The writing was on the wall at the weekend. Visitors to Asda in Kirkcaldy would have been greeted by a set of malcontented candles. SACK LOCKE they told customers picking up their copy of Sunday Sport and a Fray Bentos.
As Terrace favourite Shaughan noted, ‘If matters don’t improve for Raith soon goodness knows what message we’ll stumble upon in the spice aisle’. A few days later the candles had their wish. Gary Locke was gone from Raith Rovers.
Even the candles In Kirkcaldy’s Asda want Gary Locke out. pic.twitter.com/OWrJHPPqPN
— The Terrace (@terracepodcast) February 5, 2017
As the clock ticked down on his tenure at Stark’s Park, the Rovers trailing Greenock Morton 1-0 in front of a dissatisfied crowd which would comfortably fit in the town’s Penny Farthing, Locke, knowing he had to record a positive result to keep his job, decided to channel his inner Rinus Michels. TOTAL FOOTBALL was the premise.
Sprightly striker Mark Stewart finished in a back three with centre back Kyle Benedictus up top. The next move was presumably to ask Jean-Yves M’voto to invoke the spirit of Johan Cruyff from beyond the grave.
Those masochists within the home support who ventured out on Tuesday night to witness a humbling at the hands of a second string Morton side could see the desperation emanating from the home dugout. Locke had switched from his customary 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2. The midfield of Iain Davidson, Jordan Thompson and Ross Callachan offered as much creativity as Garry O’Connor when questioned by the police.
Come the end there was no full-backs, no wide midfielders. What was left was a 3-everyone-do-what-you-want. Even Jonathan Wilson would have struggled to compare the new-found system to the Lang Toun’s independence from Abbey Rule in 1644, and latterly how the use of no width is emblematic of the closure of Jackie O’s.
The gig was up.
On the 29th of October, following a 1-0 victory over Queen of the South, Rovers sat third in the league, four points from the summit. That was the last time the team won a game. DDDLDDLLLDD*LLL. That has been the run of form since. From third to third-bottom, four points above the relegation play-off spot.
Action had to be taken, Locke couldn’t be trusted to alter the slide. His management career to date displayed little evidence to suggest he could turn it around.
The 41-year-old’s publicist Billy Brown took to Sportsound bemoaning his friend’s luck in management. For 127 (ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY) games the Gods have transpired against him. His career win percentage of 25.98 was no more than misfortune. With a bit of luck he would be leading Porto to Champions League success or Manchester United to the treble. Or Rovers to a promotion play-off spot.
He has been unfortunate in that his hands were tied at Heart of Midlothian, there were behind the scenes issues at Kilmarnock but luck or fortune or being haunted by the ghost of Claude Anelka past had nothing to do with his time at Stark’s Park. He failed to learn from experience, he failed to learn from mistakes, he was doomed for another failure on his management CV.
He is an esteemed figure within the often too narrow corridors of Scottish football. But for his personality rather than his managerial qualities. His positive attitude rubbed off on the Raith board, interviewing well.
But from the outside there was scepticism before his appointment had even been announced. He tried to allay fears in his inaugural interview with Raith TV, speaking positively about his ideas, his commitment to exciting football and developing youth and wanting to put his stamp on the club. It is a well-worn spiel by many a manager, he’s not the first to be guilty of such baloney.
Yet, anyone within the Raith support who pay a modicum of interest to the Premiership would have recounted his spells at both Hearts and Killie. The situation at Tynecastle forced him to play youth players, something which he bemoaned time and again as the club slipped towards relegation. While at Killie he was able to put his stamp on the team, signing 12 players, showing the same imagination as a midfield three of Iain Davidson, Jordan Thompson and Ross Callachan, delving into the contact book on his phone.
“R? R? R? R! . . . Robinson, Scott.”
*Phone rings*
“Scotty! It’s Gaz. What you said about my substitution and percentage football is water under the bridge. Hamill’s here already. I’ve been biding my time. It’s time to get the band back together.”
Hearts fans still wake in cold sweats recalling the Hamill-Robinson midfield axis of atrociousness.
As for his commitment to attacking football. It turns out we were already through the looking glass in terms of alternative facts.
The season started positively for the Rovers. They may have been defeated in the Betfred Cup by Alloa Athletic but they won two and drew at Ross County. They went on to defeat Ayr United, Dunfermline Athletic and St Mirren in the league.
The 27th of August. The Rovers recover from 2-0 to draw 2-2 at Tannadice. Locke’s management turned it around in Dundee. Was he evolving as a manager? The delirious Fifers thought so. A false dawn. It would be the last time they performed well in the league.
Locke was rigid in his use of 4-4-2, two defensive midfielders with two wingers, on occasion Ross Matthews played wide to add ‘solidity’.
The ability to make positive and game-changing moves against Dundee United was an anomaly. The default solution was to put more forwards on, cross fingers and toes and hope.
While wins became less frequent to the point they were non-existent, the sturdy defence made up for the shortcomings in attack. Both Hibs and United were held to draws. However, once the defence showed vulnerabilities it was becoming a near mountainous task to win games. The last clean sheet was recorded in December. Since then there have been concessions of threes and fours. And no sign of improvement.
This was a complaint of Locke while he was at Tynecastle. Michael Stewart was castigated by publicist Brown for criticising the same mistakes being repeated. Again and again. Scott Robinson echoed similar after one particularly galling defeat at home to St Mirren.
When Locke comes in or takes over there is an upturn in form. Similar to Alan Pardew. However, this upturn lasts a handful of games at most. The team struggles, the same mistakes are repeated, the same foibles are on show and they are never eradicated.
Locke isn’t intransigent. He just doesn’t seem to know how to adapt and change, experiment and innovate.
His lack of inventiveness is displayed in his approach to recruitment. It is a crucial facet of management which coaches are judged. If it were the judges in Robbie Williams’ ‘She’s the One’ rating Locke’s signings they’d be scrambling around for minus sign before simply ripping up their card.
Eighteen players were brought into Stark’s Park by Locke. Mvoto was the only undeniable success. Kevin McHattie has been competent. One or two were youngsters. The rest . . .
There wasn’t just one, or two but three bizarre transfer episodes under Locke.
Bemusing. Thirty-seven-year-old Rudi Skacel was signed thanks to a donation from a benefactor. He hadn’t kicked a ball since November 2015. He is well known for showing the same enthusiasm for training as many do for conversing with a White Lightning drinking loon on public transport. So much for developing youth.
Apoplectic. Half way through the season Locke decided that what he needed was another has-been veteran. Step forward Ryan Stevenson. Released by Ayr prior to the start of the season and had found game time at Dumbarton hard to come by. Watch out opponents!
That’s not even the punchline. Wait for it. Fan favourite and promising young talent Lewis Vaughan was sent out on loan to Dumbarton! While the rest of Scottish football laughed Rovers fans were looking for any sign of Jeremy Beadle. So much for developing youth.
Baffling. Rovers were also keen to show Scottish football that altruism was alive and well in the Kingdom. Promising young defender David Bates was given, GIVEN, to Rangers in exchange for three players – one good, one not so good, one definitely not good – who will be with the club until the summer. Rovers effectively gave up a player who could be worth money in the future for zilch, nada, nothing. Reportedly there are clauses in the contract but judging on the deal up until now there’s every chance that it involves Raith Rovers departing with cash. So much for developing youth.
For a brief period last month there were signs of a resurgence, thanks in part to Hearts. Rovers were played some of their best stuff under Locke over 210 minutes of the fourth-round Scottish Cup tie. A game plan was forged, positive moves were made but it was the Dundee United match all over again.
Return to league business and a Vaughan-less Dumbarton defeated a Vaughan-less Rovers 3-1. At home.
Two games later and the guillotine came down on Locke’s time at Stark’s Park.
Where does he go from here?
Writing in The Non-League Paper about Lincoln City’s impressive management duo, ex-Aberdeen goalkeeper David Preece talked about managers getting a grounding early, out of the spotlight giving the examples of Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez.
Locke took the more conventional ex-player route. He spent time working as a coach – under Jim Jefferies – then assistant – under Paulo Sergio and John McGlynn – before the opportunity arose to manage. As a Hearts fan it was one he felt he couldn’t turn down.
Consequences transpired to put him into difficult roles. Such is his connection to Hearts he couldn’t walk away. Actually he could. But he stepped into the management role, one he may have felt wouldn’t come around again.With a semblance of level-headedness he would have considered the situation at Hearts (and then Kilmarnock) and moved on, looking to start his management career in a better environment. One with less pressure. One where he could fail, learn and improve.
There are doubts over the managerial qualities of Barry Ferguson. Very BIG doubts. But by taking the job at Clyde, a personality of Ferguson is away from the limelight where he can make mistakes, of which there has been many. But it may, MAY, stand him in good stead for his future.
The same can’t be said for Locke. He will point to a fine end to his Hearts management career, where if it wasn’t for the points deduction the team would have finished 11th – who knows what would have happened without the deduction – as evidence that he is worth the risk. But then you look at the sample size from Kilmarnock and now Raith Rovers.
Kirkcaldy may be the last port of call for Locke and the 3-everyone-do-what-you-want system. For those brave souls there that night they can at least console themselves knowing they were in attendance for a truly ‘I was there’ moment.
Written by Joel Sked
*Lost in extra-time