When I’m trying to be optimistic this is pretty much how I try to see things too OD. There is no doubt that SR was brought in as a partial panic but also to stabilise things a bit. There’s also no doubt he’s on a tighter budget, he’s suggested as much himself. We can’t possibly balance the books with the spending we’ve been doing and no clear financial rewards (big player sales, trophies and European football). That said, SR doesn’t seem to be stabilising things at all. If anything we are looking more erratic, shambolic and devoid of any structure, system or style. As the guys on The Terrace said last week, we’re getting all the shit SR traits without the good ones (hard to play against, battling, legs etc). I’m also looking at other clubs who have had to gut squads and start again (St Mirren, Motherwell, Falkirk and Dundee as comparisons rather than Hearts who are a bit more of an anomaly at this point) and they are doing much better than us. Competing with OF in games, looking well coached and generally gelling quicker with a clear style and structure. While there are clearly significant limitations to his coaching ability and all round approach, I continue to believe that SR has a degree of capability and should be able to settle us but I think there is a chaotic backdrop to his tenure in Cormack and possibly Lutz that isn’t helping.
