Should Hibs' board be condemned for sacking Shaun Maloney? When dust settles, maybe others will too

A game of opinions, there is one that tends to unite. And, as he addressed the media earlier this week, holding his hands up for the messy Shaun Maloney episode, Hibs owner Ron Gordon showed an understanding of the Scottish game few among his own fanbase have credited him with in recent weeks as their season went down the pan.

“This club is doing a lot of wonderful things,” said the US-based chairman. “But if you don’t get the football right it’s almost insignificant, nobody really cares. So we need to get the football right.”

In that quest for a better product, or wins and for silverware, Gordon and his board have helped create the mess they now have to deal with. They were the ones who decided that previous boss Jack Ross – who had delivered their best league performance in 16 years last term – could be improved on and brought in the inexperienced Maloney, who was charged with building on that while also delivering silverware and a more aesthetically-pleasing brand of football.

They allowed him to recruit long-term projects but demanded immediate results.

After just four months and back-to-back derby defeats which cost them a top-six spot in the Premiership, a shot at Europe, and ongoing participation in the Scottish Cup, they decided Maloney wasn’t up to the task.

But should they be condemned for that move, as they have been by many who have viewed the past few weeks as open season, or should they be given credit for acting decisively, holding their hands up and promising to try to get it better next time? Yes, it was ruthless and harsh on Maloney, who expected more time, but was it really the wrong decision?

The issue now is whether they can make amends with the arrival of a new manager who has the experience that