Andy Halliday believes the managerial musical chairs playing out in the Premiership has allowed Hearts to steal a march on the likes of Motherwell and Aberdeen.
The Tynecastle midfielder insists the statistic that half of all clubs in the league have triggered a change in their dugout over the last 12 months is a sign of disruption that never breeds success. A sign of the calm in Gorgie has been underlined by boss Robbie Neilson being one of the league’s longest-serving gaffers, having been in post for three seasons.
Halliday admits it’s a far cry from the carnage of the recent past. He said: “Stability is massive in football. The gaffer has signed the majority of players in the squad and a big part of the reason they have come here is for the club and the ambitions that the manager has set out. I’m 31 now and I don’t think I’ve had a longer-serving manager, maybe him and Steven Gerrard roughly about the same time.
“It’s brilliant for the club to have that stability and, if you look from the top to the bottom, we’re running very smoothly right now. The recruitment since I’ve been here is a big factor in why we’ve done so well – a lot of the key players are tied down to long contracts.
“Kye Rowles signing a new five-year deal was excellent for us. We’re really strong just now but of course we’ll try and strengthen. The manager has brought that stability and growth to Hearts.”
Halliday is also convinced the hire-and-fire approach at Tynecastle – which saw Ian Cathro, Craig Levein and Daniel Stendel dismissed in the space of four years – prevented the consistency that is key in forming close bonds.
He said: “Hearts have been in that situation over the last few years. Thankfully, it was before my time because it is not nice. I have been at clubs where you have a manager for six months. They come in with 10 new players and try to implement a brand new style of play.
“Six months later they are out the door and that is difficult for players, because ultimately you build relationships in football with staff and players. Thankfully we have not had to deal with that. We are pretty stable on and off the field and long may that continue.
“I never comment on managers getting sacked because it is unprofessional and the wrong thing to do. But there have been occasions when their jobs have been rumoured to be on the line and they have managed to turn results around.
“A perfect example just now is Mikel Arteta who has Arsenal top of the league. But there was a while when results were not the best and the style of play he was trying to implement wasn’t bearing fruit in terms of results.
“Robbie will be quite honest about the criticism he and his players received while they were in the Championship. We always knew it was going to be a building process. Our ambitions were to get to the top flight and kick on again in terms of our recruitment and our style – and we have done that.”
Hearts travel to managerless Motherwell today for a lunchtime clash at Fir Park where they’ll attempt to build on a recent run of only one defeat from their last 13 games.
Halliday is convinced the arrival of his mate Robert Snodgrass has been the catalyst for an upturn in fortunes. The 31-year-old believes sharing a dressing room with Scotland star after a 15-year absence has had a huge impact both on and off the park.
He said: “We were at Livi together. I was still a schoolboy then and he took me under his wing.
“Robert is one of my best friends in football. He’s a great human being, great character and a great footballer.
“He is a big joker – loves a laugh and a joke – but, in terms of professionalism, he’s one of the best I’ve ever played with. The condition he’s in at 35 years proves that.
“I was laughing with some of the young boys who are not training due to niggles. They can’t play three games in a week and there you have Snoddy, at 35, playing every game and training every day.
“It will be a huge bonus for us if he stays on another year and it is great to hear Hearts are actively trying to make that happen. Not only is he a good player but he is brilliant around the changing room.”
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