Speaking in the build-up to today’s trip to Dundee United, St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson joked that if his players manage to pull off a minor miracle by securing European football for the second consecutive season, he will take it upon himself to build statues in their honour.
Yes, it may have been tongue-in-cheek, but it offered an insight into just how highly he thinks of them. The feeling is reciprocal, no doubt.
And with good reason, too. While the players deserve every bit of credit which has come their way this year, simply put, they would not be in this position without Robinson in the dugout.
The question is: how long will he be there?
With the greatest of respect to the Paisley outfit, it remains one of life’s great mysteries that the Northern Irishman hasn’t been swooped up by anyone else, either here or south of the border.
Saints supporters won’t like to hear it, but that may just be about to change.
Stephen Robinson has guided St Mirren into the top six for the third consecutive season
Last weekend’s 1-0 win over Aberdeen ensured the players’ European dream is still alive
Robinson would be an ideal candidate to replace the departed Neil Critchley at Hearts
Having finally pulled the trigger on Neil Critchley — a few weeks too late in the eyes of many Tynecastle fans — the Hearts hierarchy are looking to make their second managerial appointment within nine months.
Robinson was overlooked for the job back in October following Steven Naismith’s dismissal, but there’s no question his stock has risen since then having guided St Mirren into the top six again.
They currently sit five points adrift of today’s opponents with three to play. Fifth spot would likely be enough to secure a spot in the Europa Conference League. It’s a tall ask, but not impossible.
Yet even if they were to miss out, there’s an argument to be made that this season has in fact been even more impressive given what Robinson (right) and his staff have had to contend with.
Sure, dealing with injuries are part and parcel of management, but there was a period early on in the campaign when it looked like Robinson himself would have to dust off the boots.
He wasn’t helped of course by off-field issues leading to the departures of summer signings Jaden Brown, Shaun Rooney and Kevin van Veen.
One of the primary criticisms aimed in the direction of Critchley was his inability to pick up big results in the big games.
Robinson has no such trouble. This season, he has taken seven points off Rangers, seven off Hibernian, and nine off Aberdeen, who saw their long unbeaten start to the campaign grind to a halt in Paisley.
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes remains the favourite to take over at Tynecastle
As luck would have it, today’s opponents are one of just two sides in the top flight — the other being champions Celtic — that St Mirren have yet to lay a glove on.
Sure, Robinson tends to prioritise substance over style, but he makes no apologies for it. Why should he? He consistently gets results, and turns average players into major assets. Hearts fans would bite your hand off for someone with that type of skillset right now.
Of course, his isn’t the only name in the hat. It would be fascinating to tally up the number of times Derek McInnes and Hearts have popped up together in the same sentence over the years.
The Killie boss has emerged as the favourite to finally make the jump. Depending on what you read, the job is his to lose.
After guiding the club to fourth last time out, this season has been a bit of a struggle. This time 12 months ago, Killie fans were looking out their passports as thoughts turned to adventures on the continent.
This year, staying up has been the sole target. But as McInnes alluded to following last weekend’s win over St Johnstone which all but secured their safety, his players have stepped up when it mattered most.
It’s always handy having a manager who knows what he’s doing, mind you. And that’s common ground that McInnes and Robinson both share.
Hearts would do well to prise either away from their employers. These days, the club hardly represents a step up for either. At least not on the pitch anyway.
But with the promise of multi-million pound investment on the horizon, not to mention having one of the most passionate — albeit expectant — fanbases in the country, it is certainly an attractive proposition.
The St Mirren board should be expecting a call any day now.
