Ann Budge update

[Paolo]

Given we are playing games at Murrayfield, don't you think it is informative that details of ticketing, hospitality etc are going to be announced soon?

 

If we were playing at Tynecastle would the usual advertising of such things be seen as begging?

It isn't informative at all. The arrangement should have been announced as soon as the delay was, especially for those with some sort of hospitality season ticket, who are still waiting to find out the arrangements. We had a provisional agreement to hire Murrayfiekd, so knew it was a possibility.

 

Had this been the SPFL, we would be criticising them for being unorganised and leaving things until late. And rightly so.

 

It'll only be informative when it is announced what the arrangements are, but like the Cathro sacking, we have left it late.

[Siphiwe Tshabalala]

I was unsure where I stood regarding Levein after listening to arguments from either side, supporting and against.

 

But I honestly quite like the DOF model, but I think he is the wrong man for that job.

[Boris]

It isn't informative at alll. The arrangement should have been announced as soon as the delay was, especially for those with some sort of hospitality season ticket, who are still waiting to find out the arrangements. We had a provisional agreement to hire Murrayfiekd, so knew it was a possibility.

Had this been the SPFL, we would be criticising them for being unorganised and leaving things until late. And rightly so.

It'll only be informative when it is announced what the arrangements are, but like the Cathro sacking, we have left it late.

You think? It's a point of view.

 

I'm sure there would be some contingency but I would doubt all the i's were dotted and t's crossed.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

You're beyond help chief. I think you should take a break for a while.

I believe he's got a point. I think our board are incredibly lucky to have us.

 

Anyone who thinks our management is rubbish. Well that's not true.

 

But anyone who thinks our management have performed even average over the last 14 months is happy to accept mediocrity at best.

[JJ1984]

Cathro was more experienced and ready for the job than Daly it could be argued.

It can't be argued, it's a clear fact. Daly is an absolute shambles.

[Victorian]

Your really not helping the situation.

Orly? What are you doing to help "the situation"? Practically. Tangibly.

[JJ1984]

No I didn't I gave you a potential reason why if he was it hadn't be announced by both clubs.

So it was a lot of shite then but used it to have a go at others. Hearts haven't approached any club to speak to any other manager or do you think the club the manager is at doesnt want to inform their support of a made up situation?

[luckydug]

Ann Budge has had massive praise from me for off field work. Try again.

 

I'm pissed off at the Hearts support being shat on. Because make no mistake that is what is happening. Fair play to you if you have a greater resistance to watching as these events play out but I called the Cathro demise months ago and yet they stood by him. Its unbelievable to me that they would not have discussed and planned for his successor and yet here we are fannying about, season well under way, out the LC early AGAIN and issuing statements which say nothing. As I say fair play to those who still trust the people in charge of the football side of the club to make good decisions but the recent evidence in terms of appointments and signings is stacked against them. Results in 'big' games are also woeful.

 

I'll continue to say it like I see it and given the enormous backing detailed elsewhere on the board (6 million donated since May 2014 I believe over and above ST monies) I believe the Hearts support deserve a hell of a lot better than we are getting. Where is the ambition, where is the imagination, where are the "many experienced coaches that are interested in working with our club"?

 

You were moaning and wanting Neilson out even when we were sitting 3rd in the League.

I don't think you will ever be happy supporting Hearts unless perhaps we were to win the league. Even then you would probably moan the next season if we didn't win the CL.

[JJ1984]

At what?

An appointment.

[kimosavi]

this is laughable now

 

 

 

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[Hendricks]

I believe he's got a point. I think our board are incredibly lucky to have us.

 

Anyone who thinks our management is rubbish. Well that's not true.

 

But anyone who thinks our management have performed even average over the last 14 months is happy to accept mediocrity at best.

 

 

Thanks for reading my viewpoint and understanding it!

 

Not for a second do I think Ann Budge is "rubbish", I think she has done a magnificent job off the field. I also don't think Craig Levein is "rubbish", I'm a kid of the 80's and he along with several obvious others was one of my idol's in those teams. I thought he was a magnificent player, I thought he did a good job managing us and despite the criticism he gets from some his wins over Hibs and away Euro results at places like Braga and Bordeaux were amongst Hearts best ever. I was even in Prague trying manfully to find some way to back him and his 6-4-0 for goodness sake!  So no, no hatred towards these individuals at all. 

 

However in my view they are not doing a good job at all and haven't been for a while with the football side of the club. Us the fans have stood up to be counted and deserve so much better than some experimental and naive project. Hearts are a big club in Scotland and yet we are handciapping ourselves just as we did in the Romanov era just in different ways. We need to make the best appointment for the club, that gives us the best chance of success, not some vanity project or delusional pyramid coaching setup that simply can't and won't work. We need to make a far far better job of scouting players an utilizing what remains a limited budget. I don't doubt for a second that the shambolic signing policy is impacting everything right now and that simply can't be allowed to be repeated. I can only pray that the whole scouting system is what she is alluding to in her statement today. 

 

In short this upcoming decision is huge. 6 million pounds the fans have put into the club in just over 3 years in FoH subs alone, many more millions is ST sales etc. Its time that the club did what was in the best interests of the playing side of the club, the most important side of the club and put someone worthy of us and the position in place. 

[Nookie Bear]

Tells me the days of Hearts being run by kneejerking lunatics are long gone.

I rarely stick up for Vlad but that knee jerking lunatic got us decent guys like Csaba, Ivanauskas and Paulo. Even Rix was better qualified than Cathro.

[Spellczech]

There are 8 months or so of the project to go so I disagree that "a repeat is not an issue". As for the statement "I recognise the failure to "process" the order for the seats was not "beyond our control" as I originally told you. It represented a basic failure of the management and control of the project, for which I have admitted responsibility. Appropriate changes have been made to the management and control of the project to ensure it doesn't happen again in the remaining 8 months of the project". Cue - praise for the open-ness and honesty we had come to expect. Maybe add a wee update on the cost over-run, the funding gap and the plan for bridging the funding gap.

The problem with communicating openly and fully with fans is that there are always people who have an agenda. So the more you say the more you may say that comes back to haunt you - broken promises, lies, changes of plan etc. You end up hoisted with your own petard... Just look at this thread: Ann's statement today doesn't really say very much yet there are a load of people reading into it what they want to see, fear to hear, or just plain make mischief... Some people have next week's "announcement" interpreted as a concrete appointment, when it could just be another update, or an announcement about something related to the management at Hearts, but not an appointment.

[Hendricks]

You were moaning and wanting Neilson out even when we were sitting 3rd in the League.

I don't think you will ever be happy supporting Hearts unless perhaps we were to win the league. Even then you would probably moan the next season if we didn't win the CL.

 

 

Thank you for helping me make my point!!!!  

 

I did want Neilson out as he wasn't good enough. 3rd place in a league without Rangers and Hibernian is the absolute least I would expect. Mind you the donkey still managed to lose to the latter in the Scottish Cup whilst they were in the Championship!  

 

I'll be happy when we have someone in charge who is in the best interests of the first team of our football club, someone with experience and drive and can motivate our squad. Nobody is winning its the league, nobody so your point about that is nonsensical but there is absolutely no reason with the correct appointment we wouldn't be challenging everyone out with Celtic. 

 

I want what is best for HMFC and I want the supporters to have a team worthy of us and the maroon strip. At the moment we are a mess and its not good enough especially given what the support have done for the club. They need to get this appointment right.

[Dagger Is Back]

All a bit meh to be honest. All a bit vanilla. Apart from putting some people back in their boxes re SG she hasn't said much at all. She talks about minimising speculation but to be honest speculation about SG pales into insignificance when it comes down to speculation about stand delays and shortfalls.

 

The whole IC appointment and reign has been a right old mess. We may well end up paying the price for that this season. We may well end up as a support, having to bite the bullet and accept a write off. Going to be  a very interesting fortnight as we reach the end of the transfer window.

 

Fascinated to see what our 3 year plan is. I suspect others will follow SG out of the door.

 

The one thing that remains constant is the financial backing of the fans. I'm sure AB very much appreciates that the club are very very lucky to continue to have the backing of the fans. None like us that's for sure.

 

I think we've got real reasons to be unhappy but we've been there before. Once again there's an opportunity to stand up and continue to support the club, and I hope that the clubs MF proposals give us all an opportunity to do our bit, once again for the club we love.  

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

I'd like to congratulate Daly on the job, Hamilton for keeping the gloves and Buaben for keeping a place

 

 

[Diadora Van Basten]

"John Daly has stepped up to the mark brilliantly".What can we read into that ?

Cathro was pants.

[Jambof3tornado]

I know one thing. The lads will be fired up under Daly on saturday.

 

3 points please.

[Francis Albert]

Yes, news because no doubt some folk would be saying what is going on!

 

Despite the managerial search, player search (hopefully!), the business is still running so these things need announced.

 

Or better to say nothing and then be accused of being shambolic in arranging the Murrayfield games?

We have announced nothing about the Murrayfield arrangements except that we will at some indeterminate time in the future be making announcements. So if stating the bleeding obvious is all we have to say, why say it?

[151]

I'm not even going to comment.

 

Football is pish nowadays

[wavydavy]

"Initial 3-year plan"........."more importantly, against our new 3-year plan"    Would love to know what this "new 3-year plan" entails.

 

"The calibre of interviewee was very high".......so where the hell are they?

 

This is an extract from her first statement back in May 2014.

 

These decisions have been driven by everything that has been said about needing a long-term strategy, built over a 3-5-year planning horizon. For those reasons, the new Board believes that we need to bring in someone with Craig's experience to guide that vision. With such a strong Director of Football on board, we feel we have to spend our limited resources on strengthening and building the Coaching side of the business, rather than having a 1st team manager. Robbie Neilson will take over as Head Coach for the 1st team and we will bring in a strong support team to work with Robbie in terms of an Assistant Coach and U20s Coach.

[Francis Albert]

The problem with communicating openly and fully with fans is that there are always people who have an agenda. So the more you say the more you may say that comes back to haunt you - broken promises, lies, changes of plan etc. You end up hoisted with your own petard... Just look at this thread: Ann's statement today doesn't really say very much yet there are a load of people reading into it what they want to see, fear to hear, or just plain make mischief... Some people have next week's "announcement" interpreted as a concrete appointment, when it could just be another update, or an announcement about something related to the management at Hearts, but not an appointment.

I kind of understand that but making a statement that doesn't actually say very much rather invites people to read into it what they want to read into it.

[wavydavy]

When I wade through CVs I tend to bin 2/3rds right from the off because the candidates don't have the skills to even get the spelling and grammar correct on their own bloody CV! That is in the arena of finance, so I wonder what it is like wading through football manager CVs...

 

Do they not just text you the important bits? 

[soonbe110]

If anything it's says cl will be manager.

Restructure, experienced manager...

Ticks the boxes.

Absolutely how I read it. Either Hartley, Elvis or Daly as assistant. Austin head of academy and player development.

[soonbe110]

If anything it's says cl will be manager.

Restructure, experienced manager...

Ticks the boxes.

Absolutely how I read it. Either Hartley, Elvis or Daly as assistant. Austin head of academy and player development.

The words experienced manager appears to be missing.

Levein

[Gordon Ramsay]

Paul Barnes from STV tweeted that the players, Levein and MacPhee want Daly but Budge not convinced.

 

Also Pressley gave very impressive interview and Hartley highly unlikely.

[wavydavy]

Hopefully the review of the football department will recognise that there is no need for a director of football.

 

We can live in hope.

[Braminho]

The job is Jon Dalys. We're obviously skint and if we win this weekend it's even more a cert.

[The Real Maroonblood]

Staggering. 

 

Been a huge supporter and backer of Budge and she is clearly a fantastic busniess woman and entrepreneur. She will always have massive respect fro the way she has progressed the club off the field and of course the superb new stand will stand testimony to her for generations off it. Ensuring the club was able to stay in Gorgie with that new development was a massive achievement.

 

However for me she is showing her complete lack of understanding of the football side of the club and IF it should Levein/Daly or some combo of it, its very clear that the former is driving and making all decisions off it. Her statement of 4th July in comparison to today's is galling, the bluster long gone replaced by a nothing statement on the football side of things. But she will be held accountable for the comments about "experienced coaches" applying and "swamped with applicants" if she should authorize such an underwhelming and cost saving appointment. They will have egg all over their faces before this season is out.

Good post.

[soonbe110]

You can read it different ways but by saying there will be a permanent announcement next week I think it's going to be levein or Daly

Wont be Daly. She wont make same mistake twice. Too smart a woman for that.

[DH1986]

How would Paul Barnes from STV know what Ann Budge thinks ?

 

 

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[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Paul Barnes from STV tweeted that the players, Levein and MacPhee want Daly but Budge not convinced.

 

Also Pressley gave very impressive interview and Hartley highly unlikely.

No idea if that's true or not but it makes a lot of sense.

[Rudy T]

So it was a lot of shite then but used it to have a go at others. Hearts haven't approached any club to speak to any other manager or do you think the club the manager is at doesnt want to inform their support of a made up situation?

What are you slavering about now?

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Thanks for reading my viewpoint and understanding it!

 

Not for a second do I think Ann Budge is "rubbish", I think she has done a magnificent job off the field. I also don't think Craig Levein is "rubbish", I'm a kid of the 80's and he along with several obvious others was one of my idol's in those teams. I thought he was a magnificent player, I thought he did a good job managing us and despite the criticism of some his wins over Hibs and away Euro results at places like Braga and Bordeaux were amongst Hearts best ever. I was even in Prague trying manfully to find some way to back him and his 6-4-0 for goodness sake! So no, no hatred towards these individuals at all.

 

However in my view they are not doing a good job at all and haven't been for a while with the football side of the club. Us the fans have stood up to be counted and deserved so much better than some experimental and naive project. Hearts are a big club in Scotland and yet we are handciapping ourselves just as we did in the Romanov era just in different ways. We need to make the bets appointment for the club, that gives us the bets chance of success, not some vanity project or delusional pyramid coaching setup that simply can't and won't work. We need to make a far far better job of scouting players an utilizing what remains a limited budget. I don't doubt for a second that the shambolic signing policy is impacting everything right now and that simply can't be allowed to be repeated. I can only pray that the whole scouting system is what she is alluding to in her statement today.

 

In short this upcoming decision is huge. 6 million pounds the fans have put into the club in just over 3 years in FoH subs alone, many more millions is ST sales etc. Its time that the club did what was in the best interests of the playing side of the club, the most important side of the club and put someone worthy of us and the position in place.

I totally get it. Football is a hard and competitive business. It requires hard decisions and more often than not tested personnel.

 

We have wasted an awful lot of cash gambling.

 

This window was a good opportunity to rectify the problem of the January window and here we are 9 days from what could be another fiasco. Could. There's still time.

 

But time is short now. Would love to see 20k plus in Murrayfield but frustration is getting much stronger. We are fragile despite the last 2 results.

 

I appreciate the effort and sentiment of today's statement but its just more words on a digital page.

 

We want a decent manager. Not a rookie or a reject.

 

We want proven track record not an old boys reunion.

 

But they look like the only options left. We are heading for more disappointment and its ripping me apart. Another bitter season beckons unless this appointment is right and I'm not feeling it

[wavydavy]

Not having a first team coach in place hasn't stopped us signing players so far, so hopefully we can still strengthen the areas needing it.

 

Who have signed since Cathro left?

[Gordon Ramsay]

How would Paul Barnes from STV know what Ann Budge thinks ?

 

No idea tbh but I'd imagine he probably knows more than most people on here.

 

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[Spellczech]

I kind of understand that but making a statement that doesn't actually say very much rather invites people to read into it what they want to read into it.

Yep - damned if you do and damned if you don't. Ann made a commitment to keep us informed. A commitment which is easier to say than do. Look at Rangers - King made same commitment and their fans get even less from him.

[kimosavi]

Who have signed since Cathro left?

NOBODY

 

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[DH1986]

 

How would Paul Barnes from STV know what Ann Budge thinks ?

 

No idea tbh but I'd imagine he probably knows more than most people on here.

 

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Why ?

 

Because he's a journalist ?

 

 

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[Spellczech]

Paul Barnes from STV tweeted that the players, Levein and MacPhee want Daly but Budge not convinced.

 

Also Pressley gave very impressive interview and Hartley highly unlikely.

Ann likes a legend. Said it last week. Was a time when most Hearts fans would be onboard with that policy. Nowadays the modern fan gets his knickers in a twist over a chest thump though. Sensitive souls...

[Hendricks]

No idea if that's true or not but it makes a lot of sense.

 

Yep. Who the hell knows what is accurate and what isn't but it would certainly make sense to me if Ann Budge was very very reticent about going along with Levein appointing another rookie. Despite whatever close personal relationship she has with Craig Levein she will know that the fans are expectantly waiting on her to deliver on her statement of 4th August and that its an appointment they need to get right. I suspect she will know that Levein will need to go too if they get it wrong. It would also be unsurprising if Levein had the arrogance and brass neck to push for them to continue this policy, after all he is the hide and seek champion of Tynecastle. 

 

As for Elvis impressing that doesn't surprise me at all. He bleeds football and despite what his detractors say he bleeds Heart of Midlothian. IO have no doubt he would have conveyed that throughout the interview process. He is probably too strong an individual for Levein to want as Head Coach.

[Gordon Ramsay]

Why ?

 

Because he's a journalist ?

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

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[Rudy T]

I totally get it. Football is a hard and competitive business. It requires hard decisions and more often than not tested personnel.

 

We have wasted an awful lot of cash gambling.

 

This window was a good opportunity to rectify the problem of the January window and here we are 9 days from what could be another fiasco. Could. There's still time.

 

But time is short now. Would love to see 20k plus in Murrayfield but frustration is getting much stronger. We are fragile despite the last 2 results.

 

I appreciate the effort and sentiment of today's statement but its just more words on a digital page.

 

We want a decent manager. Not a rookie or a reject.

 

We want proven track record not an old boys reunion.

 

But they look like the only options left. We are heading for more disappointment and its ripping me apart. Another bitter season beckons unless this appointment is right and I'm not feeling it

The issue here is that none of what is being stated is fact. It's made up 2+2=5 stuff.

 

As it stands today Daly is not the permanent head coach neither is Levien and no one knows who is actually a candidate and who is not or who has and hasn't been interviewed. Yet here we have a load of posters getting in a right state about it.

 

Daly has gone a fine job and there's no reason to think he won't get us another result this weekend so what's the panic.

 

No one knows what players are coming in and if any who has recommended them.

 

So here's the facts. We have an interim head coach who is holding the fort. We have got a new keeper on trial. We have interviewed new head coaches. We will get another announcement next week.

 

so maybe time to settle down a bit.

[wavydavy]

At least the excuse of the lack of time in the transfer window will be played.

 

Why the delay? It sounds like the guys been chosen otherwise there would be no announcement next week, why not announce now. There's zero reason why! Michael O'Neil (fantasy) aye we will announce him right before the international break. I can't think of one reason if the new guy has been chosen, which he has according to the "statement" the boy can't be announced, look at the squad and decide what's needed before next week. But aye, look out for amazing hospitality at Murrayfield because someone forgot to order the seats, letting down loads of supporters one way or another l.

 

There is an International break after the Motherwell game which will buy them time for folk to get over the disappointment of her next announcement.

 

Our next game is the first at Murrayfield on 9 September and it's amazing how quickly people get over bad news.

 

Look at the SFA they are experts at delaying tactics on important announcements and they do it because people get less hung up about bad news after a week or so.

[DH1986]

 

Why ?

 

Because he's a journalist ?

 

Yes.

 

 

 

 

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You do know journalists make shit up and get things very wrong ?

 

 

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[Clerry Jambo]

Wont be Daly. She wont make same mistake twice. Too smart a woman for that.

I hope your right.

[Independence]

Thanks for reading my viewpoint and understanding it!

 

Not for a second do I think Ann Budge is "rubbish", I think she has done a magnificent job off the field. I also don't think Craig Levein is "rubbish", I'm a kid of the 80's and he along with several obvious others was one of my idol's in those teams. I thought he was a magnificent player, I thought he did a good job managing us and despite the criticism he gets from some his wins over Hibs and away Euro results at places like Braga and Bordeaux were amongst Hearts best ever. I was even in Prague trying manfully to find some way to back him and his 6-4-0 for goodness sake!  So no, no hatred towards these individuals at all. 

 

However in my view they are not doing a good job at all and haven't been for a while with the football side of the club. Us the fans have stood up to be counted and deserve so much better than some experimental and naive project. Hearts are a big club in Scotland and yet we are handciapping ourselves just as we did in the Romanov era just in different ways. We need to make the best appointment for the club, that gives us the best chance of success, not some vanity project or delusional pyramid coaching setup that simply can't and won't work. We need to make a far far better job of scouting players an utilizing what remains a limited budget. I don't doubt for a second that the shambolic signing policy is impacting everything right now and that simply can't be allowed to be repeated. I can only pray that the whole scouting system is what she is alluding to in her statement today. 

 

In short this upcoming decision is huge. 6 million pounds the fans have put into the club in just over 3 years in FoH subs alone, many more millions is ST sales etc. Its time that the club did what was in the best interests of the playing side of the club, the most important side of the club and put someone worthy of us and the position in place. 

 

 

So who's best interest do you think they are working for just now? The money you and I put into the club is being  spent as I thought. I have no complaints. I do not expect the club to appoint a manager who will cost millions we do not have. We must acknowledge reality. Cathro was a big mistake although most on KB thought it was a good move at the time. Now they are taking their time to make the correct appointment. To make sure it is the best we can afford at this time whilst redeveloping Tynecastle. I am over 60 but can see the strategy aligned to our income. I honestly think you like attention!!!!

[Independence]

There is an International break after the Motherwell game which will buy them time for folk to get over the disappointment of her next announcement.

 

Our next game is the first at Murrayfield on 9 September and it's amazing how quickly people get over bad news.

 

Look at the SFA they are experts at delaying tactics on important announcements and they do it because people get less hung up about bad news after a week or so.

This is a wind up...yes?

[Gordon Ramsay]

You do know journalists make shit up and get things very wrong ?

 

 

 

 

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Yes.

 

Just thought I'd post it given it is information on our potential next manager, whether it be accurate or not I suppose time will tell.

 

I understand it might be nonsense, I don't need you to tell me that.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Yep. Who the hell knows what is accurate and what isn't but it would certainly make sense to me if Ann Budge was very very reticent about going along with Levein appointing another rookie. Despite whatever close personal relationship she has with Craig Levein she will know that the fans are expectantly waiting on her to deliver on her statement of 4th August and that its an appointment they need to get right. I suspect she will know that Levein will need to go too if they get it wrong. It would also be unsurprising if Levein had the arrogance and brass neck to push for them to continue this policy, after all he is the hide and seek champion of Tynecastle.

 

As for Elvis impressing that doesn't surprise me at all. He bleeds football and despite what his detractors say he bleeds Heart of Midlothian. IO have no doubt he would have conveyed that throughout the interview process. He is probably too strong an individual for Levein to want as Head Coach.

The Pressley stuff was encouraging. I actually think he fits the profile well and would make a real go of it. He'd have my support for sure