Ann Budge poll

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

There is sentiment on here that Ann Budge is being tarnished and indecisive over her handling of Craig Levein. Given that in a few months time the ownership of HMFC will change, do you think there should be change at all levels of the club?

[Jamhammer]

I’m a no but only because I believe change is on the way

[Jambo 4 Ever]

12 minutes ago, Jamhammer said:

I’m a no but only because I believe change is on the way

What change?

[cosanostra]

I'm no at the moment. I think she's done so much good for the club that her failure to deal with Levein is forgivable at the moment.

If we get relegated on her watch then she 100% must leave. 

As for Levein, his continued presence in any capacity at the club is disgraceful. Ann's weakness is her loyalty to a man whom is not fit for purpose and is completely out of his depth. She can still salvage her own position and legacy but writing off this season as another series of disasters with Craig Levein is starting to make that look less likely.

Any other manager at any other club in the world would have been removed by now and she's one of the only Hearts fans not to see it.

[Romulus]

It’s a difficult one at present. For all the good work done off the park, she is now holding us back on the park. 

[Jamstomorrow]

I believe the commercial business side of Heart of Midlothian is in good shape.  It is on the field of play that the 'business' is not being done satisfactorily.  There are many factors to take into consideration with regard to poor performance on the pitch and I personally do not think our CEO and let's not forget, our initial savior, is necessarily one of them.  I would suspect that after all the criticism she has received, she would be well within her rights to bow out and probably will.   

[busby1985]

Am a no. The bigger picture planning and the impact she has made is sensational, in my

opinion. I totally understand and feel the frustrations but I think she will have learned loads from this and her next appointment etc won’t be as difficult to manage when under performing. She still has my trust. 

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Just now, busby1985 said:

Am a no. The bigger picture planning and the impact she has made is sensational, in my

opinion. I totally understand and feel the frustrations but I think she will have learned loads from this and her next appointment etc won’t be as difficult to manage when under performing. She still has my trust. 

Which is fair enough. The fact that the voting has started like this says a lot in itself.

[Meadows]

I voted Yes , mostly based on her nepotism to family , her blind faith in CL and poor PR of late. 
whilst if two columns listing her good V her bad were listed it would be obvious which is longer. However, it is a results business with poor results. An entertainment business with poor entertainment. 

[busby1985]

Just now, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Which is fair enough. The fact that the voting has started like this says a lot in itself.

Yes. A very sad situation. 
 

[Kiwidoug]

No × 100

[GinRummy]

I’m yes but if levein was gone I’d be no

[kimosavi]

Now a Yes for me. Her stubbornness to continually back craig who has a worse record than Cathro says everything. Continually says the mans not bulletproof but he clearly is. The worst form in our History and the manager remains in charge. That's not good business. Her judgement has been turned by some sort of loyalty to a man who has failed as manager. Its simply not good enough

[i8hibsh]

Yes from me. I just don't liker her, and I give her the respect that she gives our fan base in the majority and that is **** all.

[Taffin]

I voted yes. I'd love her to stay on as commercial director or the like but can't see her swallowing her pride for that.

 

She's not made good decisions and avoided making the required decisions that a CEO needs to make and she needs to go.

[Marvin]

43 minutes ago, kimosavi said:

Now a Yes for me. Her stubbornness to continually back craig who has a worse record than Cathro says everything. Continually says the mans not bulletproof but he clearly is. The worst form in our History and the manager remains in charge. That's not good business. Her judgement has been turned by some sort of loyalty to a man who has failed as manager. Its simply not good enough

 

That's where I'm at. I will always hold dearly what she did to save this club, but I think it is time for change.

[Haken]

1 hour ago, cosanostra said:

I'm no at the moment. I think she's done so much good for the club that her failure to deal with Levein is forgivable at the moment.

If we get relegated on her watch then she 100% must leave. 

As for Levein, his continued presence in any capacity at the club is disgraceful. Ann's weakness is her loyalty to a man whom is not fit for purpose and is completely out of his depth. She can still salvage her own position and legacy but writing off this season as another series of disasters with Craig Levein is starting to make that look less likely.

Any other manager at any other club in the world would have been removed by now and she's one of the only Hearts fans not to see it.

Same.

[kingantti1874]

1 hour ago, Mort said:

It’s a difficult one at present. For all the good work done off the park, she is now holding us back on the park. 

this

[jambocub]

1 hour ago, Jamhammer said:

I’m a no but only because I believe change is on the way

What gives you that idea? 

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Yes. I want somebody more focussed on results and who supports their paying customers 

[3fingersreid]

I’m still for  AB remaining , however the longer she allows the head coach to take us on a downward spiral that backing diminishes . 
Off field progress is still strong , on the field ,which is THE most important part is a disgrace .

[Finlay James]

I voted No because her positive impact massively outweighs the negative.  Things are massively frustratingly on the on the park right now and that sits squarely with Levein who has needed to go for sometime.

[Shanks said no]

Sadly a yes

Edited October 27, 2019 by The Frenchman Returns

[Regal Kingston]

And Budge has been great for Hearts and has done a lot of good. However we are in a wretched situation and it’s on her watch. 

Levein should have been sacked months ago. For his own good as a Hearts legend before he completely tarnishes his reputation. 
 

Not taking this decision has left us languishing one point of the bottom of the league. Unacceptable when the fans have spent £9m on improving the club. 

 

I wonder what is an acceptable turn of events for the coming week for her?

 

Will he survive with two losses?

a draw in the league and knocked out the cup?

 

Employing her family without due process is also unforgivable. The best person for the job! She will know this with her Business background. 
 

She got a goodwill with the Main Stand which was a disaster. 

[DG_HMFC]

1 hour ago, GinRummy said:

I’m yes but if levein was gone I’d be no

 

Exactly my thinking when I voted yes.

[Paisley Jambo]

Yes, undoing a huge amount of good work by having a blind spot over a manager/DOF who has failed in every aspect of his role since December 2016.

[1953]

We will have to appoint someone new as I don't see her staying on now anyway.

[Walter Bishop]

I voted yes, only because I think if she is still here so will Levein be in some capacity.

[merseyjambo]

At the moment I’m in the No camp. 
 

Since she took over, the commercial side of the football club has flourished and we have a number of good sponsorships which are as a direct result of her involvement at the club.

 

Her issue is that she has given CL so much power over the footballing side of the club that he has pulled the wool over her eyes. IC should have gone when the fans wanted him out at the end of the season, giving us a summer to appoint a manager and recruit. If the rumours are believed to be true, it was CL who kept him on post. The DoF role is like a project managers position. You run the project and it’s success or failure is ultimately down to you and the people you appoint to work on the project. If it works great, if it fails, you are responsible and should be held accountable. When the IC project failed, AB should have got rid of CL then. Instead we get in AB’s words numerous excellent candidates when IC gets punted yet we have the worst shortlist possible. I refuse to believe that she thought they were the best candidates for the job. Instead she appoints CL. What should have been announced then was either a new DoF or stating we had abolished the position. She has employed a man in a job he is failing at and is accountable to himself. It’s laughable. In her previous business, would she have kept a project manager this long who was crap at his job, I think not.

 

She needed to act in the summer and didn’t and now we are paying the price. 
 

Her failure to address the CL issue will sadly be her Waterloo with a lot of fans.

[DETTY29]

Ann will appoint Leanne Dempster just before she leaves.

 

 

[Jambos_1874]

The poll, based on approx 140 votes at the moment, suggest most people want her gone. I genuinely don't think that is representative of the wider support.

[kingantti1874]

6 minutes ago, DETTY29 said:

Ann will appoint Leanne Dempster just before she leaves.

 

 

it won’t be her choice

[merseyjambo]

1 minute ago, Jambos_1874 said:

The poll, based on approx 140 votes at the moment, suggest most people want her gone. I genuinely don't think that is representative of the wider support.

I voted no, but what you have are fans sick of CL at the club and want him gone. At any other club his results in last 12 months would have seen him out the door. What you’re getting with the poll is a representation of her failure to get rid of CL 

[Gordon Ramsay]

Annie nae clue

[kingantti1874]

4 minutes ago, Jambos_1874 said:

The poll, based on approx 140 votes at the moment, suggest most people want her gone. I genuinely don't think that is representative of the wider support.

why? I don’t think anyone questions her achievements off the pitch.. but on it - apart from 14/15.m/1 It’s been failure on failure.. our crowds are dropping and the atmosphere in the stadium is as poor as I can remember.

[NEWSTAND]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

Yes from me. I just don't liker her, and I give her the respect that she gives our fan base in the majority and that is **** all.

Well there is a huge surprise . In another of your posts you go as far as saying you hate her why can’t you post without being offensive is it beyond you. Everyone has an opinion which is fine but there is no justification for some of the horrible stuff you post. You may not like some of the actions she has taken but there is no need to be offensive.

[Jambos_1874]

Just now, merseyjambo said:

I voted no, but what you have are fans sick of CL at the club and want him gone. At any other club his results in last 12 months would have seen him out the door. What you’re getting with the poll is a representation of her failure to get rid of CL 

 

I agree. No doubt that at any other club he would have been gone by now but actually (up until recently) I think that up until recently that would have been a good thing as I geneuinely think most club owners are too trigger happy. Also, the sheer amount of negative sentiment towards Levein is definitely the driving factor here and it appears that it is leading a lotnof fans to almost disregard the overwhelmingly positive things she has done for the club. Just my tuppence worth though.

[Fozzyonthefence]

1 hour ago, Taffin said:

I voted yes. I'd love her to stay on as commercial director or the like but can't see her swallowing her pride for that.

 

She's not made good decisions and avoided making the required decisions that a CEO needs to make and she needs to go.

This.

[Gambo]

30 minutes ago, Walter Bishop said:

I voted yes, only because I think if she is still here so will Levein be in some capacity.

Where I am.

If she is here in some capacity then so will Levein.

[Irufushi]

She can go, levein can go and he can take his useless coaching staff with him.

[Boab Mugabe]

We need an overhaul of the board and of the first team management and coaches when the share transfer to FoH is completed. A ‘smooth transition’ as the stated goal is a wilful continuation of damaging HMFC by continuing to have Levein taking the club down.

 

A new CEO that doesn’t put personal relationships above professional ones as our current one clearly has with Levein and tendering contracts on the main stand is vital.

[Jambos_1874]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

why? I don’t think anyone questions her achievements off the pitch.. but on it - apart from 14/15.m/1 It’s been failure on failure.. our crowds are dropping and the atmosphere in the stadium is as poor as I can remember.

 

I don't have any evidence to back up why I think that is the case other than that most people I speak to at matches, friends etc agree that although we are crap on the park and it is a large part down to Levein, Budge has been overwhelmingly good for the club and has laid all the ground work for a successful team. She is just sticking by a manager who is negating some of that good work. Results have been poor since last season but I think that she will give CL until the end of this season to turn it around, partly due to loyalty and understanding of the injury predicament, rather than axing him sooner. Also, Kickback tends to be generally quite negative with more of an extreme position taken by people so that is another factor.

[NB GIN]

2 hours ago, GinRummy said:

I’m yes but if levein was gone I’d be no

Agree but the blind spot to this man is unreal 

 

[kingantti1874]

1 minute ago, Jambos_1874 said:

 

I don't have any evidence to back up why I think that is the case other than that most people I speak to at matches, friends etc agree that although we are crap on the park and it is a large part down to Levein, Budge has been overwhelmingly good for the club and has laid all the ground work for a successful team. She is just sticking by a manager who is negating some of that good work. Results have been poor since last season but I think that she will give CL until the end of this season to turn it around, partly due to loyalty and understanding of the injury predicament, rather than axing him sooner. Also, Kickback tends to be generally quite negative with more of an extreme position taken by people so that is another factor.

If she gives him to the end of the season then this poll will be 100% replace. By sticking by this manager - we are throwing away another season, we are driving away more fans. 
 

she has admitted many time she doesn’t understand football.. this is the problem here, she seems to be operating under the belief that a few good results will change minds on levein. In reality - the fans no longer trust levein, it cannot be regained.. we could win 2 like we did against hibs and Aberdeen, draw with rangers and the first bad result and 90+ % of fans want him out again and the cycle starts again.

 

the fans relationship with Craig Levein is fundementally broken. If Ann Budge isn’t careful then she will be in the same boat

[Pearly Harbour]

1 hour ago, kimosavi said:

Now a Yes for me. Her stubbornness to continually back craig who has a worse record than Cathro says everything. Continually says the mans not bulletproof but he clearly is. The worst form in our History and the manager remains in charge. That's not good business. Her judgement has been turned by some sort of loyalty to a man who has failed as manager. Its simply not good enough

 

Very much this.  It's an entertainment business at the end of the day and we are far from being entertained.  Results on the park should be the priority.  Thank you for stepping up when required but it's now a yes for me.

[Jambos_1874]

7 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

If she gives him to the end of the season then this poll will be 100% replace. By sticking by this manager - we are throwing away another season, we are driving away more fans. 
 

she has admitted many time she doesn’t understand football.. this is the problem here, she seems to be operating under the belief that a few good results will change minds on levein. In reality - the fans no longer trust levein, it cannot be regained.. we could win 2 like we did against hibs and Aberdeen, draw with rangers and the first bad result and 90+ % of fans want him out again and the cycle starts again.

 

the fans relationship with Craig Levein is fundementally broken. If Ann Budge isn’t careful then she will be in the same boat

 

To an extent I agree. But as for "understanding football", it will be clear to even the most incompetent of owners that losing matches will drive away support and disappoint fans. She will hear the fans at matches, meet fans in the street and get letters and emails from fans and she'll be aware of the negative sentiment and that a few good results won't suddenly change peoples minds; she's no fool. I will reiterate that I think she will give him to the end of the season out of loyalty and then act. Totally agree that the fans relationship with Levein is broken though but I think Budge is getting a ridiculous amount of abuse/share of the blame.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Jambos_1874

[chuck berrys hairline]

Doubt we will know her dodgy dealings and how much her family have really earned off Hearts until the next Guy comes along. Absolute Charlatan who should be hounded out kicking and screaming. Old Boot

Edited October 27, 2019 by chuck berrys hairline
Sp

[Beni]

It's a yes from me.

To coin a phrase, it's time we had a genuine CEO.

[Jodami]

I voted yes because we need to move on as a club. Budge has done a fantastic job on many levels and she has been the key to fans being able to save our club. She has got the new stand built (appreciate there have been issues but there always are with these things), helped turn the club around commercially and backed the management team with money every season. However, letting the current management team keep their jobs when they should have been removed months ago shows an enormous lack of understanding of the footballing element of the business. In addition to this she is out of touch with the support, her communications reflect her age and we really need someone with a much clearer vision of the future to lead the club. Appointing a younger CEO with a football background would address this and help the club develop in the future. We need to have more flexible plans on the football side, grand 5 year plans and the like rarely work and become a stick to beat managers with, we also need to attract more younger fans to games, this is key to the club's survival in the future. It would be best if new thinking was brought into the club to address these key issues. 

Edited October 27, 2019 by Jodami

[MTS1874]

Obviously she’s a brilliant Businesswoman and our club is in great hands off the park. Unfortunately she is being manipulated by Levein who has far too much power at the club. I’m a NO at the moment but she needs rip up Levein’s blueprint and send him and his coaches packing or the fans will definitely want her out.