Charlie Adam expects team who hold nerve after split to win Premiership title

Former Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam expects the three-way William Hill Premiership title race to be won by whoever can best hold their nerve amid the post-split tension.

Long-time leaders Hearts are now just a point ahead of resurgent Rangers and three above stuttering champions Celtic with five rounds of fixtures remaining as one of the most fascinating Scottish championship battles enters the home straight.

Adam, who began his career with Gers, admitted he feels the title race is simply too close to call.

“If you’d asked six weeks ago, there was an obvious winner, but now I think it’s a flip of a coin,” said the 40-year-old, speaking at Hampden to promote Premier Sports’ coverage of this weekend’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-finals.

“I think it’s week by week, game by game, and I think there’s a lot of swings still to go in the title race.

“I didn’t see Hearts being there at the start of the season and then I said I thought Hearts could win it and then they dropped points.

“Then Celtic were coming with a run, probably not playing as well as they feel they can, but they were picking up wins.

“And Rangers have just motored since Danny Rohl’s came in, so I don’t think you can really call anything.

“What a good thing it is for Scottish football that there’s a bit of drama from now to the end of the season, and it’s about who can hold their nerve the most.”

With Celtic in Scottish Cup semi-final action against St Mirren this Sunday, Hearts and Rangers have both opted to go to Spain this week for some warm-weather training ahead of their post-split fixtures.

“I think it’s good, it’s an opportunity,” said Adam. “Hearts were looking to do that a few weeks ago and go to Dubai, but obviously there was a problem to go there (with hostilities in the Middle East).

“And now both clubs have managed to do it. What I would say is I think they’d rather be playing here at Hampden in a semi-final.

“They’ve now got a chance to get the lads together, letting them relax a little bit, maybe a game of golf, a bit of dinner, just keeping them together.

“Because when you’re in the training ground, you don’t spend as much time, and you’re going home and you’re coming back. But when you’re in there for four or five days, you’re with everybody 24 hours a day, and it’s a great way to keep camaraderie, get good team spirit and focus on the split.”