Plymouth Argyle v Liverpool FA Cup 09/02/2025. Fourth Round Jarell Quansah 78 of Liverpool and Curtis Jones 17 of Liverpool arriving ahead of the FA Cup match between Plymouth Argyle and Liverpool at Home Park, Plymouth, England on 9 February 2025. Plymouth Home Park Devon England Editorial use only DataCo restrictions apply See www.football-dataco.com , Copyright: xGrahamxHuntx PSI-21428-0374
Andy Halliday believes Hearts may already have their next manager within easy reach, pointing to Falkirk’s John McGlynn as the standout candidate.
Tynecastle chiefs are hoping to confirm a managerial appointment within days following the departure of Derek McInnes to Rangers.
Tony Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics operation is heavily involved in drawing up the shortlist, with respected Dutch coach Rene Hake among the leading names under consideration.
But Halliday, who spent four years at Hearts under Robbie Neilson and Steven Naismith, believes McGlynn deserves serious consideration given his remarkable track record.
McGlynn has guided Falkirk from League One to a top-six Premiership finish in just three years, a feat Halliday describes as speaking entirely for itself.
The 64-year-old also brings deep familiarity with Tynecastle, having worked his way up from youth coach to caretaker manager and then permanent manager across two previous spells at the club.
Halliday acknowledges that Hearts supporters face a difficult moment, with the club losing both McInnes and captain Lawrence Shankland to Rangers in quick succession.
He said: “I think there’ll be a lot of concern in the Hearts fanbase. They were three minutes from winning a league and within weeks they’ve lost their talisman, their captain, and they’ve lost their manager.”
However, Halliday is confident that Jamestown Analytics is precisely equipped to handle this kind of pressure, pointing to the system’s proven results at Brighton and Union Saint-Gilloise.
He said: “But, for me, that is exactly what their investment in Jamestown Analytics is for. This is where their expertise is. This is where they’re brilliant. Buy low, sell high.”
Halliday drew direct comparisons with the decisions made recently by both Celtic and Rangers to look closer to home for their managerial solutions.
He said: “Celtic have now done it with their manager by getting in Martin O’Neill who was right under their nose. Rangers have done it by getting Derek McInnes, who was right under their nose, in.”
On the specific question of McGlynn, Halliday was emphatic in his praise for the work done at the Falkirk Stadium over recent seasons.
He said: “Would John McGlynn be the answer for Hearts? For me, what he’s done at Falkirk has been incredible.”
Halliday highlighted McGlynn’s ability to develop individual players, noting the successful sales of Calvin Miller, Dylan Tait, and Barney Stewart for a club record fee as evidence of that quality.
He said: “John McGlynn’s done that with Falkirk. He’s got that same style and tries to develop individuals.”
Halliday also admitted that O’Neill’s success in salvaging a league and Scottish Cup double at Celtic had changed his own thinking about experienced older managers.
He said: “I hold my hands up and say I was one of those who thought it was starting to get a bit more of a young man’s game. Could a 74-year-old do it? I found that really difficult to imagine.”
He added that O’Neill had proven him and millions of others wrong, and that Hearts could yet benefit from the same willingness to trust in experience close to home.
About the Author
