Livingston: Two become one

He's back.

"The fans will appreciate that we're trying to do something different and the players will recognise they've got two guys who want football played."

And if the players don't, the real fitba' men will.

A perfect quote to herald the return of John Hughes. It's taken a while but here is, back in business at Livingston.

Good luck to them?

Hmmm.

John Hughes is a good bloke - not that the goodness of your blokeishness makes you a good manager - and his natural enthusiasm will only have increased during his time away from the game.

Enthusiasm, decency, jokes. Things I admire in a person but not necessarily qualifications I look for in a manager.

But this might be different.

Not only is Yogi back, he's back with a buddy.

Hughes as manager, John Collins as Director of Football.

The new Livingston blueprint.

Giving Hughes the job on his own?

That would get a giant "meh" from me.

Alone, I think, Hughes is another of the underwhelming Scottish managers picked from that never ending carousel, men given jobs because they're mates with the media and they're happy enough with our game's incestuousness.

But, heavens, I rate John Collins. I rate him more than a cup win and a premature - but principled - departure from Hibs merits. More than his subsequent coaching career merits.

There is something about Collins, something that Scottish football is poorer for not recognising.

John Collins as Director of Football?

That's an appointment I can get excited about. I've droned on about it before. About how it could work for Hibs. About how it never will work for Hibs because Collins burnt his bridges.

I've even been known to down a pint or four and suggest that Hibs struck on a half decent manager with Collins and just about a half decent manager with John Hughes.

What could they have achieved if only Hibs had joined the dots?

Livingston are about to find out.

I'm intrigued. And I've got a feeling it might just work.

Like this? Like the Scottish Football Blog on Facebook.