WE ARE frequently told that the ladies are different from us - apart from the obvious differences in the leisure and recreation department! In particular, we are told that the fairer sex thinks and acts differently when it comes to affairs of the wallet/purse.
In which case, given the way she has started her reign as Queen of Hearts, life in Gorgie with Ann Budge around, just might become very interesting. Clearly Ms Budge has a preference for Craig Levein's way of operating rather than the old-school management style as espoused by Gary Locke and Bill Brown. That is a club owner's prerogative, it will be interesting to see how things develop as big Craig attempts to resurrect a once shining escutcheon, which has been somewhat tarnished by his tenure as Scotland boss, and in particular by having the numbers 4-6-0 scrawled across it.
Good club bosses do not necessarily make good international managers, and vice versa; the history of football is littered with examples of this. Nearer home, I can think of one or two managers who enjoyed success as manager of a part-time club, operating on a shoe-string, then bombed badly when upgrading to a full-time club with money to spend.
Craig might not have taken Scotland to even the boundaries of the Promised Land, but, he still had a good record as a club manager, at least at Hearts and Dundee United. At the latter club, he showed an excellent command of what it takes to run a successful youth development operation. He also had some input to the Hearts operation at Riccarton when he was there before.
Clearly, Ms Budge wants Hearts to be a club which successfully grows its own. She has already shown she intends holding tightly to the purse strings, by showing the club's top earners the door. I would question the axing of goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, who is, for me, one of the best Scottish 'keepers around at the moment. But, should the rumoured return of Craig Gordon to Tynecastle, and should big Craig be even three-quarters as good as he was before his lengthy lay-off with injury, Hearts will be quids-in.
Youth is ok, but, one thing the club will need is an experienced and capable back-stop.
I do not join the clamour for Ryan Stevenson to be retained. When you see the skill Stevie showed in his now legendary You Tube hit of a solo goal for Ayr United, all those years ago, it is clear - like so-many Scots footballers, he has failed to turn early promise into mature competence and consistency. He will not be missed.
I also hope, Ms Budge doesn't go down the road of cheap foreign imports. There is plenty of youthful promise at the club, Robbie Neilson has Levein to lean-on; IF they can get the right experienced Scots in to form a solid spine, and, IF the kids "train-on" in the less-choppy waters of the Championship, then, I would not be surprised to see Hearts' absence from the top-flight being a one season blip.
Finally, I would like to see Ms Budge, as she off-loads the club into the control of the fans, finding a way to keep it safe from the future advances of another Mad Vlad - that will be her hardest job, but, if she gets it right, what a legacy whe will leave Edinburgh.
THEN we come to the other big talking point from today, the parting of the ways between St Mirren and Danny Lennon. Having done my time in the old Love Street press box, where I became a life-long fan of "Basher" Lavety - what a front-row forward that boy would have made in rugby - I have a soft spot for the Buddies.
I also have a great respect for Chairman Stewart Gilmour, aka "The Fat Controller" and his board. Their quiet, under-stated stewardship of the club has kept afloat a Paisley institution which might well have failed lang syne.
Yes, Danny Lennon has done well to keep Saints in the top-flight, but, clearly the board hasn't been totally-impressed by his management, the League Cup success not withstanding.
I feel, Danny had taken Saints as far as he could; it is time for a new broom, to hopefully get the Buddies into the top six and playing the sort of vibrant football the Buddies would love to see on a weekly basis.
Saints have always thrived best when the team is packed with Buddies who have come through the ranks, a manager who can get them back to this, will thrive at the club.
I SEE, Roy Hodgson has named his World Cup Squad. I am not impressed. Sadly, we Scotsmay, this time, be denied our World Cup fun - laughing at the presumption of the English media, as they cheer-lead and boost a squad of over-paid, over-rated "Superstars", who will flop out at the quarter-final stage.
This time around, I don't see them getting even that far. At least, the more-sensible of the English football writers are already defusing aspirations. But, as we know, with England, it all ends in tears, regardless.
However, well done Fraser Forster, for getting into the squad - he deserves his place.
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