Alex Miller Interview

[Peevemor]

I can't remember this being posted before (it dates from May).

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/hibernian/alex-miller-on-rangers-hibs-and-selling-ice-cream-1-3781360#ixzz3uJZJaul6

Really good piece IMO.

[Hibby Gav]

Steve Archibald getting paid £601 a week ...now that's good value !


ggtth

[Hibbyradge]

Good read. :aok:

[lucky]

Enjoyed reading that more than most the games when was the manager but he still gave me my greatest day as a Hibs fan when we won the Skol cup so he's not all bad

[Hamish]

Certainly at ER with players such as Jackson Wright McAllister and O'Neill they were a joy to watch at times. Remember Crunchie at an evening match at ER, I think against Aberdeen, and their full back had to be substituted for his own sanity.

The away form left a bit to be desired in the main, if I remember correctly

[heretoday]

He didn't beat Hearts often enough.

[Dashing Bob S]

Great piece.





If you had Michael J Fox's DeLorean and it was set for the 1950's.


Sadly shows why the Scotsman won't be with us much longer.

[brog]

Decent read but perpetuates the myth that some Hibs fans were against him because of his Oldco background. The main problem with AM was his over emphasis on stopping the other team, as Budgie expresses eloquently in his book. I once discussed with him his habit of having 10 men in the box at corners, my biggest bugbear at the time. He went into great detail as to why it was necessary but couldn't answer why no other club in the top English or Scottish league at the time employed this practice. He did win a trophy & we had some great football at times but we also had Brian Hamilton!

[JimBHibees]

Decent read but perpetuates the myth that some Hibs fans were against him because of his Oldco background. The main problem with AM was his over emphasis on stopping the other team, as Budgie expresses eloquently in his book. I once discussed with him his habit of having 10 men in the box at corners, my biggest bugbear at the time. He went into great detail as to why it was necessary but couldn't answer why no other club in the top English or Scottish league at the time employed this practice. He did win a trophy & we had some great football at times but we also had Brian Hamilton!

Totally agree wth that, always thought that was very lazy and disrespecful to Hibs fans. I am sure there may have been some plums who would have an issue however would be so miniscule as to warrant any attention.

Hs football by and large was dull however didnt really mind him as thought he was an excellent coach and to replace him with Duff Jimmy was pretty pointless IMO.

[Alfred E Newman]

He didn't beat Hearts often enough.

His derby record was abysmal.

[Sammy7nil]

Is he calling Archibald dare i say it a coward?

[superfurryhibby]

Totally agree wth that, always thought that was very lazy and disrespecful to Hibs fans. I am sure there may have been some plums who would have an issue however would be so miniscule as to warrant any attention.

Hs football by and large was dull however didnt really mind him as thought he was an excellent coach and to replace him with Duff Jimmy was pretty pointless IMO.

Very different times back in 1986 or whenever Miller was appointed Jim. He was a lifelong Hun and that was never going to sit easy with more than a tiny minority.

Miller got a good crack at it with Hibs. There were times when we invested heavily in the transfer market and he did manage to build two sides who played satisfying football and could( should have won more).

I spoke with him earlier this year and asked him if he felt let down at the way he left Hibs. It's fair to say that he wasn't impressed at his treatment by some people at the club. He was also pretty adamant that Hibs wouldn't have gone down if he had stayed on and had the funds available to Jim Duffy.

FWIW Miller does have a sense of humour, just very dry and sardonic. He seemed like a decent guy.

[Lago]

Decent read but perpetuates the myth that some Hibs fans were against him because of his Oldco background. The main problem with AM was his over emphasis on stopping the other team, as Budgie expresses eloquently in his book. I once discussed with him his habit of having 10 men in the box at corners, my biggest bugbear at the time. He went into great detail as to why it was necessary but couldn't answer why no other club in the top English or Scottish league at the time employed this practice. He did win a trophy & we had some great football at times but we also had Brian Hamilton!

Unfortunately it was no myth, I was a regular attender at ER in those days and where I sat there were more than a few who referred to his Rangers past when things on the park weren't to their liking. Hun b was one of the more polite ones.

[brog]

Unfortunately it was no myth, I was a regular attender at ER in those days and where I sat there were more than a few who referred to his Rangers past when things on the park weren't to their liking. Hun b was one of the more polite ones.

I don't doubt that but that's a different matter. IMO there was never any inherent or automatic bias against him. We have 2 ex Yams playing for us now & I don't think anyone cares about their past. However if JK & JC were to have a few shockers I'm sure there would be some people calling them Yam !!! etc. The inference ever since AM was in charge has been that he could never receive fair treatment at ER because of his Hun past. That I believe is a myth & one which the MSM have perpetuated ever since & particularly when we're linked with an ex Oldco player. It denigrates our support & our club.

[Lago]

I don't doubt that but that's a different matter. IMO there was never any inherent or automatic bias against him. We have 2 ex Yams playing for us now & I don't think anyone cares about their past. However if JK & JC were to have a few shockers I'm sure there would be some people calling them Yam !!! etc. The inference ever since AM was in charge has been that he could never receive fair treatment at ER because of his Hun past. That I believe is a myth & one which the MSM have perpetuated ever since & particularly when we're linked with an ex Oldco player. It denigrates our support & our club.

I think we will just have to accept we disagree, I really never felt A.M. was ever fully accepted at ER. Mind I think the same about Bertie Auld. Both just my opinion.

[Peevemor]

I don't doubt that but that's a different matter. IMO there was never any inherent or automatic bias against him. We have 2 ex Yams playing for us now & I don't think anyone cares about their past. However if JK & JC were to have a few shockers I'm sure there would be some people calling them Yam !!! etc. The inference ever since AM was in charge has been that he could never receive fair treatment at ER because of his Hun past. That I believe is a myth & one which the MSM have perpetuated ever since & particularly when we're linked with an ex Oldco player. It denigrates our support & our club.

:agree: There was a bigger than average crowd for his first match (a goalless draw, maybe against St Mirren?). Hardly a sign of people being put off by his hun connection.

[Forza Fred]

Decent read but perpetuates the myth that some Hibs fans were against him because of his Oldco background. The main problem with AM was his over emphasis on stopping the other team, as Budgie expresses eloquently in his book. I once discussed with him his habit of having 10 men in the box at corners, my biggest bugbear at the time. He went into great detail as to why it was necessary but couldn't answer why no other club in the top English or Scottish league at the time employed this practice. He did win a trophy & we had some great football at times but we also had Brian Hamilton!

This is spot on.

He wasn't the first to join the club from Rangers, but WAS defensively minded.

As the saying goes...."a ship in the harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are designed to do"

Having said all that, and much as I was not ecstatic with performances during his time in charge, I do not for one minute doubt his sincerity, and the commitment he gave.....it was/is nothing personal....I just did not like the way my fitba team played under him.

[Peevemor]

I think we will just have to accept we disagree, I really never felt A.M. was ever fully accepted at ER. Mind I think the same about Bertie Auld. Both just my opinion.

I'd agree with that, but I don't think it was to do with the Rangers thing.

Apart from the well documented goings-on behind the scenes (which obviously affected the football we were watching), Miller never went out of his way to endear himself to the support. He never went in for the cheap soundbites that managers and players alike are prone to out with.

I remember being particularly disappointed when, watching my recording of the league cup win and his trackside interview afterward, he spoke more about himself than the team, supporters, etc. "I'm a winner" being his first words.

I still quite like him though.

[superfurryhibby]

I don't doubt that but that's a different matter. IMO there was never any inherent or automatic bias against him. We have 2 ex Yams playing for us now & I don't think anyone cares about their past. However if JK & JC were to have a few shockers I'm sure there would be some people calling them Yam !!! etc. The inference ever since AM was in charge has been that he could never receive fair treatment at ER because of his Hun past. That I believe is a myth & one which the MSM have perpetuated ever since & particularly when we're linked with an ex Oldco player. It denigrates our support & our club.


At the risk of repeating myself, which I'm prone to doing.

It was nearly thirty years ago that Miller was appointed. Football was very different then, not comparable to having ex jambo's in your team now.

If he had produced consistently decent performances and beaten the Hearts on a regular - occasional basis then it would have reduced the negative Hun associations. As it was he got it tight, often. His dull demeanour and too cautious football didnae help

Can't really say I'm aware of any real strength of feeling about the myth of current lack of acceptance of ex-Hun, from Hibs fans, but there again I've never read a tabloid newspaper for the best part of my adult life. It's not a world I claim any great knowledge of and that's no bad thing.

[SkintHibby]

A fair percentage of Hibs fans never took to AM because of his hun past. Something I remember quite well.

[Nutmegged]

I think his defensive tactics had far more to do with his reaction than his past with Deidco, no doubt many weren't an armoured by his association with the manky mob but if he utilised his well put together squad to its full potential by playing a brand of football that would've complimented them then he'd be universally loved then and still now.

[JimBHibees]

A fair percentage of Hibs fans never took to AM because of his hun past. Something I remember quite well.

Not so sure I think he was given a decent chance by Hibs fans jeezo he was manager of the club for many years so to use that as a reason he maybe didnt do as well as he thought he would is IMO wrong. An appalling derby record didnt help for sure as did in many games a very negative approach, did we not go weeks without scoring an away goal. General opinion was that he was an honest hard working guy who did a half decent job at Hibs and IMO he is spot on that we wouldnt have been relegated if he was still in charge however sometimes a relationship has run its course and it is best for both parties to go in different ways. The Skol cup win is a great memory.

[Iceman1875]

I'm in my early 30's and can't really remember much about AM. Did his sons make any kind of impact at ER?


At Easter Road we play...

[Peevemor]

I'm in my early 30's and can't really remember much about AM. Did his sons make any kind of impact at ER?


At Easter Road we play...

No.

http://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player.php?playerid=6359
http://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player.php?playerid=6349

[Lucius Apuleius]

No.

http://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player.php?playerid=6359
http://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player.php?playerid=6349

:agree::greengrin:greengrin

Succinctly put.

[Deansy]

'“I had guys on £350 a week when Hearts were paying [Pasquale] Bruno £4000"

The 'Charity Thieves FC' latest trend these days, is swamping Hibs-threads but not in this one - I wonder why ....................


Btw - wasn't part of the reason for Miller's lack of popularity that he (allegedly) stated that it wasn't all that important to win derby-matches - or words to that effect ?

[brog]

I'm in my early 30's and can't really remember much about AM. Did his sons make any kind of impact at ER?


At Easter Road we play...


IIRC Greg scored in the cup vs Dons at ER. That was it! I doubt very much they would have been at ER so long without a fair degree of nepotism!

[Forza Fred]

My brother actually organised some kind of walkout at half time to show the fans displeasure with Miller in charge.

Not sure how effective it was but it certainly peed then chairman Dougie Cromb off.

[Flanny boy]

My brother actually organised some kind of walkout at half time to show the fans displeasure with Miller in charge.

Not sure how effective it was but it certainly peed then chairman Dougie Cromb off.
A game against dunfermline iirc

[O'Rourke3]

Decent read but perpetuates the myth that some Hibs fans were against him because of his Oldco background. The main problem with AM was his over emphasis on stopping the other team, as Budgie expresses eloquently in his book. I once discussed with him his habit of having 10 men in the box at corners, my biggest bugbear at the time. He went into great detail as to why it was necessary but couldn't answer why no other club in the top English or Scottish league at the time employed this practice. He did win a trophy & we had some great football at times but we also had Brian Hamilton!

As someone who stood on the terraces and heard the comments I disagree that it's a myth. I'm one of the supporters who could not give a monkeys about the background of any employee so long as they are improving my team.

There was no internet and as far as I am aware no mass meetings to discuss the topic of the manager other than in small groups before and after games in pubs all over the place. The fanzines were a pretty new phenomena at the time - far more entertaining then the match day programme - but devoid of vox pop polls. So it's all just opinion. :greengrin.

[mjhibby]

Archie mcpherson was on sportsound again saying hibs fans didnt like miller because he was a bluenose. In my time watching his teams i cant ever remember it being the case.As i said before he was a very engaging character if you met him with a great sense of humour. The fact that he became asst at liverpool showed he was a very good coach but for whatever reason he didnt take hibs forward. Yes his teams could be defensive but he signed some of everybodys favourite players. Kieth wright,darren jackson,crunchie and my fav michael oneil.Also he bought jim leighton who for 18 months was the best hibs keeper i saw.Some very happy memories with him and some not so happy ones.Just like a lot of other managers.Im sure most fans would love to see the players of the class of crunchie etc now.

[brog]

If Hibs were beating Yams on a regular basis, were competing strongly for honours & were playing attractive football no one would care if the manager came from Mars! In my hundreds of conversations with Hibs fans during AM's tenure I never once heard one say he wasn't going to ER or wouldn't back the manager because he was an ex Hun. I heard plenty complain about his ultra caution, his over defensiveness, his apparent dourness & his shocking record vs Yams. If Alex McLeish returned to ER at some stage does anyone think he would be rejected by the fans because of his Oldco association?

[Brizo]

Millers inability or unwillingness to engage with us was the main reason he failed to win the fans over, not any Sevco background. A previous poster has commented on his post Skol Cup comments and his extremely dour personality did him little or no favours. I remember a Hibs kid open day back in the 80s where Miller was standing at the players tunnel and my mate asked if he could sign an autograph for his wee laddie. Miller said that he was too busy and headed back up the tunnel. No doubt others have good memories of personal encounters with Miller but that's mine of Miller.

[lucky]

The Hibs support was more sectarian in the 1980s and from my recollection it's was Milkers dour football & personality that made him an easy target for the fans. But he did regularly get abused because he was a "Rangers man".

[Kato]

The Hibs support was more sectarian in the 1980s and from my recollection it's was Milkers dour football & personality that made him an easy target for the fans. But he did regularly get abused because he was a "Rangers man".

Sometimes I think the "Rangers Man" thing was chucked at him when his teams constantly produced dour, cautious football.

I remember when AM was appointed manager of St Mirren and he confronted the saints fans after the game as they has spent the entire time going through the loyalist song book. He walked across the pitch for a word with them and explained to the press later that he didn't want "that nonsense" at any club he managed. Certainly not a "hun" in my book, being an ex-Rangers player doesn't mean you are bigot and I always thought that was a brave move by Miller.

Another thing that endeared him to the Hibs support very early in his tenure was his touchline pagger with Martin Ferguson. The ban was worth it as he proved he did have some passion.

I think John Burridge summed him up in his book as over-cautious and over-concerned with warning his side about the oppositions strengths leading up to games.

[allezsauzee]

I think it's a bit of a myth that Millers team's were always defensive. We had Keith Wright, Darren Jackson, Crunchie McAllister, Michael O'Neill and Pat McGinlay in the team at the same time....with Brian Hamilton as our sitting midfielder. That's not really a defensive line up.

[superfurryhibby]

I think it's a bit of a myth that Millers team's were always defensive. We had Keith Wright, Darren Jackson, Crunchie McAllister, Michael O'Neill and Pat McGinlay in the team at the same time....with Brian Hamilton as our sitting midfielder. That's not really a defensive line up.

I suspect you may have been too young to have watched them,lol.

McAllister struggled for a regular game, Jackson was deployed in midfield ( experimentally, but too often) and generally he didn't always play to that teams strengths.

To be fair, we sometimes had a pretty solid first 11 men, but there was always the perennial, nay eternal issue of name strength. In depth .

Miller also struggled to find a left back. Flecks sake, Graeme Love, Torto etc, etc. Mitchell was decent, put his best position was in central defence.