Yes, Lennon should now face action from the SFA
Having been in the post myself, SFA chief executive, Ian Maxwell, had my sympathy following the dramatic events at Tynecastle in midweek.
However, in my opinion, there has been a lack of leadership from the people who run our game in the wake of these incidents.
The SFA and the SPFL are jointly responsible for regulating behaviour and security at our games, and as such they have to set standards – and then ensure these standards are met. We need a stronger approach from these bodies on these issues. There are many questions to be answered, and here’s how I would have handled the main ones had I still been at the SFA.
WHAT IMMEDIATE ACTION WAS REQUIRED?
I would have initiated an inquiry right away on Thursday morning, ideally in tandem with the SPFL. That would have involved contacting the home club, in this case Hearts, to establish the policing, the stewarding and the quality of the CCTV coverage.
Primarily, the aim would be to find out if they were up to required standard.
SHOULD HEARTS AND HIBS BE PUNISHED FOR THEIR FANS’ BEHAVIOUR?
If the clubs met the security requirements, and did everything they could to prevent trouble at the game, as things stand, it would be harsh to punish them.
But maybe now we have to take a different approach.
SO SHOULD FAN MISBEHAVIOUR SEE CLUBS BEING DOCKED POINTS?
I do believe there is an argument in favour of this form of punishment. Two Highland League clubs have been docked points this season for fielding ineligible players, an offence which pales in comparison to what went on at Tynecastle.
If fans knew the actions of a poisonous minority were damaging the on-field efforts of their team, they would be far more likely to take action against the troublemakers.
And self-policing would, I believe, have an extremely positive effect in terms of limiting the kind of incidents we saw at Tynecastle. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP FANS THROWING COINS?
It is brutal to say this, but the answer if nothing.
If I wanted to go to a game and hurl a coin on to the pitch, there would be nothing anyone could do about it. That would be the case even if I was completely surrounded by policemen and stewards.
The only thing that can be done is take such stringent action against the hooligans who do throw coins that others are dissuaded from doing likewise.
SHOULD NEIL LENNON BE PUNISHED FOR HIS BEHAVIOUR AT TYNECASTLE?
The first point to make here is that Neil was the victim on Wednesday night.
He is a guy who has had to endure some ridiculous treatment during his time in Scotland, and he in no way deserved to have a coin thrown at him.
The person who did that has to be punished for his action, whether that be a ban or whatever.
A separate issue is whether Neil’s gesturing to the Hearts support behind his dugout was fitting behaviour for the manager of a club?
I would argue that it was not, and would ask anyone who would think otherwise how his action would have been viewed had he been a player.
I can tell you. He would have been shown a yellow card.
The standard should be the same for managers and coaching staff, so some sort of sanction should be heading Neil’s way.
WAS THE SFA’S HANDLING OF THE PITCH INVASION AT THE 2016 SCOTTISH CUP FINAL TOO SOFT? Yes, in the wake of what we witnessed at Tynecastle, I think there is a case to say that.
I don’t believe it would have been fair to strip Hibs of their European place the following season, as was suggested in some quarters. That would have been over the top.
However, the trouble we are dealing with now suggests if firmer action had been taken, and a strong message conveyed to potential troublemakers, the chances of what we saw last Wednesday happening might have been reduced.
But these are my views. It is now down to the SFA and SPFL to make their positions abundantly clear.