Hearts should look at Rosenborg template if they want to build up their European reputation – Ryan Stevenson

Rosenborg. Even just the name conjures up Champions League memories.

And while the truth of where the Norwegians are right now might be a good distance from Europe’s top table the fact of the matter is that Hearts have been handed a seriously tough encounter to kick off their Euro venture. I expect the Norwegians to take care of Crusaders in the second qualifying round, with all due respect. Let’s be honest, every Hearts fan will want the Belfast side to pull off a shock. Not just because it’s a handy wee jaunt across the Irish Sea and a bit of a Battle of Britain. But no matter how dangerous the Irish League side may be they just don’t carry the same weight of Euro prestige as Rosenborg.

I saw a stat that the Norwegians have played 279 games in Europe – and more than half of those Champions League. That’s astonishing really. Hearts in comparison haven’t even hit the 100 mark. The Eliteserian side were Champions League group stage regulars when I was growing up. I remember them beating Real Madrid, AC Milan, Porto, Borussia Dortmund and of course Celtic when they were in their pomp in the late 90s and early 2000s.

They were just ALWAYS there. But much like Scottish clubs they’ve suffered from the financial gulf that’s seen the big boys pull away and now the Norwegians are more likely to be found in the qualifying rounds for the Europa or Conference League.

Even though they’ve not won a Norwegian title in five years and are currently struggling mid-table in their current campaign, they are still Euro heavyweights in my mind simply due to their experience. They spent a million quid on the Canada international Jayden Nelson this year so that shows they’ve still got some power financially too.

That’s what regular European football gets you. Don’t think this is me completely writing off Crusaders by the way. They’ll fancy their chances of shocking Rosenborg.

Crusaders have a decent history themselves and the fact their manager has been in charge for 18 years tells you something about the stability there. That’s an incredible length of service, the longest in world football apparently.

I was a teenager looking to break through at St Johnstone when Stephen Baxter took over in Belfast so he’s basically been their manager for my full professional career – and more!

But they’re clearly a tight unit and that makes them dangerous. As does the surprise element they’d bring. It reminds me a bit of my first experience of European football with Hearts when we drew Paksi of Hungary in the Europa League qualifiers 12 years ago.

We knew nothing about Paksi. But it was still an absolute buzz to be playing in Europe. It’s everything you dream of as a kid even if it ended up a bit of a bloody nightmare for me.

My Euro debut consisted of a 20 minute cameo off the bench which was still enough time to see me finish with blood pouring from a hole in my hand after a 1-1 draw secured with Jamie Hammill’s penalty.

I’d jumped for a header with their centre half and the big guy saw his chance when I fell to the ground and stamped on my hand. The bone popped out and I was in agony but because we were on a chartered flight I had to get it sorted as quickly as possible so the doctor just stitched it up in the dressing room as the boys gathered round to film him.

That’s sympathy for you! Anyway I netted a double in the second leg at Tynecastle to silence the big thug at the back and send us through to a play off with Spurs. But the less said about that the better.

Going into these games it’s just about making the most of the opportunity. Hearts have to do everything they can to take this opportunity – no matter if its Crusaders or Rosenborg – and move to within one round of the group stage.

That’s where they need to be aiming for every season. If you can find a way to be in the competition every single year then they’ll soon find they are a name in Europe again. Just like Rosenborg.