SAVAGE CUTS ON BUDGEMENT DAY
THERE is no such thing as loyalty in football. In other shock news, the earth is still spinning, water is quite wet — and there remains no good time to tell hard-working employees that they are surplus to requirements. If Ann Budge is really so besotted by Craig Levein’s grand vision of all things football, then she had no option but to hand him an axe and let him start swinging on day one of the new regime.
It’s her ba’ now, despite the Foundation of Hearts buying a place on the board at a cost of £1.4million per season in fan pledges, and she is perfectly entitled to appoint — or release — whomever she damned well pleases.
Even at a club where the reign of Mad Vlad reduced the concepts of manners and propriety to a sneering in-joke, however, there was something a little jarring about yesterday’s transition from Gary Locke (below) and Billy Brown to Levein and Robbie Neilson.
Was it the fact that Budge had shared a platform with Locke and Brown at a fans’ rally in the Gorgie Suite on Sunday, less than 24 hours before blind-siding both with the news they were no longer needed? That could be part of it.
‘I don’t think Ann Budge has come out of this with any credit,’ said former Hearts manager Jim Jefferies, who acted as a mentor to Locke, citing one other inconvenient ‘fact’ as reason for unease.
‘It was said it was way back in October she spoke to Craig Levein but that was denied,’ he continued ‘Yet it seems to have been a done deal. If that’s what she wanted, she should have come out and said that.’
The idea that an available manager might be lined up to replace an incumbent weeks or even months ahead of the dirty deed being done is hardly one that will shock many, least of all an experienced campaigner like Jefferies.
Budge will no doubt cite her favourite rules and regulations regarding takeovers to explain why it was impossible — absolutely impossible, you understand — for anything to be said way back when the deal was still being pushed, pulled, squeezed and hammered through a series of Lithuanian loopholes.
If she was allowed to speak, she might well argue that it is just her dumb luck that Locke — due to pick up an SPFL Premiership Manager of the Month award later this week — turned the team around over the closing stages of an impossibly difficult season.
Ah, if only he had kept on losing, nobody would have complained.
Among the shell-shocked players informed yesterday that Levein would be their new overlord, a director of f ootball working newly- promoted head coach Neilson from the back, there was less anger than sadness that Locke — a gaffer who had rallied them in a time of genuine crisis — was not having his loyalty rewarded.
Jamie Hamill, one of the senior players also thrown overboard on ‘Budgement Day’ at Tynecastle, said: ‘ I’m more disappointed for the gaffer, Billy and Comber (goalkeeping coach Alan Combe).
‘It’s a difficult situation to find yourself in, with some of the players taking wage cuts at the start of the season. The gaffer performed miracles. For someone else to come in and tell him: “You’re not getting the job”… that is difficult and I do really feel for them.
‘The gaffer has been amazing. I played with him and worked under him, as well. For a player moving into the managerial side, he has to cut ties with the boys, even having a laugh. I think he has handled it brilliantly.
‘He was the best person for the job i n that season because he has been magnificent, as have Billy and Comber.
‘They kept the place alive when times have been hard.
‘But there were r u mours that Craig Levein was going to get the job — and I think that is unfair on Gary, because he has been amazing.
‘ Bil l y worked f or nothing. He drove his car in every day and didn’t get a penny off anybody. He helped the gaffer out as best as he could and, looking at it now, it probably wasn’t good enough.
‘If you were to ask every player in t hat meeting this morning, we would love the gaffer to be here next season and also for the foreseeable future.
‘I think that maybe t he way i t was done it could have been a bit better — but it is what it is.
‘It’s not a nice day f or anybody here but I just wish all the boys the best of luck.
‘I think the gaffer should still be there. That’s my opinion. The opinions of others at Tynecastle are different. They make decisions and they have to live by that. ‘I still hope the team can do well next season a nd push for promotion.
‘I’ve no doubt that the gaffer should be managing a Premiership team and, hopefully, that’s the case.
‘I think he has done himself proud and I hope he can get something for next season.’
Hamill simply shrugged when asked about the incongruity of Budge sharing a platform with Locke and Brown one day, then ditching them the next.
The all-rounder said: ‘It’s the way f ootball is at t he moment, cut-throat. It has been a tough season for everyone at Hearts.
‘Ann Budge has come in, put in her money and needs to be in a position to get things right for next season.
‘From speaking to some of the fans at the fans’ rally on Sunday, though, they were desperate to see Gary in charge — and that’s not going to be the situation now.’
Yesterday’s professional executions took place i n the distinctly underwhelming setting of the club offices, set in a squat little building across from the main stand.
Budge’s car was admitted through the gates to the adjoining car park around 8.50am. Locke and Brown were already there when she arrived.
The sight of Levein stealing in via a side entrance to the compound at around 9.30am confirmed the worst fears of all who hoped Locke had done enough to earn a reprieve.
Something jarred about yesterday’s transition
Just before 10, Locke and Brown made for their cars. Their body l anguage said everything and friends later confirmed they had been absolutely stunned by the way the news had been broken to them.
By now, players had already been contacted and asked to report to the stadium. Some for a pep talk, many to be told that new contract offers would not be forthcoming. HR manager Janine Brown was seen shuttling back and forth between the offices and stadium more than once — and she actually escorted Ryan Stevenson into his meeting at 11.20am.
Ten minutes later, he was one of a gaggle of players leaving for good. Within moments, Levein, Budge, Neilson, John Murray, managing director David Southern and PR manager Paul Kiddie made their way to the Gorgie suite without stopping to comment.
The arrival of a delivery van from a wine and spirit merchants just before 1pm seemed ill-timed, as if someone was planning a knees-up on a day when many were in no mood for a party.
With Budge’s letter issuing a lengthy statement promising more changes will be announced over the coming days, maybe everyone at Hearts could do with a stiff drink.
At least to toast the health of a manager who gave so much of himself to his club during its time adrift — only to be ditched once dry land had been reached.