Stendel already looking like a gamble for Budge
He’s your guy, all right, Hearts fans. Heckingbottom says so...
THE ringing endorsement from Paul Heckingbottom will have just about sealed the deal for many Hearts fans, obviously.
All doubts about Daniel Stendel were instantaneously banished, all concerns cleared up. He’s your guy, all right. Hecky says so.
And we all know that, when it comes to identifying elite football talent, few can claim to rival the man who so comprehensively overhauled the Hibernian squad just a few short months ago…
Honestly? There’s something a little off, and more than a bit odd, about the imminent appointment of Stendel as head coach at Tynecastle.
Last seen departing a Barnsley side sitting 23rd in England’s Championship, the German struck many independent observers as a strange candidate — never mind outright front runner — for such a huge job right from the off.
Maybe we’re all missing something. Perhaps those ‘in the know’ are privileged to inside information on the next great footballing revolutionary destined to shake up the game.
But, from the outside looking in, Stendel’s popularity among Barnsley punters seems at least partly rooted in his willingness to join them for a pint.
So he’s another Ronny Deila? Helluva guy, not so great at the actual football?
The unease prompted by his ascension to the post is not entirely down to a managerial record that boasts just one real highlight — promotion from League One.
This feels like a misstep by Ann Budge as much because of the route taken as the final destination. Budge and her board have put in a shift of work to get their man, haven’t they?
Initially reluctant to countenance bringing his unique talents to Scottish football, the former Hannover boss — he was sacked by them too, incidentally — had to be persuaded that Hearts represent a good career move.
Every time he raised an objection or expressed his deep desire to work in England above all other options, it seems, the Jambos redoubled their efforts to convince him. In the usual way.
The balance of power between employee and employer has been set, then. Unfortunately, history contains zero examples of this kind of thing — a gaffer who thinks he’s doing a favour just by taking the job — working out well…
Being allowed to bring his own backroom staff, a power move by any new boss trying to establish authority, also comes with an attendant risk.
A lack of local expertise has found out plenty of outsiders dropped into the unique environment of the Scottish game.
And simply retaining one member of the existing coaching staff? Not enough, if there are two established assistants standing between him and the gaffer.
If Daniel wants Chris Stern and Dale Tonge, that’s what he’ll get. Anything for the Chosen One.
Throw in the fact that Barnsley still want compensation for the man they binned and it looks as if someone spotted Budge coming a long way off.
All of the above — the lengthy chase, the conceding ground in key areas, the willingness to pay a fee — would be standard operating procedure when trying to secure a manager in high demand.
But you don’t get the impression that Stendel’s phone was abuzz with offers. Or that he would be an obvious choice for many English Championship clubs, the next time one of his former peers is jettisoned.
Look, Budge has been bold in identifying — eventually — her prime candidate and then moving heaven and earth to land him.
And it might work out. In which case, we can expect Stendel to be hot-footing it off to somewhere more interesting about 18 months from now.
If he doesn’t deliver on expectations piled sky high by the club owner’s single-minded pursuit?
Well, putting right another mistake would cost a fair bit of cash. And raise questions about whether Budge, often uniquely impressive in a game full of chancers, is no better at spotting a winning coach than the average chairman or chief executive.