Gary Mackay: Restructure leagues and leadership for the sake of Scottish football

The leadership within Scottish football and who is involved really needs addressing. That has never been more obvious than over the last ten days during what can only be described as an embarrassing voting debacle.

If we are going to have league reconstruction – that’s very much an IF – we also have to look at reconstructing the powers that be in the corridors of Hampden Park. Which is far easier said than done, but it is essential for the future of the game.

Perhaps, having witnessed the shambolic scenes over voting in the last couple of weeks, the clubs will take an opportunity to revamp things. Something needs to be done no matter how difficult it might be.

We are all criticising the SPFL because they didn't have a forward plan for something which has come out of the blue like this. Rightly so. Then there is the voting issue and all that went with it, leaving our game in a poor light. Now there is the possibility of reconstructing the leagues.

From a Hearts perspective, that would be a saviour and I think we would all welcome it. The two clubs heavily involved in discussing it at the moment, Hamilton and Hearts, do have a bit of self-interest. There is nothing wrong with that.

I have a lot of sympathy for other clubs near the top end of their leagues further down the pyramid. Teams like Bonnyrigg Rose, Falkirk, Inverness, etc have all achieved at their own level this year.

This plan to end the season was primarily to release funds but these clubs who have achieved are getting a real kick in the teeth. It's them I feel for because it simply isn’t fair.

No disrespect to Hearts, Partick Thistle or Stranraer, but those three clubs have put themselves in a negative position at the bottom of their respective leagues.

That might change if league reconstruction happens, which would be great for those clubs. However, I think it's important to highlight the clubs that have achieved and gave themselves a chance of promotion.

If league reconstruction takes place, that promotion could still happen so let’s keep fingers crossed that as many clubs can gain something out of this mess we all find ourselves in.

Clubs within the Scottish Premiership like Hamilton, St Mirren and Ross County will probably all be keen for Hearts to stay up.

Hearts have the third-biggest travelling support and that means a lot to these clubs in terms of gate money when we go there. It is much-needed income when Hearts come to town and you would expect that to be a factor in their decision if they are asked to vote on league reconstruction.

I would imagine the television companies would want Hearts in the top league as well, so all of these things are positives for us. The big thing I would have to say is, if we do get league reconstruction, there is then an added pressure on the football department at Riccarton.

The expectation levels are always high at Tynecastle but the players who stay at the club next year will be under pressure no matter what league they find themselves playing in.

Nobody can hide from the fact they were mismanaged previously and now they are adjusting to a new manager. However, from their own perspective, the players have underachieved.

They will at least need to start punching their weight and that goes back to what I've said before about player budgets and, specifically, the amount of money Hearts have spent on players in recent years.

I continually look at St Johnstone, but also Hamilton, St Mirren and Ross County. Their budgets are only a fraction of what Hearts spend each year. When you look at the crowds these clubs get, they do remarkably well and seem to be managed pretty sensibly on the whole.

St Johnstone are the ones that keep punching well above their weight. You could probably name six or seven of Tommy Wright’s team most weeks.

They run with a small squad and they've brought through a young lad, Ali McCann, who looks like he could progress into a top player. They don't have the facilities Hearts have.

These things cause us dismay and there needs to be better use of finances at Tynecastle going forward. That is an absolute priority.