Heckingbottom

[He's here!]

Sheffield United: How Paul Heckingbottom helped Blades bounce back from relegation - BBC Sport (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65234802)

Hats off to him. I didn't expect him to hit such heights in the light of his largely medicore spell in charge of us.

[Iain G]

Sheffield United: How Paul Heckingbottom helped Blades bounce back from relegation - BBC Sport (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65234802)

Hats off to him. I didn't expect him to hit such heights in the light of his largely medicore spell in charge of us.

Good coach, just didn't get it right at Hibs, but seems a genuine decent guy and good luck to him.

[wookie70]

I liked Heck and think we were far too fast to pull the trigger. The manager post Lennon was always going to need time to sort out the mess that was left. He did well for a bit and I think it would have came good if we had given him more time. Delighted he is doing so well with the Blades and very close to securing promotion and given where his tenure started that is an amazing journey.

[GRA]

Fair play to him for turning it around and showing he does have shrewd managerial skills. I always thought he'd underestimated the Scottish league and that showed in some of his signings (e.g. Josh Vela). Who knows how it would have turned out if he had another couple of transfer windows under his belt. But sums up the short term nature of football these days, either side of the border.

[The Spaceman]

A good guy who maybe we got wrong and, likewise, I think he got us and Scottish Football wrong.

Moved on with our best wishes and now has his managerial stock at an all-time high - fair play Heckingbottom and hope he has loads more success.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I liked Heck and think we were far too fast to pull the trigger. The manager post Lennon was always going to need time to sort out the mess that was left. He did well for a bit and I think it would have came good if we had given him more time. Delighted he is doing so well with the Blades and very close to securing promotion and given where his tenure started that is an amazing journey.

I stuck up for him quite a bit when he was here but I think the results just showed no signs of changing.

I didn’t actually think we ever played that badly the season he got sacked. Generally speaking I felt like we were often the better team and then we’d get sucker punched and that would be that.

[Unseen work]

Only ever heard our ex players speak highly of him. Bartley being the main one and then Scott Allan recently saying how he was the only coach that would continuously speak about body shape and how to receive the ball (brought up due to the difference Ange has made st Celtic).

His signings like Newell, Doidge, Jackson, Hallberg etc showed they were good, I’d actually say Vela too but for some reason he just never worked.

But some of the football at the time and decisions to play Allan on the right of the midfield were just baffling. Some of the pre season and league cup games were far from convincing as we struggled to win and that continued into the league.

[BILLYHIBS]

Wish Hecky every success

I hope he regards his time at Hibs as a steep learning curve

As others have said underestimated our League and standard of football

Always a mistake for incomers from down South to treat our League Cup as a series of friendlies one of only two trophies we have a realistic chance of winning

Still have nightmares over the way he set us up against Celtic at home in the Scottish Cup

He did not realise that Hibs and their fans always expect to get a result against the Uglies and Hearts and Aberdeen for that matter especially at home

Great to see him doing well

[Hibernian Verse]

Maybe we should stick with managers for at least a couple of years...

[The Wireless]

I also think his partnership with Ian McCall as his assistant has played an important part in his success as both seem to work well together.

[Scouse Hibee]

Maybe we should stick with managers for at least a couple of years...

As should most clubs, bring in a new manager, ask them to turn a failing team around and then don’t give them the time to complete the project they set out to do.

[Brightside]

The Vela one always comes up when Hecky is mentioned. Lennon tried to get him before then, he was on our list for some time. It just didn't work out with that player. Makes no sense to say that Hecky got it wrong with him. The players really loved Hecky but some of them found his sessions too technical.

[tamig]

Still have nightmares over the way he set us up against Celtic at home in the Scottish Cup


I remember being really annoyed at the game when I saw the way we lined up in that game. His only defence there for me was that I’m sure it was one of his first games in charge. It didn’t actually fill me with any anticipation of exciting times ahead.

[Lago]

Underrated at Hibs.

[JimBHibees]

I also think his partnership with Ian McCall as his assistant has played an important part in his success as both seem to work well together.

Agree Stuart McCall though very experienced. Not sure he had the same here. To me his teams looked a bit one paced and not hugely energetic or fit. Seemed to be hanging on and conceding late goals

[Smartie]

Underrated at Hibs.

The season he finished he did very well.

A slightly ropey summer transfer window, his signings taking bit of time to settle, a below par midfield and stubbornness when it came to sticking with a particular formation that wasn't really working ended up being his undoing.

Fair play to him for what he's achieved since he left and he certainly wasn't someone that I'd say I disliked but in the current climate I don't think he can have many complaints about having been punted. It might have got quite toxic had he hung around, and there was no obvious sign that it was going to get much better long before the January transfer window came round.

We wouldn't be having this conversation if his career post-Hibs was like Alan Stubbs'.

[Billy Whizz]

I also think his partnership with Ian McCall as his assistant has played an important part in his success as both seem to work well together.

Do you mean Stuart McCall😀

[hibee-boys]

Glad to see him succeeding. No hard feelings toward Hecky, likeable guy who you felt was giving his all for the club but it just didn’t work out. Got me thinking whether, other than Colin Calderwood, I bore any grudges towards any of the ex-Hibs managers of my era, late 80’s onwards. Couldn’t think of any🤔

[allezsauzee]

I liked Heck and think we were far too fast to pull the trigger. The manager post Lennon was always going to need time to sort out the mess that was left. He did well for a bit and I think it would have came good if we had given him more time. Delighted he is doing so well with the Blades and very close to securing promotion and given where his tenure started that is an amazing journey.

Agreed, I think the fact that Martin Boyle was out injured during that period of poor results was no coincidence. Our patchy form when he's been injured or in Saudi would lend credence to that in my opinion. What's done is done though and I hope he continues to do well for himself.

[007]

Glad to see him succeeding. No hard feelings toward Hecky, likeable guy who you felt was giving his all for the club but it just didn’t work out. Got me thinking whether, other than Colin Calderwood, I bore any grudges towards any of the ex-Hibs managers of my era, late 80’s onwards. Couldn’t think of any🤔

Butcher?

[Wilson]

He failed up here. You can blame the fans or the lack of time managers are given but he failed. I think he underestimated Scottish football but also found him arrogant with it. Good luck to him but I'm as relieved he's away now as I was then. Didn't get hibs. Probably still doesn't.

[ekhibee]

I'm glad to hear he's doing so well at Sheffield, and I certainly don't wish I'll of him, but he did try some rather strange combinations while he was here, particularly putting Scott Allan on the wing. Also Newell was played on the wing and he was ***** there, but that wasn't Heckinbottom's fault, Newell had played in that position for other clubs.

[MWHIBBIES]

I'm glad to hear he's doing so well at Sheffield, and I certainly don't wish I'll of him, but he did try some rather strange combinations while he was here, particularly putting Scott Allan on the wing. Also Newell was played on the wing and he was ***** there, but that wasn't Heckinbottom's fault, Newell had played in that position for other clubs.

442 worked well for him to start. Then Scott Allan signed. Allan cannot play in a 442. There is no position for him. He tried him out wide for like 60 minutes, don't think it was more than that.

Don't think he underestimated the league. The league is dreadful. I just don't think we had the tools to suit him. And he didn't have the skillset for our players at the time.

[Since452]

No ill feelings towards Hecky at all. Not buying the "he underestimated the league" stuff. Lazy argument. No professional worth their salt would underestimate their league. Some of the abuse he took here was way over the top. A lot went against him but we were often the better team in games. Pittodrie springs to mind when Doidge missed about 4 sittes. Cringe at the way we've treated some of our managers. Including the current one.

[Smartie]

442 worked well for him to start. Then Scott Allan signed. Allan cannot play in a 442. There is no position for him. He tried him out wide for like 60 minutes, don't think it was more than that.

Don't think he underestimated the league. The league is dreadful. I just don't think we had the tools to suit him. And he didn't have the skillset for our players at the time.

The front 3 wasn't right for playing 433 / 451 and the centre of midfield was struggling.

I don't think he was miles away but it was going to require time he was never going to be afforded.

A fit Boyle would have papered over a number of cracks, as he has done throughout his time with us.

[Greenio]

I've never bought this notion of managers 'underestimating Scottish football'. As if Paul Heckingbottom would do his job less than 100% because he didn't think he needed to??? You think he slept in and extra 20 mins? Let the boys go easy in training? Didn't do his homework on the opposition??

It's daft and just some kind of slogan folk pull out to make some unnecessary defense of the quality of the game here.

If someone could let me know how exactly his underestimation of our game was evident..I'd be interested to here it .

[tamig]

442 worked well for him to start. Then Scott Allan signed. Allan cannot play in a 442. There is no position for him. He tried him out wide for like 60 minutes, don't think it was more than that.

Don't think he underestimated the league. The league is dreadful. I just don't think we had the tools to suit him. And he didn't have the skillset for our players at the time.

Scott Allan was played wide right on more than a few occasions. He was also stubborn in his refusal to play Doidge and Kamberi as a front two. First game after his dismissal these two up top together and four goals and a hat-trick for Doidge against St J. He’s moved on and done well but don’t try and make excuses for his stubborness at sticking to the same things that weren’t working.

[Smartie]

I've never bought this notion of managers 'underestimating Scottish football'. As if Paul Heckingbottom would do his job less than 100% because he didn't think he needed to??? You think he slept in and extra 20 mins? Let the boys go easy in training? Didn't do his homework on the opposition??

It's daft and just some kind of slogan folk pull out to make some unnecessary defense of the quality of the game here.

If someone could let me know how exactly his underestimation of our game was evident..I'd be interested to here it .

It's probably down to how they expect signings from England's lower leagues to make an impact but I agree that it's a pretty lazy accusation. I think we sometimes have an inflated opinion of Scottish football's standing and get offended when someone has a different take.

Were Tom James and Josh Vela ever going to be dominant players in Scottish football?

TBF - Jackson, Newell and Doidge were all arguably successful signings in the end, and Hecky himself might have spotted that James and Vela were duds and moved them on at the earliest opportunity.

[MWHIBBIES]

Scott Allan was played wide right on more than a few occasions. He was also stubborn in his refusal to play Doidge and Kamberi as a front two. First game after his dismissal these two up top together and four goals and a hat-trick for Doidge against St J. He’s moved on and done well but don’t try and make excuses for his stubborness at sticking to the same things that weren’t working.

He's done better for himself than we have since he left. Im not sure I'm making excuses. It didn't work. It wasn't entirely his fault. It wasn't entirely the clubs fault.

[hibee-boys]

Butcher?

Jings…..how could I forget him😫🙈…..that’ll be 2 then!

[Lago]

He failed up here. You can blame the fans or the lack of time managers are given but he failed. I think he underestimated Scottish football but also found him arrogant with it. Good luck to him but I'm as relieved he's away now as I was then. Didn't get hibs. Probably still doesn't.
I never get this "underestimate Scottish football" chat, what's so special about Scottish football, it's pretty mediocre and has been for a number of years.

[BILLYHIBS]

I never get this "underestimate Scottish football" chat, what's so special about Scottish football, it's pretty mediocre and has been for a number of years.

The Rangers were in the Europa League Final 12 months ago

Hecky rocked up at Stirling Albion with his English signings who looked as though they were on their holidays and made Stirling look like the Premier outfit and struggled to defeat Morton at Easter Road and got thumped 1-6 at Ibrox

[WestCoastHibby]

He always came across as arrogant to me, you do need confidence and swagger but he just wasn’t a good fit at that time.
I do admit he’s done fantastic recently

[J-C]

I met him a couple of times both by accident, he was out shopping and was a really nice bloke who up for a wee chat about football, right guy at the wrong time maybe.

[The Modfather]

Think he was let down by the recruitment team in the same way Ross was. Needed a midfield signed and was given Vela.

[Brightside]

He always came across as arrogant to me, you do need confidence and swagger but he just wasn’t a good fit at that time.
I do admit he’s done fantastic recently

The opposite of arrogant. If anything quite shy.

[Dashing Bob S]

I never get this "underestimate Scottish football" chat, what's so special about Scottish football, it's pretty mediocre and has been for a number of years.

It's hilarious. Nobody could underestimate Scottish football. It's garbage.

[Donegal Hibby]

As should most clubs, bring in a new manager, ask them to turn a failing team around and then don’t give them the time to complete the project they set out to do.
Most managers coming into a club that's been struggling needs time to complete the project they set out to do . There's loads that's been sacked to quickly at clubs only to go on and do well at other clubs . Most managers should get more backing though sadly very few do nowadays. Delighted for Hecky btw .

[JamesHFC]

If he was given time like Johnson has I think he would have done well. The praise he got from players he coached is a big compliment. Another manager who was dealt a period of time without our key player in Boyle.

[Paulie Walnuts]

If he was given time like Johnson has I think he would have done well. The praise he got from players he coached is a big compliment. Another manager who was dealt a period of time without our key player in Boyle.

Sometimes I wonder if we should have brought Boyle back.

East to say in hindsight but that’s 3 of our last 4 managers who have had lengthy periods without him with Maloney being the other who had him sold and we almost always get drawn into building the whole way we play around him. Under Jack Ross he was our one man team.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Most managers coming into a club that's been struggling needs time to complete the project they set out to do . There's loads that's been sacked to quickly at clubs only to go on and do well at other clubs . Most managers should get more backing though sadly very few do nowadays. Delighted for Hecky btw .

There’s also loads who have been sacked quickly at clubs and continued failing.

It’s impossible to ever say if a manager would have turned it round without being sacked but there’s many more examples of managers getting binned and things getting better than there is managers staying and things improving imo.

[Donegal Hibby]

There’s also loads who have been sacked quickly at clubs and continued failing.

It’s impossible to ever say if a manager would have turned it round without being sacked but there’s many more examples of managers getting binned and things getting better than there is managers staying and things improving imo.
This is true though there are situation's when a manager is sacked and things go from bad to worse also . In our case that's exactly what happened when we got rid of Ross and appointed Maloney. It doesn't always work out for the better changing a manager imo.

[Eyrie]

If he was given time like Johnson has I think he would have done well. The praise he got from players he coached is a big compliment. Another manager who was dealt a period of time without our key player in Boyle.

A good manager should be able to rise above the loss of one player, rather than relying on that player to bail out managerial shortcomings.

[MWHIBBIES]

A good manager should be able to rise above the loss of one player, rather than relying on that player to bail out managerial shortcomings.

Over hundreds of games sure. Over half a season, I'm not sure. There is plenty of examples of some of the greatest managers ever toiling when a key player is missing.

[Eyrie]

Over hundreds of games sure. Over half a season, I'm not sure. There is plenty of examples of some of the greatest managers ever toiling when a key player is missing.

If the team is that reliant on one player then there needs to be an alternative in place to allow for injury or suspension. That could be a player with a similar skillset (albeit to a lesser degree) or more likely a couple of different approaches to provide tactical flexibility with or without that player.

I'd go so far as to say that if a team is too reliant on one player, there is a good case for cashing in on the player to improve the rest of the squad.

[MWHIBBIES]

If the team is that reliant on one player then there needs to be an alternative in place to allow for injury or suspension. That could be a player with a similar skillset (albeit to a lesser degree) or more likely a couple of different approaches to provide tactical flexibility with or without that player.

I'd go so far as to say that if a team is too reliant on one player, there is a good case for cashing in on the player to improve the rest of the squad.

I agree fully.

Horgan certainly covered for Boyle for a while, as did the goals from McNulty. Tbh, I mainly remember heckys side losing too many goals, not really struggling to score.

[Smartie]

If the team is that reliant on one player then there needs to be an alternative in place to allow for injury or suspension. That could be a player with a similar skillset (albeit to a lesser degree) or more likely a couple of different approaches to provide tactical flexibility with or without that player.

I'd go so far as to say that if a team is too reliant on one player, there is a good case for cashing in on the player to improve the rest of the squad.

I agree, but that might take a bit more time to achieve than Hecky got.

He actually did very well to begin with, although he was helped by the sticking plasters that had been applied to the mess that Lennon left.

In reality, if he was going to diminish the "Boyle effect" in a safe manner, he probably needed more than the one transfer window to do it.

[CallumHibs07]

most boring Hibs manager in existence. couldnt care less how he does anywhere else

[Itsnoteasy]

most boring Hibs manager in existence. couldnt care less how he does anywhere else

Not sure he's been the most boring manager. But I'm with you when a manager or player leaves I couldn't care how they get on anywhere else.

[O'Rourke3]

If the team is that reliant on one player then there needs to be an alternative in place to allow for injury or suspension. That could be a player with a similar skillset (albeit to a lesser degree) or more likely a couple of different approaches to provide tactical flexibility with or without that player.

I'd go so far as to say that if a team is too reliant on one player, there is a good case for cashing in on the player to improve the rest of the squad.One player maybe but not two at the wrong time and there but for the grace of God.... John Brownlie's leg break combined with Alex Edwards (basically season ending ban) in the same game, did us. Stein's Celtic team were excellent but we faltered when we were well in with a chance of winning the league.

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

[NAE NOOKIE]

It's hilarious. Nobody could underestimate Scottish football. It's garbage.

Thanks for that Bob, very constructive, remind me to cancel my season ticket.

[Nicho87]

Was never taken with hecky. Had an amazing start and then first game of the next season at home to st mirren was one of the most boring games I can recall, red flag early on, his lack of Scottish football knowledge and thinking donuts from leagues 1&2 could walk into this league were his failings.

[DstN75]

Was never taken with hecky. Had an amazing start and then first game of the next season at home to st mirren was one of the most boring games I can recall, red flag early on, his lack of Scottish football knowledge and thinking donuts from leagues 1&2 could walk into this league were his failings.

Right enough. He obviously assessed Scottish football wrongly and then dug his heels in instead of having the imagination to change his approach.

[Iain G]

most boring Hibs manager in existence. couldnt care less how he does anywhere else

Guess you missed Calderwood, Miller, Williamson and Sack'd Ross then 😁

[Pretty Boy]

Fair play to Heckingbottom, some achievement and he's done exceptionally well at Sheffield United.

Any claim he was close to getting it right at Hibs or that we were on the right track under him is complete revisionism though. We started well under him but when it went wrong then it went wrong quickly. After the split in 18/19 our form was DDLLL. The start of the 19/20 season up to his sacking was: WLDLLLDDDDD. The win came in a dire performance v St Mirren and some of the defeats were awful; 6-1 v Rangers, 3-0 v Motherwell, 2-0 v Killie and the obligatory derby loss. We also threw away a 2 goal lead v Ross County. As a counterbalance a draw with Celtic and Aberdeen was decent.

For whatever reason it wasn't working for him here and it was never going to work.

[Brightside]

For comparison. Heck win % at Hibs was 44. LJ is 40.

For me given time he’d have improved the squad and developed a decent team to watch. Senior players have said some of the squad struggled with the complexity of training etc. Thats always going to affect the whole squad. But I’d have liked to have seen the outcome of another season with him with the appropriate player changes in place.

[BegbieHSC]

Just goes to show - at some clubs it just doesn’t work out - play it smart after a sacking, and you can get your career back on track.

Hecky had the wrong mindset about Scottish football when he arrived, and was allowed to describe the standard as League 1, and therefore given the green light to get English League 1/2 standard players (see Vela, James etc.)

In truth, if we had nibbed that attitude in the bud, it might have worked out better.

He gave us our first derby win at Tynie in years (something neither Lennon or Stubbs managed), so he has my best wishes, and I hope he keeps them up next season.

[Brightside]

The standard is pretty much league 1. And we are currently trying to buy more league 2 players.

[Hibernian Verse]

The standard is pretty much league 1. And we are currently trying to buy more league 2 players.

Josh Doig & Lewis Ferguson must be struggling in Serie A because they came from a much worse league.

[BILLYHIBS]

Well done Hecky

How much is that worth to The Blades ?

70m+?

Paul you’re immortal!

[eastmainsmsh]

Well done Hecky

How much is that worth to The Blades ?

70m+?

Paul you’re immortal!


Maybe Wrong time after Stubbs and Lennon
Done Great with United
Well done Hecky

[Tarrahib]

Well done Hecky

How much is that worth to The Blades ?

70m+?

Paul you’re immortal!
Yes.well done Hecky.

[heretoday]

Always liked Heck. He had an impish expression.

[Dunbar Hibee]

The football was terrible as were some of the signings. Let’s not rewrite history

[Iain G]

Always liked Heck. He had an impish expression.

He looks a little like a thunderbird puppet which amused me.

[Brightside]

Josh Doig & Lewis Ferguson must be struggling in Serie A because they came from a much worse league.

Its a pretty daft comparison but never mind. Pick 20 random games outside the old firm this season. The majority of them will be awful rated on the technical ability on show.

[Hibernian Verse]

Its a pretty daft comparison but never mind. Pick 20 random games outside the old firm this season. The majority of them will be awful rated on the technical ability on show.

It's not daft, I'm just showing you that it doesn't really matter where a player comes from as long as they perform for Hibs. Ultimately some will work and some won't.

Sproule was one of our biggest successes, Tom Taiwo one of our worst. There are many more examples.

[Brightside]

It's not daft, I'm just showing you that it doesn't really matter where a player comes from as long as they perform for Hibs. Ultimately some will work and some won't.

Sproule was one of our biggest successes, Tom Taiwo one of our worst. There are many more examples.

Yeh but that's nothing to do with the idea that the league is better than League 1 in England. In my view its not. there will always be some diamonds in the rough but the Scottish prem in general is pretty poor. We are just used to watching it.
BTW Tom Taiwo was decent in many games for us.

[Jones28]

For comparison. Heck win % at Hibs was 44. LJ is 40.

For me given time he’d have improved the squad and developed a decent team to watch. Senior players have said some of the squad struggled with the complexity of training etc. Thats always going to affect the whole squad. But I’d have liked to have seen the outcome of another season with him with the appropriate player changes in place.

Nothing about heckingbottom indicated his Hibs side were going to be a decent watch.

[Billy Whizz]

Nothing about heckingbottom indicated his Hibs side were going to be a decent watch.

The Scottish cup defeat to Celtic was horrendous. He set the team up to lose

[Heisenberg]

I enjoyed it when he said he’d like to punch the 4th officials teeth in for swearing at him.

[Hibernian Verse]

Yeh but that's nothing to do with the idea that the league is better than League 1 in England. In my view its not. there will always be some diamonds in the rough but the Scottish prem in general is pretty poor. We are just used to watching it.
BTW Tom Taiwo was decent in many games for us.

Got the wrong end of the stick with your post, apologies.

[Bushwoof]

I guess we'll never know how it might have turned out if we'd kept Hecky. He's obviously a pretty decent manager given his achievements this year. But he did get a lot wrong at Hibs, not least Josh Vela, who I think takes the lions share of the blame for his failure here. Were were always playing with a man short.
It's kind of exasperating to think that we sacked the guy who might have taken us to challenging at the top end of the table. Never mind!

[jacomo]

I guess we'll never know how it might have turned out if we'd kept Hecky. He's obviously a pretty decent manager given his achievements this year. But he did get a lot wrong at Hibs, not least Josh Vela, who I think takes the lions share of the blame for his failure here. Were were always playing with a man short.
It's kind of exasperating to think that we sacked the guy who might have taken us to challenging at the top end of the table. Never mind!


I think Hecky underestimated us and underestimated Scottish football. I think his experience with us is probably helping him in his current role, but I’m far from convinced it would have come good had we stuck with him.

[Brightside]

Got the wrong end of the stick with your post, apologies.

I was just thinking that.... I think we may be on the same page. :greengrin:aok:

[Alfiembra]

No mention of his time at Hibs but interesting comment from him that he has learned to trust his gut feelings and make changes quicker if things aren’t going to plan. Wish he’d learned that a bit quicker.

Sheffield United: How Paul Heckingbottom helped Blades bounce back to Premier League
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65234802

[Brightside]

Nothing about heckingbottom indicated his Hibs side were going to be a decent watch.

I thought we were pretty good when Horgan scored 2 at Tynie? That was pretty enjoyable stuff to my eye.

[Smartie]

I thought we were pretty good when Horgan scored 2 at Tynie? That was pretty enjoyable stuff to my eye.

The Lennon team plus Omeonga and McNulty who we finished his first season with played good stuff.

It wasn't great after the summer. He definitely didn't get the blend right for his 451 and it was a pretty tough watch imo, even allowing for games like the one at Pittodrie where Doidge missed a barrowload of chances.

Who knows how he might have got on, given time. He simply hadn't shown enough to be given that time though and there were some pretty alarming signs - such as being pretty much level with the Hearts team who were later expunged from the league when he left.

[Since452]

The Lennon team plus Omeonga and McNulty who we finished his first season with played good stuff.

It wasn't great after the summer. He definitely didn't get the blend right for his 451 and it was a pretty tough watch imo, even allowing for games like the one at Pittodrie where Doidge missed a barrowload of chances.

Who knows how he might have got on, given time. He simply hadn't shown enough to be given that time though and there were some pretty alarming signs - such as being pretty much level with the Hearts team who were later expunged from the league when he left.

The Lennon team that Lennon couldn't get a tune out of.

[Smartie]

The Lennon team that Lennon couldn't get a tune out of.

Hecky definitely deserves credit for his work with us that season (although I reckon Lennon could have done with having Omeonga and McNulty).

It's a real shame the summer didn't go the way we wanted and that he / we couldn't follow it up.

[Donegal Hibby]

Always liked Heck. He had an impish expression.
Liked Hecky as well . Thought he was another manager that was appointed at a bad time again . Lennon who was the previous manager had done well though the last 3 months were really bad and we were in freefall .

Some of the players recruited weren't great and some took time to settle in which Paul heckingbottom didn't get at us. Glad the guys doing well and has proved he's a good manager.
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/how-paul-heckingbottoms-summer-signings-are-leading-hibs-revival-1853088

[Bushwoof]

Looking at that list of players, with the exception of Vela (and who was Maxwell?) they weren't all that bad. Most are still doing a job at a decent level including the SPFL, and some (Joe Newell) are 1st team regulars. I suppose you could say that Hecky only has himself to blame for that squad being 10th in the league when he was emptied.

[BILLYHIBS]

Looking at that list of players, with the exception of Vela (and who was Maxwell?) they weren't all that bad. Most are still doing a job at a decent level including the SPFL, and some (Joe Newell) are 1st team regulars. I suppose you could say that Hecky only has himself to blame for that squad being 10th in the league when he was emptied.

Maxwell was the 6’ 1’’ goalie that looked about 5’ 10”

[Hibernian Verse]

Maxwell was the 6’ 1’’ goalie that looked about 5’ 10”

You've got a keen eye if you can spot 3 inches from the stand :greengrin

[WhileTheChief..]

He never cared a jot about Hibs.

If he’d been as enthusiastic about us as he is down there, he might have been decent.

But he wasn’t. From his interview on day 1 when he got the job, he looked like he couldn’t care less.

Don’t really care how well or not he does nowadays, he was a crap manager for us.

[Dunbar Hibee]

Looking at that list of players, with the exception of Vela (and who was Maxwell?) they weren't all that bad. Most are still doing a job at a decent level including the SPFL, and some (Joe Newell) are 1st team regulars. I suppose you could say that Hecky only has himself to blame for that squad being 10th in the league when he was emptied.

Tom James…

[Brightside]

He never cared a jot about Hibs.

If he’d been as enthusiastic about us as he is down there, he might have been decent.

But he wasn’t. From his interview on day 1 when he got the job, he looked like he couldn’t care less.

Don’t really care how well or not he does nowadays, he was a crap manager for us.

What a daft thing to say. "He never cared a jot about Hibs". And you are basing all that on what you perceive as a lack of enthusiasm when he was on screen?
There are plenty managers over the years that I haven't liked - and I'm not the biggest fan of LJ either. But I'd struggle to name one who Didn't care about Hibs when they were in post. Of course they care or they wouldn't be doing the job!

[Smartie]

He never cared a jot about Hibs.

If he’d been as enthusiastic about us as he is down there, he might have been decent.

But he wasn’t. From his interview on day 1 when he got the job, he looked like he couldn’t care less.

Don’t really care how well or not he does nowadays, he was a crap manager for us.

Can’t say I ever got that impression, unlike with Sweeties Calderwood.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Not sure he's been the most boring manager. But I'm with you when a manager or player leaves I couldn't care how they get on anywhere else.

Pretty much agree re managers, not so much players, particularly when sell on clauses are involved.

[Hibernia&Alba]

I'm pleased for Hecky and Sheffield United. He always came across as a good guy and things have clicked for him in Sheffield. The English Championship is a stronger and tougher league than ours, and he's proved he has ability. From a personal point of view, a great friend of mine from my undergraduate youth was a massive Blades fan, and he will be very happy just now. I always like to see them going well.

[B.H.F.C]

I thought we were pretty good when Horgan scored 2 at Tynie? That was pretty enjoyable stuff to my eye.

Was a great day. The fact he only won 1 of his next 16 in the league after it, before being sacked, wasn’t so great though.

[BILLYHIBS]

You've got a keen eye if you can spot 3 inches from the stand :greengrin

Always looked as though he was standing in a hole

I remembered his height being mentioned in a thread on here

Started off ok but started to make one too many mistakes

[WhileTheChief..]

What a daft thing to say. "He never cared a jot about Hibs". And you are basing all that on what you perceive as a lack of enthusiasm when he was on screen?
There are plenty managers over the years that I haven't liked - and I'm not the biggest fan of LJ either. But I'd struggle to name one who Didn't care about Hibs when they were in post. Of course they care or they wouldn't be doing the job!

Calderwood is another example, you forget about him?!!

[Iain G]

You've got a keen eye if you can spot 3 inches from the stand :greengrin

That's what she said!

[Iain G]

Calderwood is another example, you forget about him?!!

And Lennon was only here until his beloved Celtic came calling...

[Hibbyradge]

And Lennon was only here until his beloved Celtic came calling...

I don't believe that.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Hopefully for him, he will be able to keep them afloat in the top tier.

[Forza Fred]

Players and managers can have chemistry with one club but not another

Scott Allan at Hibs would be an example.

There wasn’t the same chemistry between Hibs and Hecky.

Hope he does well but the Blades wouldn’t be the first club to sack a coach who led the team to promotion in a desperate hope that changing the coach could change their fortunes if relegation beckons

[Iain G]

I don't believe that.

😁