Excitement was the word of the day for new Hearts boss Neil Critchley as he introduced himself to the club’s supporters on Tuesday.
But based on the general reaction that has since greeted his unveiling at Tynecastle, it’s safe to say the feeling wasn’t mutual.
The Englishman will of course receive a warm welcome this afternoon when he takes his place in the dugout for the visit of St Mirren, but his arrival has done little to boost the enthusiasm in the gloomy Hearts faithful in the build-up.
It’s certainly a bit unfair to the 45-year-old. After all, he has the approval of the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp, having worked under the duo at Liverpool before venturing into his first management venture at Blackpool.
He sealed promotion to the Championship at the first time of asking for the Seasiders, then kept them in the second tier with a little to spare.
Neil Critchley was unveiled as Hearts’ new manager earlier this week
The former Blackpool boss (left) has already been to the training ground with his new squad. Steven Naismith (right) was sacked at Tynecastle after an eight-match losing run
The less said about his ill-fated spell at QPR the better, but a creditable eighth-place finish in League One on his return to the Lancashire club last season was a more than decent return.
So why all the doom and gloom? Perhaps it can simply be put down to Hearts fans looking for a sexier name to get their pulse racing.
Or perhaps their lack of enthusiasm stems from seeing a long line of EFL managers land in Scotland with big ambitions, only to quickly jump back over the border with their tails between their legs.
Just last year, former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace icon Neil Warnock tried to save Aberdeen’s faltering campaign. His eight-game reign generated plenty of headlines.
Neil Warnock won just two of his eight matches in Aberdeen last season
Lee Johnson failed to build on an encouraging start at Hibs before being shown the door
Predictably, they had more to do with his colorful press conference than anything he could cobble together on the field. After scoring just two victories, he hit the road again.
Lee Johnson – another man not shy about expressing himself – was given just over a season to show what he could do at Hibernian, having arrived with a big reputation following spells at Bristol City and Sunderland .
He left with the club at the bottom of the table, with a wage bill as big as his ego, his lasting legacy in Leith.
Paul Heckingbottom suffered the same fate at Easter Road. He couldn’t even celebrate Christmas in green and white before he got his marching orders.
Others who swapped the EFL for SPFL fared slightly better. Graham Alexander far exceeded expectations at Motherwell after earning his stripes at Scunthorpe United and Salford City.
Curiously, it was a dismal defeat to Sligo Rovers in the Europa Conference League qualifiers that sealed his fate, just months after finishing an impressive fifth-place finish in the competition.
Micky Mellon did enough to keep Dundee United in the top flight in his only season at the helm.
He then decided that a quick return to Tranmere Rovers was a more desirable option than staying at Tannadice.
However, it is important to note that Critchley has one significant advantage over those mentioned above. His new club may be winless, but it is a team – on paper at least – packed with talent.
Lawrence Shankland’s form will have a major impact on whether Critchley will succeed at Hearts
In Craig Gordon he has – as was evident again this week during his service in Scotland – an excellent goalkeeper between the sticks, while at the other end Lawrence Shankland remains a major threat despite his frustrating start to the season.
Add in the likes of Frankie Kent and Beni Banimgime and there’s a solid backbone to work with. And if he can get summer arrivals Blair Spittal and Yan Dhanda to emulate the kind of form shown at Motherwell and Ross County respectively, then there are real reasons for positivity going forward.
But the future can wait. The only thing that matters now is getting three points this weekend. If you deliver that, the excitement can still start to build in Gorgie.
St. Johnstone fans had to wait
Fellow Premier League strugglers St Johnstone are also starting a new chapter under the tutelage of a new boss. But unfortunately for Saints fans they will have to wait to see Simo Valakari in the dugout after work permit issues put his long-awaited debut on ice.
Simo Valakari will not be in the dugout for Saturday’s Premier League match against Ross County
Impressed by the football being served up under Craig Levein, Perth followers will hope the Finn can bring some much-needed positivity to the club as they look to prevent another campaign from dropping him from the bottom of the table.
Fellow Scandinavian Jimmy Thelin could soon have a statue erected outside Pittodrie if Aberdeen can maintain their extraordinary start to the season.
Valakari won’t be overseeing such a run anytime soon, but his appointment is certainly already capturing the imagination at McDiarmid Park.
Livingston lurks under the radar
Falkirk and Ayr United have received plenty of praise for their excellent start to the Championship campaign. Both look well placed to be in the mix for automatic promotion, with both showing they can entertain and work it out in equal measure.
Livingston will be hoping to extend their unbeaten championship run at Ayr United this weekend
However, they are not the only ones that catch the eye. Under David Martindale, Livingston are aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League, and as one of only three teams in the country yet to taste defeat in the league, they travel to Somerset Park this afternoon in the hope of extending that record and achieve a major milestone. to their acclaimed rivals.