TALKING SPFL Simon says Firhill chief is ideal man for Regan’s role atHampden
SIMON Donnelly has backed Ian Maxwell to replace Stewart Regan as SFA chief executive after the Firhill supermo emerged as the frontrunner for the post.
The duo worked together at three different clubs in their playing days and while former Celtic and Scotland striker Donnelly admitted that he never quite envisaged the transition from dressing room to boardroom, he has maintained that Maxwell is strong enough to be his own man.
It was when Jackie McNamara and Donnelly were in the managerial job at Partick Thistle that Maxwell took over as chief executive with Donnelly attributing his influence as helping to put the Firhill club on a firm footing.
“I must be honest, when he was dinking balls into my feet I only ever saw him as a football player rather than a chief executive,” joked Donnelly. “But he got a chance at Partick to be the general manager.
“I think he was actually striving for the manager’s job at the time. Jackie was getting it and I think he was keen. He got the managing director role and he has taken to it really well. Right to the point now where he is being considered for the SFA, so good luck to him. He is a good lad.
“He was quite vocal in the dressing room. He was a bit of a joker and said his bit. He will go in there and if he takes the role on I hope he does shake it up a wee bit and bring his ideas to the table.
“He will have a mind of his own, 100 per cent. He has good experience of the game at all levels after playing the game at Queen’s Park and then his executive role at Thistle. He maybe is the ideal candidate.”
Capped 10 times for his country, Donnelly believes that it is crucial to have those in leadership positions within the SFA to have some experience of playing.
“I think it helps to have football guys in those positions,” he said. “We look at that situation over the years and there are a lot of guys I think are out of touch with football, without wanting to pick out names.
“It’s not as if he is going into it straight out of being a player. He has experience of doing that Partick role for six or seven years.”
MAXWELL was the brains behind the introduction of Partick Thistle’s colourful mascot, Kingsley, which raised a few eyebrows when it was initially unveiled.
Donnelly, though, believes that his acumen in the role has helped to offer stability and consistency at Firhill, skills that would be welcome at the SFA.
“He has that five or six years under his belt, so it’s not as if he is going into it wet behind the ears,” said Donnelly. “He has been working hard and I’ve been at Partick a couple of times over the years. They have really developed the club.
“They have been in the Pre- miership the last six or seven years and given the size of the club it’s run very well.
“There was that initiative with the mascot KIngsley which really took off for them.
“It was innovative and he has the experience of that. I kind of looked at that mascot and thought, ‘What the devil is that?’ But it got the attention of the nation.
“Over the years Partick has become a stable Premiership club and he is a big part of that. He has experience behind him if he takes this role.”