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Hearts welcome Motherwell to Tynecastle for the opening fixture of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match of the 2008/09 season.
There has been much positivity around the club since Csaba Laszlo's arrival last month and the Romanian has impressed many with his straight talking, sensible approach.
Teamwork, organisation and fighting spirit seem to be high on the agenda for Laszlo as he looks to improve on last season's abysmal showing. Laszlo has added left back David Obua to his squad and the defence overall is decent, and the midfield is solid, if unspectacular.
Much will depend, indeed, on the form of Larry Kingston and Andrew Driver to add some quality to go with the strong work of Eggert Jonsson.
The worrying thing from the fans point of view is the obvious lack of goals throughout the side. While the side is solid enough to be considered better than last season's 8th place, one still gets that sinking feeling when a goal goes in at the wrong end.
While George Burley's side of a few years ago would quite regularly hit 3 or 4 goals Hearts have looked a shadow of that impressive side ever since.
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The truth is Hearts aren't too far away from being a very decent side. A goal threat up front would make a world of difference.
Will the manager be given the funds, or the means, to bring in enough quality though?
While Laszlo's chatter has been in the main impressive, worrying hints of yesteryear's meddling from Romanov have began to rear their ugly head. Chevernekov and Korobochka are still lurking ominously in the background, and reports that Laszlo has been "advised" to take a look Kaunas' current crop of players doesn't inspire much confidence.
Also Laszlo's change of tune from wanting to bring players in to "lets work with what we've got" seems to indicate he may not have the funds, or the authority to buy the players he wants.
Until some firepower is brought in it is difficult to see Hearts challenging for a European place. Although I think a challenge for 3rd place is possible if Laszlo's infectious enthusiasm can rub off on the squad in addition to one or two quality strikers coming in to bolster the ranks.
While Romanov's meddling may not have ceased completely, it may also be that Laszlo can handle him, playing the game while at the same time holding a balancing act of pleasing his bosses but organising the team and forging a team spirit and winning Romanov's respect.
George Burley obviously failed to achieve this but if Laszlo is as smart as we all hope he is, he might just be the only manager in Europe who could make this job work.