SPL Sackability

Last season in the SPL, no fewer than half the clubs changed manager during the season - with only Dundee United's Craig Levein leaving to go on to better things...though these days the Scotland job probably has him working with inferior players than he had at Tannadice.

In contrast to Levein, P45s were handed out to, in order, Motherwell's Jim Gannon (sacked in December), Kilmarnock's Jim Jefferies (left by that strange thing called "mutual consent" in January - mutual consent sounds like the defence argument in a rape trial), Hearts' Csaba Laszlo (sacked in January), Falkirk's Eddie May (resigned in February) and Celtic's Tony Mowbray (sacked - far too late - in March). So, as the new campaign approaches, lets have a look at the job security for the current crop of coaches. After all, all coaches are sackable, but some are more sackable than others.

Do I get a gold star for a not-very-subtle Animal Farm reference there? Anyway, moving on...

HANGING BY A SHOOGLY PEG

Mark McGhee (Aberdeen) - turns out Jimmy Calderwood was pretty good after all, eh, Dons fans? McGhee has had precious little funding - the fact that Gary McDonald has left Pittodrie for a better deal at Hamilton tells a tale about the club's finances - but McGhee couldn't get the best out of his players last season and is unlikely to fare better with a weaker crop this time around. The fans will bay for his blood very early if the opening games don't go well.

ON THE HOTSEAT

Neil Lennon (Celtic) - a lot of goodwill from the support will have evaporated after an early Champions' League exit. Celtic need to get to New Year within touching distance of their Old Firm rivals or he may last no longer than Mowbray; I have my suspicions that some dropped points away from home in the first few months could turn him into a green-and-white Paul Le Guen.

Danny Lennon (St. Mirren) - if there was justice, the former Cowdenbeath man would get at least a couple of years to sort out his new side. In reality, the honeymoon period will be short if the Buddies emulate Falkirk's start from last season - and then the board will be under pressure to find someone with more experience.

John Hughes (Hibernian) - the Hibees had a shocker of a climax to last season, and there are elements amongst the fans (and, possibly, the dressing room) that are turning against him. Top six is an absolute minimum, so if Hibs find themselves 9th or 10th by October there could be trouble.

Jim Jefferies (Hearts) - are Hearts coaches ever comfortable these days? All we need is a strange whim from Romanov and JJ will be gone. Since he didn't seem to improve the results after replacing Laszlo, I can see him being chucked if they aren't in a top six position by xmas.

RATHER MORE COMFORTABLE

Walter Smith (Rangers) - since Wattie is already down to go in summer 2011, it would probably take something quite dramatic to see him booted out and Ally McCoist installed during the current season, especially since more time for Coisty under Smith's tutelage can only be beneficial.

Mixu Paatelainen (Kilmarnock) - Killie do not have a penchant for sacking managers, nor do they have the money to pay them off, so despite a huge risk of relegation I expect big Mixu to get more leeway than Danny Lennon in Paisley.

Craig Brown (Motherwell) - appears to have Well punching above their weight, so even a lower mid-table spot should not have him under any pressure. The younger players should prosper under his command.

SITTING PRETTY

Peter Houston (Dundee United) - stabilized the ship after Levein's exit and the Tangerines' cup final win has made him very popular with the orange half of Tayside. I know Ivan Golac was sacked the year after winning the cup with United, but unless history repeats itself (i.e. relegation) Houston will be fine.

Billy Reid (Hamilton) - I loath Reid and his dull, time-wasting Hamilton side, but you can't argue with his results - or the profits from transfer fees. Their chairman has said he would stay coach even if they were relegated and I suspect this would be true.

Terry Butcher (Inverness) - ICT have only sacked one coach in their 16 year history - and there were an awful lot of reasons to sack Craig Brewster. As the newly promoted team, Butcher is entitled to plenty of leeway even if his side struggle.

Derek McInnes (St. Johnstone) - has achieved so much in Perth that he is likely to leave only because he has been offered a more exciting post. Surely the most secure of all the managers in the top division.

I can't help feeling that I will look back on this post next summer and realize (again) that I know absolutely nothing about Scottish football. Still, that's never stopped me writing this drivel in the past...

L.