Brian McDermott

[Unseen work]

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/brian-mcdermott-quits-hibs-director-33019762

Looks set to leave

[B.H.F.C]

No real surprise. Arrival of McKay was always going to push him out.

I never really felt like he was a Director of Football in the proper sense. Never looked like someone who was really going to get a hold of the club and sort things out.

[Stuart93]

Another cracking appointment

[ElginHibbie]

Official https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/2024/june/13/brian-mcdermott-to-depart-hibs/

[04Sauzee]

I'm not surprised tbh , wish him all the best going forward.

[Pretty Boy]

Farewell Brian, we hardly knew thee.

[GloryGlory]

https://x.com/HibernianFC/status/1801162598823452791

Hardly a surprise.

[GordonHFC]

End of his contract 🫢

[Greensunshine]

Failed to bring in the players we required which was good quality experience in our defence.

The dogs on the street knew how poor we were in defence, it was glaringly obvious.

The January window was his last shot at holding on but we failed yet again to bring the right players in.

Thanks for your efforts Brian, aw the best!

[Greensunshine]

Already a thread on this. 😵 merge!!!!!

[KWJ]

Not a surprise, I'd be interested to hear him talk about his time at Hibs and who it all worked. Particularly on the past couple of months.


I know I'm probably being daft here but the little Malky MacKay quote grates me for some reason. It may still just be a case of getting used to seeing him associated with Hibs and speaking on our behalf.


Thanking McDermott for his work with Hibs, Mackay told the club website: "Brian is someone I’ve known for a long time and is a really good man.

"Brian and I had a good discussion and came to this conclusion."

[Greensunshine]

Not a surprise, I'd be interested to hear him talk about his time at Hibs and who it all worked. Particularly on the past couple of months.


I know I'm probably being daft here but the little Malky MacKay quote grates me for some reason. It may still just be a case of getting used to seeing him associated with Hibs and speaking on our behalf.


Why does it grate? It’s simply business done properly.

Brian is no mug and he would have known he was about to fall on his own sword.

He failed. Look were we finished. He couldn’t expect anything else and btw MM knows the same fate awaits him if we don’t finish top six at the very least next season.

It’s the nature of the game. Let’s get behind MM and forget everything that’s gone on before. It’s time to draw a line.

[MWHIBBIES]

Failed to bring in the players we required which was good quality experience in our defence.

The dogs on the street knew how poor we were in defence, it was glaringly obvious.

The January window was his last shot at holding on but we failed yet again to bring the right players in.

Thanks for your efforts Brian, aw the best!

How much was he actually doing? I seriously doubt he was signing guys like Marcondes, Bevan, Triantis etc.

[The Modfather]

File him alongside Steve Kean in club reviews we soon scrapped. By law of averages alone we should get it correct with Malky Mackay at review number 3.

[Winston Ingram]

Not a surprise, I'd be interested to hear him talk about his time at Hibs and who it all worked. Particularly on the past couple of months.


I know I'm probably being daft here but the little Malky MacKay quote grates me for some reason. It may still just be a case of getting used to seeing him associated with Hibs and speaking on our behalf.

From what I understand he's been nowhere near the place in months

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

Would be genuinely interested in how this experience has been for BM.

The governance around the club signing players/offering extensions has been imo extremely poor over a number of seasons now and we've failed to address glaring squad weaknesses for the best part of 5 years

There has been some successes over the last 12 months though so I'd love to know what contribution he has as DOF...

Communication hasn't been a strong point this year imo so I hope that's something MM is tightening

[Coco Bryce]

From what I understand he's been nowhere near the place in months

Yip around 3 months.

[Mcbizz1998]

I forgot this guy even existed tbh.

[Heisenberg]

Another really poor appointment on the face of it. Hopefully Malky is a better fit for what we need.

[GloryGlory]

There's a real clearing the decks feel to all this, which the club has needed for a while. The BK review is having an effect.

Malky's not letting the grass grow, that's for sure. Now for some players!

[J-C]

Still unsure as to what he actually done or achieved in his 12 months here.

[Saint Hibee]

Still unsure as to what he actually done or achieved in his 12 months here.

I was wondering the same - what exactly were we paying him to do and did he do it?

[BILLYHIBS]

Whoever unearthed Maolida deserves a bonus single-handedly saved us from a relegation dog fight that I for one wouldn’t have fancied our chances in

[Paulie Walnuts]

A one year contract for a DOF? Did we really do that? :confused:

[GordonHFC]

A one year contract for a DOF? Did we really do that? :confused:

Absolutely not 🤣

[500miles]

Did McDermott not take ill early in the season? Think he was key in bringing in Obita and ALF, so we might have been unfortunate that he's had to step back now.

[degenerated]

Still unsure as to what he actually done or achieved in his 12 months here.

Pretty sure that was McDermott, he said he had first scouted him for Arsenal.

[Lago]

Absolutely not 🤣
So what was it?

[Alfred E Newman]

Still unsure as to what he actually done or achieved in his 12 months here.

Cracked some one liners at the AGM.

[matty_f]

This seems like it's been a complete waste of time and money on our part, and another blot on Ben and Ian's report card.

Hired as a "STFU" appointment to quieten the noise around Lee Johnson's performance after two derby defeats in particular, the press at the time cited an extensive recruitment process, with McDermott emerging as the strongest candidate from a large pool of potentials.

The idea that we'd go through that process, having identified the need for a DoF, to bring one in on a one year contract is laughable - if it's true then WTF was the long term thinking in the appointment, and if it's not then why present it like the departure has just come as a contract not getting renewed? It makes no sense.

The actual premise there is absurd. Eliminating a load of candidates who could have been long term hires in the role at the expense of offering up a 12 month contract for a job that probably takes as long to really have a handle on what's needed and in what priority at the football club. I would love to know the thinking behind that decision.

It's not even as if you could write off the decision to go short term as being in part to do with the BK investment, as they've shown from their work at Bournemouth and Lorient that they don't come in and upset the apple cart with their own staff, there's nothing to suggest that McDermott, had he been successful, wouldn't have been given longer to see the job through and it might have been him rather than Malky leading things.

Immediately, from McDermott's interviews you could tell that what he was coming in to do was miles off what a DoF should be doing at a club. He basically said that he'd help out here and there and make a suggestion or two if he could (I think that wasn't far off from his actual words). What we should have been getting was someone coming in to do the work that Malky is doing now, only a year down the line from when it should have started.

Even if we purely look at recruitment, which was his big strength, the January window can't be described as a success as the team continued its downward trend in the table. From those signings, Amos hardly featured, Moriah-Welsh never nailed down a starting position, Bevan came and went, Marcondes was out the team by the final two games, Mayenda never troubled the starting 11 and Maolida was a roaring success.

Of those, only Moriah-Welsh and Amos are under contract for next season (unless I'm missing someone, which I might be.). McDermott was quick to point out that Vente was identified by Ian Gordon, and his role was just in securing the signature.

The squad is in a terrible state, IMHO. The whole appointment was a shambles.

I think he came across as a lovely guy, I know plenty folk who met him while he was here and nobody had a bad word to say about him, so this isn't a personal dig at McDermott, but I cannot see what value he brought to the club and I think it's yet another example of cack-handed recruitment from the club.

[ian cruise]

A one year contract for a DOF? Did we really do that? :confused:

Could have been a rolling contract, would work well for both parties. Celtic used to do that for their manager position (around the time of Lennon).

[B.H.F.C]

This seems like it's been a complete waste of time and money on our part, and another blot on Ben and Ian's report card.

Hired as a "STFU" appointment to quieten the noise around Lee Johnson's performance after two derby defeats in particular, the press at the time cited an extensive recruitment process, with McDermott emerging as the strongest candidate from a large pool of potentials.

The idea that we'd go through that process, having identified the need for a DoF, to bring one in on a one year contract is laughable - if it's true then WTF was the long term thinking in the appointment, and if it's not then why present it like the departure has just come as a contract not getting renewed? It makes no sense.

The actual premise there is absurd. Eliminating a load of candidates who could have been long term hires in the role at the expense of offering up a 12 month contract for a job that probably takes as long to really have a handle on what's needed and in what priority at the football club. I would love to know the thinking behind that decision.

It's not even as if you could write off the decision to go short term as being in part to do with the BK investment, as they've shown from their work at Bournemouth and Lorient that they don't come in and upset the apple cart with their own staff, there's nothing to suggest that McDermott, had he been successful, wouldn't have been given longer to see the job through and it might have been him rather than Malky leading things.

Immediately, from McDermott's interviews you could tell that what he was coming in to do was miles off what a DoF should be doing at a club. He basically said that he'd help out here and there and make a suggestion or two if he could (I think that wasn't far off from his actual words). What we should have been getting was someone coming in to do the work that Malky is doing now, only a year down the line from when it should have started.

Even if we purely look at recruitment, which was his big strength, the January window can't be described as a success as the team continued its downward trend in the table. From those signings, Amos hardly featured, Moriah-Welsh never nailed down a starting position, Bevan came and went, Marcondes was out the team by the final two games, Mayenda never troubled the starting 11 and Maolida was a roaring success.

Of those, only Moriah-Welsh and Amos are under contract for next season (unless I'm missing someone, which I might be.). McDermott was quick to point out that Vente was identified by Ian Gordon, and his role was just in securing the signature.

The squad is in a terrible state, IMHO. The whole appointment was a shambles.

I think he came across as a lovely guy, I know plenty folk who met him while he was here and nobody had a bad word to say about him, so this isn't a personal dig at McDermott, but I cannot see what value he brought to the club and I think it's yet another example of cack-handed recruitment from the club.

The club have actually said that he’s leaving at the end of his contract so don’t think there is any doubt it was only a short term thing. Bonkers and agree you could tell right away that he wasn’t coming in to do what was actually needed.

[Chipper1875]

This seems like it's been a complete waste of time and money on our part, and another blot on Ben and Ian's report card.

Hired as a "STFU" appointment to quieten the noise around Lee Johnson's performance after two derby defeats in particular, the press at the time cited an extensive recruitment process, with McDermott emerging as the strongest candidate from a large pool of potentials.

The idea that we'd go through that process, having identified the need for a DoF, to bring one in on a one year contract is laughable - if it's true then WTF was the long term thinking in the appointment, and if it's not then why present it like the departure has just come as a contract not getting renewed? It makes no sense.

The actual premise there is absurd. Eliminating a load of candidates who could have been long term hires in the role at the expense of offering up a 12 month contract for a job that probably takes as long to really have a handle on what's needed and in what priority at the football club. I would love to know the thinking behind that decision.

It's not even as if you could write off the decision to go short term as being in part to do with the BK investment, as they've shown from their work at Bournemouth and Lorient that they don't come in and upset the apple cart with their own staff, there's nothing to suggest that McDermott, had he been successful, wouldn't have been given longer to see the job through and it might have been him rather than Malky leading things.

Immediately, from McDermott's interviews you could tell that what he was coming in to do was miles off what a DoF should be doing at a club. He basically said that he'd help out here and there and make a suggestion or two if he could (I think that wasn't far off from his actual words). What we should have been getting was someone coming in to do the work that Malky is doing now, only a year down the line from when it should have started.

Even if we purely look at recruitment, which was his big strength, the January window can't be described as a success as the team continued its downward trend in the table. From those signings, Amos hardly featured, Moriah-Welsh never nailed down a starting position, Bevan came and went, Marcondes was out the team by the final two games, Mayenda never troubled the starting 11 and Maolida was a roaring success.

Of those, only Moriah-Welsh and Amos are under contract for next season (unless I'm missing someone, which I might be.). McDermott was quick to point out that Vente was identified by Ian Gordon, and his role was just in securing the signature.

The squad is in a terrible state, IMHO. The whole appointment was a shambles.

I think he came across as a lovely guy, I know plenty folk who met him while he was here and nobody had a bad word to say about him, so this isn't a personal dig at McDermott, but I cannot see what value he brought to the club and I think it's yet another example of cack-handed recruitment from the club.

Great post. And we were told we needed someone with strong knowledge of Scottish fitba. They rejected mixu for lee Johnson’s dads pal.

[Donegal Hibby]

Another appointment that's not worked and yet Kinsell seems to be bullet proof in everything that's going on .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/axed-hibs-chief-opens-up-on-consequences-of-failure-4664482

[matty_f]

The club have actually said that he’s leaving at the end of his contract so don’t think there is any doubt it was only a short term thing. Bonkers and agree you could tell right away that he wasn’t coming in to do what was actually needed.

I know that's what they've said, but being pedantic about it, he started in May and the statement said his contact ends at the end of this month. So it's not 12 months, i think it's more likely that he's been given notice that we're ending his contract rather than it reaching the natural conclusion of a fixed term contract.

Giving a new DoF a one year contract is mental. What did they think he could achieve in that time?

[Rumble de Thump]

I know that's what they've said, but being pedantic about it, he started in May and the statement said his contact ends at the end of this month. So it's not 12 months, i think it's more likely that he's been given notice that we're ending his contract rather than it reaching the natural conclusion of a fixed term contract.

Giving a new DoF a one year contract is mental. What did they think he could achieve in that time?

A year is a huge amount of time to have a positive impact in any job.

[Mikey_1875]

The post from Matty sums it up well. Is it any wonder that there is an instant distrust or some eye rolling at anything the club is saying just now? The only saving grace of this new dawn is that some (hopefully) serious players in the BK group have had an influence on it.

Luckily as fans we are fickle by nature and a good season can quickly win people round. It looks a big job at the moment but there are hopefully some small steps including this one that give cause for optimism.

[Alex Trager]

This seems like it's been a complete waste of time and money on our part, and another blot on Ben and Ian's report card.

Hired as a "STFU" appointment to quieten the noise around Lee Johnson's performance after two derby defeats in particular, the press at the time cited an extensive recruitment process, with McDermott emerging as the strongest candidate from a large pool of potentials.

The idea that we'd go through that process, having identified the need for a DoF, to bring one in on a one year contract is laughable - if it's true then WTF was the long term thinking in the appointment, and if it's not then why present it like the departure has just come as a contract not getting renewed? It makes no sense.

The actual premise there is absurd. Eliminating a load of candidates who could have been long term hires in the role at the expense of offering up a 12 month contract for a job that probably takes as long to really have a handle on what's needed and in what priority at the football club. I would love to know the thinking behind that decision.

It's not even as if you could write off the decision to go short term as being in part to do with the BK investment, as they've shown from their work at Bournemouth and Lorient that they don't come in and upset the apple cart with their own staff, there's nothing to suggest that McDermott, had he been successful, wouldn't have been given longer to see the job through and it might have been him rather than Malky leading things.

Immediately, from McDermott's interviews you could tell that what he was coming in to do was miles off what a DoF should be doing at a club. He basically said that he'd help out here and there and make a suggestion or two if he could (I think that wasn't far off from his actual words). What we should have been getting was someone coming in to do the work that Malky is doing now, only a year down the line from when it should have started.

Even if we purely look at recruitment, which was his big strength, the January window can't be described as a success as the team continued its downward trend in the table. From those signings, Amos hardly featured, Moriah-Welsh never nailed down a starting position, Bevan came and went, Marcondes was out the team by the final two games, Mayenda never troubled the starting 11 and Maolida was a roaring success.

Of those, only Moriah-Welsh and Amos are under contract for next season (unless I'm missing someone, which I might be.). McDermott was quick to point out that Vente was identified by Ian Gordon, and his role was just in securing the signature.

The squad is in a terrible state, IMHO. The whole appointment was a shambles.

I think he came across as a lovely guy, I know plenty folk who met him while he was here and nobody had a bad word to say about him, so this isn't a personal dig at McDermott, but I cannot see what value he brought to the club and I think it's yet another example of cack-handed recruitment from the club.

Absolutely spot on. In every aspect.

Another mark against BK and IG as far as I am concerned.

We’ve all been expecting this for a while so not a new negative mark against them in my book, so there’s at least that!

By god this club is in some state. It all stems from inexperience, short term thinking, and a lack of conviction.

Bouncing about from six month plan to the next.

[Alex Trager]

Another appointment that's not worked and yet Kinsell seems to be bullet proof in everything that's going on .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/axed-hibs-chief-opens-up-on-consequences-of-failure-4664482

It’s remarkable how much leeway BK gets on here (not sure about the wider support).

[matty_f]

A year is a huge amount of time to have a positive impact in any job.

Yeah you can make an impact but significant change, as is required at Hibs, is going to take longer to embed. The initial changes can be done quickly but I see progress and results takes longer.

We have plenty people making a case for managers needing a couple of transfer windows etc, scale that up across the whole football department and to do need time

[KWJ]

Agree with Matty's post.

It's a mess - and the fans are treated poorly through it all.

[Northernhibee]

Soon as Kensell said in his update on YouTube about hiring a DoF that they’d be working “hand in hand” with him and reporting to him, he was screwed. Kensell and Gordon have shown they don’t have a scooby about running a footballing department and should have absolutely no input to it other than “here’s your budget and KPI’s”.

We don’t need someone to work “hand in hand” with Teflon Ben, we need someone to work independently of him and have the ability to challenge him as well. Hopefully Malky Mackay will be that character.


It does concern me that the two people I personally hold most responsible for the mess we are in are still at the club in positions of influence.

[Coco Bryce]

Agree with Matty's post.

and the fans are treated poorly through it all.

Hence why so many have turned their backs on the club with the poor ST sales.

[Lago]

Soon as Kensell said in his update on YouTube about hiring a DoF that they’d be working “hand in hand” with him and reporting to him, he was screwed. Kensell and Gordon have shown they don’t have a scooby about running a footballing department and should have absolutely no input to it other than “here’s your budget and KPI’s”.

We don’t need someone to work “hand in hand” with Teflon Ben, we need someone to work independently of him and have the ability to challenge him as well. Hopefully Malky Mackay will be that character.


It does concern me that the two people I personally hold most responsible for the mess we are in are still at the club in positions of influence.
Well one is effectively the owner

[Northernhibee]

Well one is effectively the owner

Which is terrifying.

[Donegal Hibby]

It’s remarkable how much leeway BK gets on here (not sure about the wider support).

A reportedly 360 K a year and we are in this mess which he's been very much part of creating , I think he's been given to much leeway .

Someone mentioned about the talk of Boyle leaving was due to needing to cut wages down .

I know were I'd rather start this process and it isn't Boyle btw ! .

[Alex Trager]

A reportedly 360 K a year and we are in this mess which he's been very much part of creating , I think he's been given to much leeway .

Someone mentioned about the talk of Boyle leaving was due to needing to cut wages down .

I know were I'd rather start this process and it isn't Boyle btw ! .
Spot on

[we are hibs]

Really feel this is leaving us a bit short in terms of off field staff

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[J-C]

Getting McDermott was the correct thing to do as Kensall and Gordon haven't a Scobby about the football side of things, just how much control BM had in the running of the football side I don't know but it's plain to see since the BK group joined and had their review, MM was hired and a complete revamp is taking place.

[Pretty Boy]

In itself this seems a good move. It's a bit of streamlining (apologies for the corporate bull**** lingo) and should give a bit more clarity to the roles Mckay and Marshall are doing.

It's an example of why some fans have little trust and even less patience with those running the club though. They seriously expect us to buy that we appointed a DoF on a one year contract? And if we do buy it they expect us to accept it was a good decision, made with an eye on long term planning and a succession plan. The kind of decision that puts solid foundations in place and gives a sense of continuity and competence.

It's either fundamentally dishonest to say he was only ever going to be here for one year or it is another stunningly bad decision that we are having to work to reverse to get us back on something resembling an even keel. There is almost no way to spin it positively and tbf to the club they havn't even tried to do so in their statement.

[Rumble de Thump]

In itself this seems a good move. It's a bit of streamlining (apologies for the corporate bull**** lingo) and should give a bit more clarity to the roles Mckay and Marshall are doing.

It's an example of why some fans have little trust and even less patience with those running the club though. They seriously expect us to buy that we appointed a DoF on a one year contract? And if we do buy it they expect us to accept it was a good decision, made with an eye on long term planning and a succession plan. The kid of decision that puts solid foundations in place and gives a sense of continuity and competence.

It's either fundamentally dishonest to say he was only ever going to be here for one year or it is another stunningly bad decision that we are having to work to reverse to get us back on something resembling an even keel. There is almost no way to spin it positively and tbf to the club they havn't even tried to do so in their statement.

He's already been replaced. It's only a problem in some people's heads.

[blackpoolhibs]

His appointment is just another case of Ian Gordon not having a scooby about running a football club, learning on the hoof at our club is a disgrace.

I hope the black knight group buy him out as soon as possible, and we get someone at the helm who knows what they are doing.

[matty_f]

He's already been replaced. It's only a problem in some people's heads.

I've no problem with the replacement, the issue was the hire in the first place.

[jeffers]

Not been a lot of clarity regarding Brian McDermott or his role for quite some time and he’s clearly not the sort of guy who feels the need to self promote. I still feel some of the criticism aimed at him is unfair though.

[CL0762]

didn’t McDermott’s appointment come at the end of a process that started just before the WC in Qatar? Albeit delayed due to Ron’s health at the time.

[Lago]

Not been a lot of clarity regarding Brian McDermott or his role for quite some time and he’s clearly not the sort of guy who feels the need to self promote. I still feel some of the criticism aimed at him is unfair though.
Agree re criticism, a bit of an easy target.

[K-Zazu]

Didn’t he get the job because he was pals with Lee Johnson’s dad? Or something?

[TrinityHFC]

Agree re criticism, a bit of an easy target.

Yeah think it was probably an appointment at the time that was made with good intentions. The worst of the thinking behind the football structure and the worst of the recruitment was before he arrived.

He did however play a part in appointing the wrong manager.

Things have changed now. We are part of a wider structure and we need different ways of working.

[ian cruise]

There's a lot of assuming Hibs are absolutely in the wrong here and McDermott is getting screwed. Maybe following the review it was decided he wasn't doing the job he was asked to do/being paid to do?

I have no inside info, this is not an itk post and if someone has been reliably informed he's been shafted, fair enough, how tiger he had the credentials to be a good appointment in the role so no issues with him being brought it, but that doesn't mean he's been performing as expected. I've worked with lots of highly paid consultants and executives who came in with a great CV and talked a good game and lasted 12 months or less because they weren't performing at the required level. Football is a business, same rules apply m

[Ozyhibby]

Really feel this is leaving us a bit short in terms of off field staff

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[emoji23]


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[Musselbound]

I agree with a lot of Matty's criticisms but won't repost again. McDermott's position always seemed very vague and I remember something along the lines of "just helping out" as if it was a voluntary post or something (I'm sure he was well paid!).

I've little idea what he achieved. He may have been responsible for some decent recruitment but overall it has been very questionable for a good while with no improvement last season.

With Mackay and Marshall now in place, I'd be hoping at the very least we don't need to use up yet another salary on a new director of football.

[Musselbound]

Could have been a rolling contract, would work well for both parties. Celtic used to do that for their manager position (around the time of Lennon).

I've often wondered why we don't do that with our own manager position given how many we seem to get through.

[sleeping giant]

I've often wondered why we don't do that with our own manager position given how many we seem to get through.

I'm sure McLeish or Mowbray were on 1 year rolling contracts.

[matty_f]

FWIW, I think this is the right thing to happen. With Malky Mackay and now David Marshall in role under the new structure, this was inevitable, really.

When announcing Malky's appointment, Ben hinted at a recruitment focused role for McDermott, but in Malky's guest interview, his answer was (from memory) a lot more indicative of the eventual outcome - I'm sure he said he needed to make sure we had the right people in the right roles, or words to that effect, and he'd be reviewing Brian's role.

I think my annoyance with it all is that Malky is effectively doing what McDermott should have been doing a year ago.

It feels like we recruited a DoF without really understanding what we should expect to get from that role, and I don't think that helped Brian particularly, either.



Crucially it didn't help Monty, and I'm not sure how much McDermott helped with recruiting SDG - on reflection, the DoF should be ready with a recommendation for a new head coach at any given time and so it's not unreasonable to think we could have had SDG in place quickly after Monty's sacking.

It's done now anyway. Ultimately I think the recent moves from the club ARE good ones, despite some reservations, broadly speaking I think we're seeing the foundation's being laid for better times.


We just need to see if these are more robust than a year ago where we thought Brian McDermott was coming in to sort stuff out. That's where the lack of confidence in the board is an issue.

[GreenPJ]

I've often wondered why we don't do that with our own manager position given how many we seem to get through.

You need both parties to agree to that - if you were a manager, never mind a prospective Hibs manager and looking at the recent churn, you would be mad to readily agree to an annual rolling contract.

As for McDermott I think the big failing here was Hibs positioning of him as opposed to bringing him in in the first place - I don't think he ever wanted/said he was DoF and he clearly wasn't full time. He is a football man with a lot of contacts, he didn't appear from the outside to interfere with the managers/coaches but that in itself was a failing when they were floundering but not to say he didn't add any value. Either way he is gone and there is two people now who hopefully are fully aware of their remit and committed full time to improving things

[ian cruise]

I do wonder if the change between what Lee Johnson wanted/needed McDermott to do and what the ask would be alongside Montgomery was his downfall. Johnson may have been looking for him to be playing the part of scout and start negotiations whereas Montgomery might have wanted a lot more, or a, lot less and that ultimately scuppered things whereas MacKay has seemingly been given a, very clear remit.

[CB Hibs 68]

The minute Mackay walked in the door his days were numbered.He was involved in bringing in Obita and likely Vente who I think /Hope will prove to be good signing.We want miss Brian particularly but he was a big improvement on son of Ron recruiting players.

[Hibees1973]

Yet another prime piece of evidence to prove the complete shambles and instability created by Kensell & Ian Gordon.

Anybody on hibs.net who disputes this has their head in the sand. Maybe they are starting to put a stable structure in place now but I wouldn't bet on it.

[Alex Trager]

FWIW, I think this is the right thing to happen. With Malky Mackay and now David Marshall in role under the new structure, this was inevitable, really.

When announcing Malky's appointment, Ben hinted at a recruitment focused role for McDermott, but in Malky's guest interview, his answer was (from memory) a lot more indicative of the eventual outcome - I'm sure he said he needed to make sure we had the right people in the right roles, or words to that effect, and he'd be reviewing Brian's role.

I think my annoyance with it all is that Malky is effectively doing what McDermott should have been doing a year ago.

It feels like we recruited a DoF without really understanding what we should expect to get from that role, and I don't think that helped Brian particularly, either.



Crucially it didn't help Monty, and I'm not sure how much McDermott helped with recruiting SDG - on reflection, the DoF should be ready with a recommendation for a new head coach at any given time and so it's not unreasonable to think we could have had SDG in place quickly after Monty's sacking.

It's done now anyway. Ultimately I think the recent moves from the club ARE good ones, despite some reservations, broadly speaking I think we're seeing the foundation's being laid for better times.


We just need to see if these are more robust than a year ago where we thought Brian McDermott was coming in to sort stuff out. That's where the lack of confidence in the board is an issue.

I think certainly from what MM is saying, HE has all the ideas about what a DoF is, and what we need.

If it goes wrong then I hope the club realise the position they have recruited is correct, even if the person wasn’t.

That said, who knows what the club want because they are ghosts.

In reality all my dislike/anger/frustration land firmly at the feet of the ghost CEO and Owner.

Both have a significant influence at the club, but are rarely in front of a camera explaining their decisions.

[Rumble de Thump]

I think certainly from what MM is saying, HE has all the ideas about what a DoF is, and what we need.

If it goes wrong then I hope the club realise the position they have recruited is correct, even if the person wasn’t.

That said, who knows what the club want because they are ghosts.

In reality all my dislike/anger/frustration land firmly at the feet of the ghost CEO and Owner.

Both have a significant influence at the club, but are rarely in front of a camera explaining their decisions.

We've heard far more from our CEO/owners than most fans hear from theirs.

[Nemo]

He was only here for the money. Had no idea about the Scottish game, players etc…good riddance.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

As I’ve said before this must be the footballing equivalent of waiting on the monkeys with typewriters to come up with Shakespeare…

[The Baldmans Comb]

A ridiculous appointment on the rebound after the calamitous Scottish Cup defeat to Hearts as the board didn't have the guts to sack the disrespectful slaver.

Rather than source the appointment properly, the managers dads mate gets the job then precedes to employ all his old familiar mates as players and a totally duff manager still desperately learning his trade in the Kangaroo league.

Sadly welcomed as usual by some in a support who just couldnt see this was such a lazy appointment by an executive who got the complete runaround.

Out of work English managers or Irish (in the case of McDermott) rightly see Hibs as a "cash cow" for their old boys network due to their clueless executive and a very placid support many of whom believe absolutely anything as long as its spoonfed in corporate speak BS.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

A ridiculous appointment on the rebound after the calamitous Scottish Cup defeat to Hearts as the board didn't have the guts to sack the disrespectful slaver.

Rather than source the appointment properly, the managers dads mate gets the job then precedes to employ all his old familiar mates as players and a totally duff manager still desperately learning his trade in the Kangaroo league.

Sadly welcomed as usual by some in a support who just couldnt see this was such a lazy appointment by an executive who got the complete runaround.

Out of work English managers or Irish (in the case of McDermott) rightly see Hibs as a "cash cow" for their old boys network due to their clueless executive and a very placid support many of whom believe absolutely anything as long as its spoonfed in corporate speak BS.

out of curiosity for you meet Brian in person or hear him speak?

from what I could see having heard him early on, he did not like the term DoF and I got the impression that maybe that was what he was portrayed as at the club.

I got the impression he is a man of integrity but I have been wondering if there is an element in football that do talk. Good story esp to owners struggling and set behind the ears that do see things as a cash cow - and here I’m also thinking about the creation of bloated squads (in whose interest is that? The agents/managers kickback?

[Steve-O]

McDermott led the recruitment of Montgomery (which I fully acknowledge I thought was a great appointment at the time), he was instrumental in Le Fondre signing, and some others.

I messaged him on LinkedIn about some A-League players and he replied saying he was aware of them etc. He was clearly doing *something* even though it’s all panned out a bit weirdly in the end.

Having been an EPL manager I’d assumed he’d be much closer to Monty in the day to day but from the outside it doesn’t look like that was the case at all, oddly.

[IberianHibernian]

In recent years , rightly or wrongly , we`ve had a reputation for giving managers very little time to prove themselves . Yet we`ve employed Steve Keane , Brian McDermott and now MM in other roles . I don`t follow English football as much as most here seem to do but from what I`ve read , all 3 seem to have good records as managers in England / Wales , records which would have put them out of reach of any non OF teams in Scotland as managers if they`d been interested in being managers / coaches . Non footballing reasons may have played a part in them joining us and not being managers elsewhere but hopefully we have benefitted in some ways .

[One Day]

Remains to be seen if he will be missed, but, I dont think he will

[Hibiza]

Thanks for all your good ... Eh? thanks anyway. All the best.

[jacomo]

Official https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/2024/june/13/brian-mcdermott-to-depart-hibs/


Sacked by his replacement. Oof.

[jacomo]

The minute Mackay walked in the door his days were numbered.He was involved in bringing in Obita and likely Vente who I think /Hope will prove to be good signing.We want miss Brian particularly but he was a big improvement on son of Ron recruiting players.


He was instrumental in signing Vente.

[LustForLeith]

He was instrumental in signing Vente.

Brian mentioned in an event he attended that Vente was targeted by Hibs before Brian came along

[andrew70]

Brian mentioned in an event he attended that Vente was targeted by Hibs before Brian came along

Yes, IG had identified him. BMc was the one who went to meet him and entice him.

[superfurryhibby]

Sacked by his replacement. Oof.

Expiration of contract :confused:....Can they not say when his contract expires.