Zander Clark embracing Hearts glove war despite legend's breath on his neck in race to Germany

Keeping the head with one of Scotland’s greatest goalkeepers in a generation breathing down your neck on a daily basis requires broad shoulders. To feel that pressure for club and country? Doubly so.

Yet Zander Clark hasn’t shown the slightest hint of a wobble since Hearts hero, skipper and all-round Tynecastle legend Craig Gordon returned to the fray. In fact the Jambos’ number one reckons having the presence of the veteran pushing him every day - including during the recent international break - has taken his game onto another level.

It’s a consistency the 31-year-old knows he can’t allow to slip now with so much at stake on the domestic and international level. Third place in the Premiership is almost tied up, there’s a Hampden semi final on the way although Gordon has grabbed the mitts for the cup games… and then there’s the prospect of the Euros shining like a beacon on the horizon.

Clark said: “It’s the life of a goalkeeper. We know only one person can play. I’ve been doing well so Craigy’s probably pushed me on to go that step further because you know the calibre of the goalkeeper that’s behind you.

“It’s up to myself to make sure I stay in the team and, touch wood, keep playing at a level to do that. Just playing with confidence brings an extra five to 10 per cent out of you that you probably aren’t aware of.

“I’m my own biggest critic. Folk might say I do well but internally myself I know that I’ve been crap, I don’t need other people to tell me that. Usually if someone’s telling me I’ve been rubbish then I’m thinking it’s the end of the world within myself because I’m that harsh on myself.

“The club are in a good place, the team are playing well, results are going well for us so it’s, that brings out another