos ace has urged his team mates to lift themselves off the canvas after a second semi final KO of the season to Rangers and prove they can land a big one next season.

There’s no doubt in his mind that a first major success since the Scottish Cup win in 2012 is in the post. He said: “100 per cent. Hearts is a big club and we haven’t won silverware in a while, but we all want to be a part of that team that brings that first bit of silverware