Jim Jeffries laughing all the way to the Scottish managers post

Calderwood too jovial for you? How about Jim?

Continuing WeKnowSFA’s look at potential candidates for the Scottish manager’s post, Kilmarnock boss Jim Jeffries is next under the spotlight.

We decided to clarify it is the Kilmarnock boss we are talking about as it is very easy to confuse the Killie boss with the Australian comedian of the same name.

Some people are quick to say that Jeffries can be a bit depressing and dull, rarely cracking a smile in interviews or during a match. Nothing could be further from the truth, with Jeffries being a man of varied expressions and emotions.

This is best shown by the photo montage below:

Now that we’ve clarified Jim is a fun loving chap (perhaps at least in comparison to George Burley), we should run the rule over the rest of his credentials.

Jim knows Scottish football
Jeffries is the longest-serving manager in the SPL with his experience at Hearts and Kilmarnock meaning he has seen the best and worst of Scottish football. Larsson, Laudrup, Gascoigne and Nakamura have all pitted their wits against teams marshalled by Jeffries, so he knows how to mix it with the best.

Of course, players like Jose Quitongo, Danny Invincible, Gary Locke and Gavin Skelton have played under Jeffries so he has handled plenty of dross in his time. Which makes him an ideal candidate for managing the current squad.

Silverware
It is not much but Jim does have a Scottish Cup triumph from his time at Hearts. It is over a decade ago now but given the way Celtic and Rangers hoover up most of the trophies in Scotland, any trophy should be noted as a mark of success.

Avoiding relegation
As much as that sunny day at Celtic Park was the silverware highlight of Jeffries managerial career, keeping Kilmarnock in the top flight for all his reign is probably Jeffries best achievement.

The debt carried by the club has seen the size and quality of Kilmarnock’s squad drop but they have always retained their top flight status. Okay, last seasons salvation was due to the goals of Kevin Kyle but Jeffries was the man who revitalised his career and have him a second chance.

Jeffries could be the man to give all of Berti’s cast-offs a second chance in the international arena.

Jeffries will be a man who can steady the ship and bring a dose of reality back the national team. Making the Scottish team hard to beat has to be the first task of the new manager, ensuring Scotland stop dropping silly points against lower ranked nations.

This is the sort of mindset that Jeffries has earned a living in the past decade and so would be able to fit in easily.

For those of that you enjoy stats, here are the numerical breakdowns for Jim’s time at Hearts and Killie:

There are a number of reasons that may go against him:

No real experience in Europe or with big name players

His partnership with Billy Brown – all great partnerships need a straight man and a funny man…can two dull men cut it?

And there is just a general feeling that it will say more about the current level of the Scottish national job if Jeffries takes the helm than what Scottish football fans are ready to hear at the moment.

Is Jim Jeffries the man to take Scotland forward?

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