And so Jim Jefferies (plus loyal sidekick Billy Brown, of course) is back at Tynecastle, citing Walter Smith's successful second stint at Rangers as reason enough to go back to Hearts for a second time.
It's no great surprise that Csaba Laszlo has gone: he's been acting like he wanted the sack for months. He might have talked himself out of compensation, though.
The club itself was typically overblown about Jefferies' return (the official confirmation of a new manager is not a "world exclusive", you pretentious morons, it's an announcement), probably guessing that it will appease the fans, reminding them of happier times.
The fans do seem appeased. Bored with Csaba Laszlo's boring tactics and public moaning, the appointment of Jefferies has been met largely positively. If they are hoping for a return to 1998, though, the Jambos are living in dreamland.
For one thing, Hearts don't spend money the way they used to. And secondly, Jefferies won't have complete control over the squad - for the same reason that none of his recent predecessors have done. Whatever Romanov is up to, it doesn't include allowing his first team coach total authority over the budget.
So, Jefferies will be required to do the best out of the resources given to him - which will probably be a mix of SPL pros plus young players from the academy. There's speculation that Romanov may sanction a move for Kevin Kyle, to give a Scottish spine to the team. His first job will be to try and win Tuesday's semi-final against St Mirren to get through to the League Cup Final.
Meanwhile the club itself will continue in its zombie existence. Eventually, Jefferies will fall out with Romanov and be removed, and the club will be back in the same position - burdened by huge debts, with an uncertain future ahead of it.
If Jefferies thinks his time at the helm will be any different, he's deluding himself. We've had several years to get used to Vladimir Romanov, and we all know the story by now.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Mowbray feels the heat
Up against the wily old campaigner Walter Smith, Tony Mowbray is being made to look a bit of a mug in his first season as an Old Firm manager.
He's admitted he doesn't enjoy the job, and now last night's defeat to Hibs has left Celtic 10 points behind Rangers in the title race. They have a game in hand, but boy do they need it.
Predictably enough, the armchair Tims were furious about the result, with "this is worse than John Barnes" being the chosen phrase to text in to whatever radio show might be interested. Expect the Glasgow rags to pick up the "Celtic in crisis" theme as they bay for some blood to be spilled.
More intelligent supporters - for example, the ones who actually go to games and pay attention to what goes on - are backing Mowbray for now. They know that Celtic would have won last night if Samaras had taken one of his chances, that Mowbray is trying to rebuild central defence half way through a season (a bold but risky move) and that the team is much more creative than a year ago.
Credit to Mowbray, he took the result on the chin, and didn't try the fanciful claim that Celtic were robbed. Yes, Hibs were under the cosh for much of the match, but they weathered the storm and deserved their win.
Mowbray has warned about "destabilising elements" that surround the club, but will be hoping to further remodel his squad before the transfer window shuts, if he can find buyers for Danny Fox and Stephen McManus.
He seems determined to carry on with the job, despite the pressure.
He's admitted he doesn't enjoy the job, and now last night's defeat to Hibs has left Celtic 10 points behind Rangers in the title race. They have a game in hand, but boy do they need it.
Predictably enough, the armchair Tims were furious about the result, with "this is worse than John Barnes" being the chosen phrase to text in to whatever radio show might be interested. Expect the Glasgow rags to pick up the "Celtic in crisis" theme as they bay for some blood to be spilled.
More intelligent supporters - for example, the ones who actually go to games and pay attention to what goes on - are backing Mowbray for now. They know that Celtic would have won last night if Samaras had taken one of his chances, that Mowbray is trying to rebuild central defence half way through a season (a bold but risky move) and that the team is much more creative than a year ago.
Credit to Mowbray, he took the result on the chin, and didn't try the fanciful claim that Celtic were robbed. Yes, Hibs were under the cosh for much of the match, but they weathered the storm and deserved their win.
Mowbray has warned about "destabilising elements" that surround the club, but will be hoping to further remodel his squad before the transfer window shuts, if he can find buyers for Danny Fox and Stephen McManus.
He seems determined to carry on with the job, despite the pressure.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Brown confirmed at Motherwell for rest of season
You'd have to have a very hard heart indeed not to be pleased for Craig Brown.
A month ago, he was reduced to chatting about potential Scotland managers over a coffee. Now the 69 year old, who'd given up any hope of working in management again, is in charge at Motherwell, and making a decent fist of it, alongside faithful assistant Archie Knox.
He only got the chance after Jim Gannon's sacking, and he's the antithesis of his predecessor - old not young, self-assuming rather than self-possessed, and inclusive instead of devisive. One of his key decisions has been to bring captain Stephen Craigan back in from the cold, after his public falling out with Gannon. Motherwell seems a happier, more cohesive camp these days.
Who knows what will happen in the summer, but chairman John Boyle will probably think twice before chopping him in for someone else.
A month ago, he was reduced to chatting about potential Scotland managers over a coffee. Now the 69 year old, who'd given up any hope of working in management again, is in charge at Motherwell, and making a decent fist of it, alongside faithful assistant Archie Knox.
He only got the chance after Jim Gannon's sacking, and he's the antithesis of his predecessor - old not young, self-assuming rather than self-possessed, and inclusive instead of devisive. One of his key decisions has been to bring captain Stephen Craigan back in from the cold, after his public falling out with Gannon. Motherwell seems a happier, more cohesive camp these days.
Who knows what will happen in the summer, but chairman John Boyle will probably think twice before chopping him in for someone else.
Hearts bag Barr
It's customary to describe any competition between clubs to sign a player as a "race", and Hearts have won the race to sign Darren Barr on a pre-contract for next season, ahead of Aberdeen, Hibs and perhaps one or other Dundee club.
Well, they are the nearest to Falkirk after all.
Barr will be joining a squad that will be significantly overhauled in the summer. Apparently, he has been assured of his first team place - well, if everyone else leaves, he won't need to worry about that.
Hearts may have beaten their City rivals and others to the defender's signature, but this is a club with serious money problems. Csaba Laszlo said, after Christian Nade's sending off against Rangers triggered a £10,000 fine from the SFA, that "we have a problem paying the money".
With Ian Black signing last summer, and now Barr, Hearts' strategy seems to be a core of decent Scottish SPL Pros supporting a young team picked from the academy.
Needless to say, this is not a formula to dominate the SPL, let alone make an impression in Europe, but then those days are long gone.
Well, they are the nearest to Falkirk after all.
Barr will be joining a squad that will be significantly overhauled in the summer. Apparently, he has been assured of his first team place - well, if everyone else leaves, he won't need to worry about that.
Hearts may have beaten their City rivals and others to the defender's signature, but this is a club with serious money problems. Csaba Laszlo said, after Christian Nade's sending off against Rangers triggered a £10,000 fine from the SFA, that "we have a problem paying the money".
With Ian Black signing last summer, and now Barr, Hearts' strategy seems to be a core of decent Scottish SPL Pros supporting a young team picked from the academy.
Needless to say, this is not a formula to dominate the SPL, let alone make an impression in Europe, but then those days are long gone.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
SPL plays managerial merry go round
Jim Jefferies will be pleased with the support he's got from the media today, after he and longterm assistant Billy Brown left Kilmarnock "by mutual consent" last night. He is a decent manager who can point to many achievements over nearly 30 years as a gaffer, and the consensus view seems to be that Killie are mental to want rid of him.
Many of the supporters, though, are happy he's gone, and hope a new man might breathe some fresh life into the club. Heavily in debt, there's no doubt that Jefferies was becoming increasingly frustrated by continual cuts to his budget - not only did this affect his squad, but his backroom team has become increasingly threadbare. If Kilmarnock really are operating without a club doctor, as Kevin Kyle complained, then this seems a ludicrous situation for a professional football club in Scotland's top tier.
Still, two points above bottom place, and with Motherwell and Dundee Utd also looking to appoint new managers, Michael Johnston had better have someone lined up to start work soon - or Killie will be in even more danger of being relegated.
Given their current financial difficulties, that would be devastating.
Many of the supporters, though, are happy he's gone, and hope a new man might breathe some fresh life into the club. Heavily in debt, there's no doubt that Jefferies was becoming increasingly frustrated by continual cuts to his budget - not only did this affect his squad, but his backroom team has become increasingly threadbare. If Kilmarnock really are operating without a club doctor, as Kevin Kyle complained, then this seems a ludicrous situation for a professional football club in Scotland's top tier.
Still, two points above bottom place, and with Motherwell and Dundee Utd also looking to appoint new managers, Michael Johnston had better have someone lined up to start work soon - or Killie will be in even more danger of being relegated.
Given their current financial difficulties, that would be devastating.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Derby draws
Sunday saw the Old Firm and the two Edinburgh clubs square up for their New Year derbies - and in the end, both matches finished all square. It was a missed opportunity for the green halves of both cities.
At least Celtic played well. Tony Mowbray has been asking for patience from the supporters for months, as he gets his team to play the way he wants them to, and yesterday Celtic looked like a cohesive team. With better finishing, they would have buried Rangers - even Walter Smith conceded that his side were lucky to earn a draw.
Mowbray has also been dropping heavy hints that players will move on this month - but unlike Smith, he will have money to reinvest in his squad. The Rangers boss is hoping no bids come in, because he can't be sure that the bank will let him spend any of the proceeds. January could be a pivotal month for the SPL title race.
It's a race that Hibs won't be involved in. Getting a draw in the first Edinburgh Derby of the season at Tynecastle was a creditable result, but at home they really should have imposed themselves more on the game. As it was, a poor first half ended with a goal for Hearts. Hibs then equalised early in the second half, but couldn't get another.
In other respects, it was a fiery encounter, with Darren McCormack and Ruben Palazuelos sent off for head-butting eachother, robust tackles aplenty, and a smoke canister thrown from the Hearts support as well. All good stuff, but sadly there was little quality football.
Still, Hibs remain fairly comfortable in third, a good place to be going into the second half of the season. Hearts have surged up the table in recent weeks, but with the usual off-the-field chaos don't expect it to last.
At least Celtic played well. Tony Mowbray has been asking for patience from the supporters for months, as he gets his team to play the way he wants them to, and yesterday Celtic looked like a cohesive team. With better finishing, they would have buried Rangers - even Walter Smith conceded that his side were lucky to earn a draw.
Mowbray has also been dropping heavy hints that players will move on this month - but unlike Smith, he will have money to reinvest in his squad. The Rangers boss is hoping no bids come in, because he can't be sure that the bank will let him spend any of the proceeds. January could be a pivotal month for the SPL title race.
It's a race that Hibs won't be involved in. Getting a draw in the first Edinburgh Derby of the season at Tynecastle was a creditable result, but at home they really should have imposed themselves more on the game. As it was, a poor first half ended with a goal for Hearts. Hibs then equalised early in the second half, but couldn't get another.
In other respects, it was a fiery encounter, with Darren McCormack and Ruben Palazuelos sent off for head-butting eachother, robust tackles aplenty, and a smoke canister thrown from the Hearts support as well. All good stuff, but sadly there was little quality football.
Still, Hibs remain fairly comfortable in third, a good place to be going into the second half of the season. Hearts have surged up the table in recent weeks, but with the usual off-the-field chaos don't expect it to last.
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