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Franck WILL fail
THE ONLY
CERTAINTY IN LIFE
if you are a football manager is that ninety-nine times out of one
hundred you will be sacked from your job at some point and that
means the latest incumbent at Easter Road is likely to get the
bullet at some stage in the future. The fact that he is Franck
Sauzee and the fact that he is worshipped by the support should
probably make a difference but there is every probability that it
wont!
When the news
broke last week that Alex McLeish was to make the journey West and
take up employment with Glasgow Rangers Football Club it caused
hurt and anger amongst large elements of the support as they had
taken him into their hearts and had trusted him to take Hibs
forward to bigger and better things. What way was it then to
repay those same fans by turning his back on them and heading off
to pastures new? Why was he doing this after he'd told the
support he was going nowhere and would only leave if they wanted
him too? The answer is simple really, in my opinion, he's
ambitious and he could not turn down the chance to improve
himself.
Many will disagree with my view
but it is a fact that Rangers are a much bigger Club than Hibs
with greater resources and more potential to win Leagues and Cups.
If you marry those facts with McLeish's ambition it must surely
make it easier to understand why he could not say no. In
reality, the anger should be aimed at Rangers for the timing and
the arrogance of it all. Their Chairman David Murray bleats
on constantly about the lack of any real challenge to the Old Firm
but they delight in removing at will the very people whom, if left
alone, might actually help mount that challenge.
... his record was
extremely poor ...
As to whether McLeish would have
done that with Hibs I was beginning to have my doubts. In
his last months with the Club his record was extremely poor and
had things gone on the way they were it is not inconceivable he
would have been sacked. How would it have looked then if
Rangers had tried to appoint a Manager sacked by his previous
Scottish Club because of a failure in his ability? No way
Rangers could have offered McLeish the job in those circumstances
so they just came along and took him because it suited them too.
That brings me
nicely back to Franck who has the huge respect and support of the
vast majority of the support. But how long will that last? If
results do not go our way, will the fans start to turn on him?
The answer is almost certainly yes although they may not get the
chance because Sauzee himself has said that if the Club is
suffering because of his inability to do the job he will call on
the Chairman and Chief Executive and basically demand that they
replace him with someone who will do the job successfully.
He considers Hibs to be the most important thing in the equation
and not Franck Sauzee.
Willing to fall on his sword if needs be (sns)
As a fan I have to say I find
that kind of honesty and integrity like a breath of fresh air in
the Scottish game. I truly hope and believe that Franck can
restore Hibs to the leading edge of Scottish football but he will
need time, patience from the fans, a huge amount of luck and not a
little skill to do it.
The question is, will Hibs fans
give him the chance or will they lose patience with the great man
and demand his head on a platter if he doesn't get it right on the
park? Immediately following his appointment, Sauzee spoke of
togetherness at the Club and whilst his initial comments were
aimed at the playing staff it is clear he includes the supporters
in the equation. That being so it is up to each and every
one of us to ask the question "Am I going to support Franck
through thick and thin and trust him to do the right thing by Hibs
if all is not going well?"
I know my answer - do you know
yours?
I'm no Mystic Meg but I can
predict here and now that at some stage in the future I will be
sitting once more at my keyboard, typing up the words which share
my thoughts on the appointment of Franck's successor. I hope
that's a long way away but I've no idea if it will be or not.
Time will tell whether Franck is to stun us all with his ability
as a Manager before he moves away to take on the likes of
Marseille or whether he's a dud who can't hack it in the post.
Sadly, the chances are he will not be one of those few who move on
to bigger and better things because like I say 99% of them don't.
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