St Johnstone owner Adam Webb’s immediate priority is finding a manager to replace Craig Levein.
But club legend Chris Millar believes modernising the football structure that supports the next head coach is just as important to ensuring long-term prosperity at McDiarmid Park.
The cup-winning midfielder, who earned a testimonial with Saints, can remember Tommy Wright stressing the need for the Perth club to employ a head of recruitment.
The Northern Irishman didn’t get his way and there’s still a big gap needing filled a decade later.
“The club went a long time without sacking a manager and they’ve gone through three in a short space of time now,” said Millar.
“I think that itself tells a story and shows how important it is to get this one right.
Saints great on what must come first at McDiarmid Park
“Obviously whoever they go for, the first job will be to stabilise it and start winning games again.
“But there’s also got to be a plan for the future – and that doesn’t just involve a manager.
“When you look at the turnover of players in the last few seasons, it’s not healthy and it’s miles away from what it used to be like.
“In the past we had a really strong core of players so the manager was only bringing in three or four every summer.
“Nowadays they’re up to 10 or 11 changes – maybe more – and that never works when you’re doing it year after year.”
‘Tommy wanted to get it sorted’
Millar, who was a coach with Clyde and had a short spell as caretaker boss, added: “A manager’s job is hard enough coaching, dealing with the players, watching the opposition and all that stuff – never mind doing the recruitment themselves as well.
“I know it’s something Tommy Wright wanted to get sorted years ago and I read Craig Levein talking about it recently as well.
“So once they have their manager in place that has to be the next thing for the new owners to address because it’s such a critical part of football.
“A manager is only as good as the players he’s able to sign.
“The job is too big now to just rely on one man pulling signings out of the hat.
“Clubs the same size as St Johnstone – and plenty who have had much less success over the years – have invested in whole departments to get it right.
“There’s so much work that goes into it now with all the data that’s available so they have to get up to speed with all that stuff because it’s pretty clear they’re being left way behind.”
Identity issue at Perth club
The churn of managers and players at McDiarmid in recent seasons has made it increasingly hard to put your finger on what St Johnstone’s identity is.
Establishing a new one is key, according to Millar.
“The big thing we always had was a clear identity and that team spirit,” he said.
“Teams used to hate coming to McDiarmid Park to play us because they knew we’d make it difficult for them.
“The club had a proper identity about it and you can’t help feeling that’s gone a little bit at the moment.
“With Liam Gordon and Stevie May both leaving over the summer, those were the final two players from those days.
“When you are bringing so many players in and out every season, it’s inevitable you’ll lose what you used to have.
“The new manager has to do everything he can to bring that back and shape it his way for the future.”
Jody Morris
Saints are stepping up their hunt for a manager this week, following Levein’s departure last Tuesday, with interviews expected to take place over the next few days.
Millar would like to see his old team-mate, Jody Morris, on the shortlist.
“With the new owners, you can’t really guess which way they’ll go,” he said.
“They might want to bring in someone completely new to Scottish football or stick with someone who knows the league.
“It’s a big decision for them so soon after taking over.
“Personally, I think someone like Jody Morris would be ideal.
“He’s young, ambitious and knows the club so if he was keen to come back to Scotland then he’d be worth looking at.”
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