St Johnstone: Steven MacLean exit - verdict from the fans
- Published
Steven MacLean lasted just 19 games in charge of St Johnstone
St Johnstone are looking for a new manager after Steven MacLean left the Perth club following the 4-0 thrashing at St Mirren.
Saints have yet to win in the Scottish Premiership this season and are five points adrift at the foot of the table.
Former striker MacLean replaced Callum Davidson in April and won three post-split games to preserve the club's top-flight status.
That convinced the board to hand the 41-year-old rookie manager a three-year deal, but after 17 players left in the summer, St Johnstone have made a miserable start to the new campaign.
So who is to blame for the mess - and what comes next? These are the thoughts of the people that always have their finger most closely on the pulse of a club - the fans.
MacLean had to go
Callum Davidson would have kept Saints up too last season. Yes, he may have been working on a tight budget, but his skills and track record deserved more than being replaced by an untested and first-time manager. Mark Kummerer
I was never convinced about MacLean when he got the job on the back of Callum Davidson's sacking. He was a great striker for us, however he should have been dismissed alongside Davidson. The team are nothing short of embarrassing and I have to wonder if anyone sees us as an attractive prospect at the moment. The board must get this right. George Paterson
MacLean had to go - should not have got job, should have gone with Callum. Very sorry for Liam Craig. The board, though, over last few years - despite winning the double - are really culpable for not doing enough. They had a lifetime opportunity after the double, with millions in the bank, to recruit a good striker after years of evidence of a lessening goal tally from 2014. Anonymous
MacLean should have left along with Davidson to enable a fresh start. In his role as 'attacking coach' we have struggled for seasons and nothing has changed. We are woefully lacking and I hope we can get a manager with experience! Maybe we need to drop down to begin rebuilding… Stuart
'Some St Johnstone players should be ashamed'
Not the manager's fault
The board need to look in the mirror at themselves - 'pathetic' doesn't sum them up. Anonymous
It's a disgrace that the manager bears the brunt for the team's ineptitude and the lack of financial support and recruitment previously. He required more experienced advice after being left to pick up the proceeds following Callum Davidson's exit. This club needs serious investment - it has been lulled into a false sense of security... by past luck! Robert Lister
Real shame that it's come to this. While Steve MacLean is the unfortunate one, ultimately the players are letting him down. They aren't performing and need to be held accountable too. Murray B
A shambles for a few seasons. Does look like players are not committed to the club. Club have not funded decent players being signed recently. You can't blame the managers all the time - the club recruited an inexperienced manager then panicked when things got difficult. Anonymous
A club that is on its last legs, both on and off the park. Anonymous
Who should come next?
Get Scott Brown in. We need someone who will motivate, challenge and be controversial. Too many nice guys over last few years who would not upset the status quo. Let's start ruffling a few feathers and get some recognition for playing football instead of just being seen as easy fodder for rest of the league. Can't be a worse approach than the last two seasons. Douglas Smith
We should poach Duncan Ferguson from Inverness, he would be tempted to manage in the SPFL without having to win promotion. John Pagan
Sticking with internal promotions may have worked in the past, but we should bring in Jack Ross now. Mark Kummerer
Bring Tommy Wright back in - he built the team and his successors let it slip. The new signings have been poor - it's a sorry state of affairs. Allan Robertson
Go down to come up?
They have been punching above their weight for years but fair play to them in winning three cups. Maybe a drop down will do them good - although the Championship can be a graveyard for some teams. G Gardner
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