FALKIRK legend Kevin McAllister today admitted the lure of managing Hibs would be too great for Bairns boss John Hughes to resist.
But he warned Easter Road chairman Rod Petrie to move quickly for the former Hibees captain because he'll have a growing band of admirers following Falkirk's sparkling performance in the final of the Homecoming Scottish Cup.
Although Hughes' side
was ultimately beaten by a stunning goal from Rangers striker Nacho Novo, Falkirk emerged from the Hampden showdown with all the plaudits having outplayed the SPL champions for much of the 90 minutes. While Hughes afterwards refused to be drawn on speculation linking him with the post vacated by Mixu Paatelainen less than 24 hours earlier, the lifelong Hibs fan said it was flattering to hear his name being mentioned, among others, as a possible successor to the big Finn.
However, as the Evening News revealed over the weekend, Hughes has emerged as the front-runner to become Hibs' fourth manager in barely three years and, McAllister, pictured right, says the time is right for him to return to Easter Road. Although Hughes has a strong affinity to Falkirk, McAllister, voted the Bairns player of the Millennium by fans, says his former team-mate's love affair with Hibs is like his own with his hometown club.
He said: "Of course Yogi has a strong pull towards Falkirk, he was a player in two spells there and he's now been manager for the past six years and when you have been at a club that long you become part of it.
"But he's Leith born and bred, a lifelong Hibs supporter, a former player and captain so I think he'd take it if offered. It would be too good an opportunity for him to miss, if he doesn't get the chance now then it might never come his way."
While Hughes insisted in the aftermath of the Cup final his focus was on Falkirk, revealing he'd be sitting down with his directors this week to discuss how they can take the club forward, McAllister firmly believes his old pal has been left bitterly disappointed by the flak he took from some Bairns fans during the season.
An open letter calling for Hughes to be sacked was penned by members of the Bairns Trust who hold a seat on the board. Although Hughes insisted the matter had been dealt with by the Falkirk's board, McAllister said: "You had a few people stirring it up. Through out it all Yogi kept his dignity and kept his players together but I think that's maybe really hurt him."
Falkirk, of course, flirted dangerously with relegation, escaping the drop only on the final day of the season with a victory away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who took the fall instead, but McAllister claimed reaching the Scottish Cup final and the semi-final of the Co-Operative League Cup made it "not a bad season" for a club of their standing.
But, he insisted, it's the style of play which Hughes has demanded which has brought someone who was seen as a rugged, no-nonsense defender during his own playing days to the attention of chairmen up and down the country, claiming it's only a matter of time before someone makes their move.
He joked: "Yogi always thought he was a bit of a player. But, seriously, while he was seen as a big, bruising centre-half he could play as well. Like big Doug Rougvie at Aberdeen he was seen as a tough, fearsome guy but, like Doug, he's one of the nicest guys you can meet off the pitch.
"He used to love to play fives, getting the ball down and playing, so, with Brian Rice alongside him and the type of player he was, the way Yogi wants his team to play doesn't surprise me.
"He doesn't want to see the ball launched up the pitch and, in all honesty, if Falkirk did that half the players wouldn't get a touch of it. No, he wants to see his players get on the ball, make angles and bring others in to play.
"Even when they went a goal down on Saturday he persevered and persevered until it got to the stage Falkirk had to get the big boy (Michael Higdon] on and launch it into the box. Falkirk were the better team at Hampden, but it was only in the final third they didn't have enough to get through Rangers who, I thought, were there for the taking.
"Hibs fans themselves have seen Falkirk come to Easter Road and give their team a right good game, there's been a lot of terrific football played between the sides and, to my mind, there's not been a lot between them at times in recent years.
"People see the way Yogi's team plays and I think Hibs fans want to see that, players getting the ball down and passing. Tony Mowbray's team, for instance, were a joy to watch, a side which probably didn't get what they deserved."
Budgets, of course, are on the tip of every manager's tongue as clubs face up to diminishing resources amid the current downturn in the global economy, last summer's season ticket sales having shielded many of them from the immediate effects of the credit crunch.
Paatelainen made it well known purse-strings were being tightened at Easter Road before his shock departure but McAllister feels that, even so, Hughes would be confident of working within such restrictions.
He said: "We've seen the way Falkirk can play on a limited budget and even if money is going to be a bit tighter at Hibs I'm sure there will be more available to him at Easter Road.
"Yogi will believe he'll be able to attract a better player – and again he's shown he can spot a player – particularly a the top end of the pitch where Hibs already have some talent in Derek Riordan, Colin Nish, Steven Fletcher – if he stays – and perhaps Benji coming back from his loan spell in Belgium."
In these straightened times it becomes even more important that clubs nurture their home-grown talent and, again insisted McAllister, Hughes has proved himself on that front, the ideal man, he believes, to help develop the seven young players promoted from Hibs' all-conquering Under-19 side to the first-team squad.
He said: "Yogi has a great record of bringing young boys through. Over the years Hibs, as he well knows, have gained a fantastic reputation for producing their own players and Yogi's proved at Falkirk he can really bring youngsters on.
"With budgets going the way they are in the game it's important you have a manager prepared to work with the kids. Yogi is prepared to do that, he's someone who can give them the right leadership.
"And, of course, he'd have the facilities at East Mains to help him do that, something we didn't have when we were players together at Falkirk and, briefly, at Hibs."
If Hughes is still perceived as something of a rough diamond in some quarters, McAllister reckons no-one should be fooled by that tough exterior. He said: "Yogi is Yogi. He maybe comes out with things from time to time but you have to put up with that. He's an honest guy, he says it as he sees it and I think a lot of people admire him for that. Some think he's daft but he's a very clever guy who thinks a great deal about the game."
Falkirk, of course, will be playing in Europe for the first time ever next season thanks to their Scottish Cup final place but even that attraction won't, McAllister believes, be enough to persuade him to stay if Hibs come calling.
He said: "I think Yogi would love to do it. Falkirk are in the Europa League but, on the other hand, how many games are they going to have in Europe, two, maybe four?
"He'd have to look at the longer term and if he had to sacrifice a couple of matches in Europe to get to, say Hibs, I think he would be prepared to make that sacrifice.
"Hibs didn't have a great season but still finished sixth despite giving points away at one stage. But Hibs must improve.
"Someone like Yogi arriving as manager would give the place a real buzz, something to look forward to next season."
