Lenny would be the ideal man for the Scots post

THERE’S nothing like taking swift and decisive action and the SFA and Alex McLeish’s long goodbye was nothing like swift or decisive action.

The wheels turn pretty slowly on the sixth floor of Hampden but the blazers better get the foot down.

Rather than waste even more time raking over the coals, the SFA need to draw a line and get to work.

Of course there are the easy options. The guys already in the building. Scot Gemmill is a talented coach and could do the job. There’s also a Premier League manager in Malky Mackay on the premises.

But there is another option staring them right in the face.

There is a tried and tested manager based in Scotland. A proven winner. A guy who can be pragmatic when playing better teams and put poorer ones to the sword.

A guy who ticks just about every box when it comes to a national boss.

Neil Lennon. Okay, so about three quarters of the country might have spat their tea out at the suggestion.

There will always be an element of hate for Lennon for sinister reasons. Forget that lot.

Listen, there are plenty who hate Lennon for different reasons. They couldn’t stand the snarling player and despise the angry, passionate manager.

That lot can be won over. You don’t need to like the Scotland gaffer but you do like winning football matches.

This is a gaffer who has been around Scottish football forever. He has been managing half the national team these last few months and knows the rest inside out.

He also knows the English scene and has the kind of clout that will have players thinking twice about ‘managing their bodies’.

Lennon fits the bill for Scotland and that’s why the SFA should chance their arm. They missed a trick when they didn’t go chapping his door the last time around.

It said it all that Rod Petrie would rather have kept him at Hibs than stick him forward for the national gig.

The funny thing was Lennon would have been

Lenny is pragmatic against better sides but puts poorer ones to sword

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interested. It was a position that interested him at the time but the blazers went chasing the wrong Northern Irishman with their blundering courtship of Michael O’Neill.

The chance of getting Lenny hasn’t gone though but the window of opportunity is slowly sliding ever more shut every week.

But right now? Celtic are still stalling over a managerial appointment and there’s no guarantees he’ll get the gig full-time, even if he clinches the treble Treble.

A sneaky approach from Hampden might force their hand.