Robbie Neilson ignores Premiership doom merchants as Hearts boss insists Scottish football strength has grown

Robbie Neilson reckons the competition in the Scottish top flight is stronger this season.

The Premiership has taken a pasting from some quarters with the Old Firm leaving the rest of the division in their wake this term – with a potentially record breaking points chasm between second and third. Critics have taken pot shots at the quality of the sides in the league but Neilson believes all of the teams have kicked on this campaign. Hearts are on the same points total for this stage last season but the Gorgie gaffer is convinced it’s a tougher test this year – because there are NO bad teams in the top flight.

Neilson said: “I would say it is stronger, there are less teams you are more or less guaranteed points against. Sometimes in the league you have two or three teams where you think home and away you’re going to pick up points. But it is so competitive now, you have three or four battling relegation, a couple trying to get in the top six, a couple trying to stay in the top six and then there’s the group challenging for Europe and the top two.

“Everyone is competing at the moment and everyone has good squads. So it’s a together league this year but we’re still sitting in the same position we were in last year.”

Hearts face relegation battlers Kilmarnock on Saturday and Neilson reckons the Rugby Park men are proof of the rising standards in the Premiership. Derek McInnes’ side knocked the Jambos out of the Viaplay Cup and held them to a 2-2 draw earlier this season.

Neilson said: “The benefit of Scottish football is that everyone is getting stronger, you look at Kilmarnock, they have a good squad with international players in it. You look at even Dundee United at the bottom, they have a good squad with international