Stuart is really McCall Hearts need right now

STUART McCALL has been interviewed for the Hearts head coach’s job.

But when it comes to managing in the Premiership his CV speaks for itself.

When you take into account the budget he had at Motherwell and what he has achieved it is up there with any non-Old Firm manager.

Aberdeen fans might argue Derek McInnes and he has done well but financially he has had riches compared to what McCall had.

The minor miracles McCall performed at Well saw him lead them to two second-placed finishes and a third spot.

He led them to the Champions League for the first time in their history and to their first Scottish Cup Final in over 20 years.

McCall did it with an exciting brand of attacking football and on a bottom-six budget.

At Fir Park his win rate was around 47.4 per cent, which makes him the most successful manager in their topflight history.

He also led Well to their three highest post-war finishes and saw them score the most in the top level with an impressive 67 goals.

McCall signed Michael Higdon from St Mirren and more than a few eyebrows were raised. The striker went on to be the Football Writers’ Player of the Year.

He also lost top players on freedom of contract like Darren Randolph, Nicky Law, Tom Hateley and Higdon and sold on the likes of Jamie Murphy and Henrik Ojamaa as the books needed to be balanced.

He then went into Rangers at one of the most turbulent times in their history.

Hearts already had the Championship tied up and McCall then led Rangers to the play-off final but it was two games too far as his old club Motherwell put them to the sword.

Okay, he never won promotion back to the Premiership but there were mitigating circumstances and he still had a win rate of more than 41 per cent.

McCall then returned for a second spell at Bradford. In less than two years with his boyhood heroes he still had a win rate of 46 per cent. He was sacked with the club still in the English League One play-offs. Bradford were also taken over and powerbrokers in the new set-up wanted to have their say in everything from training to team selection.

McCall moved on, Bradford hardly won a

There are not many with that sort of CV tried and tested in Scotland

game and ended up finishing 11th and last season were relegated.

McCall moved on to Scunthorpe. He lasted only seven months but two months before his disposal he was manager of the month.

In his managerial career McCall has a win ratio of more than 40 per cent. I am sure Ann Budge and the current Hearts board would love their next appointment to deliver that.

There aren’t many people in the rigorous process Hearts are going through with the sort of CV that is also tried and trusted in Scottish football.

There’s also the added bonus that McCall’s assistant is a Hearts legend in Kenny Black.