Next St Mirren manager: former Hearts and Hibs bosses linked with Buddies vacancy
St Mirren are looking for a new head coach after Stephen Robinson departed to take charge at Aberdeen.
St Mirren’s search for a new head coach could reportedly see them turn to either a former Hearts boss or an ex Hibs gaffer to take over at The SMISA Stadium.
The Buddies are looking for a new manager following the departure of Stephen Robinson for Aberdeen. The Northern Irishman, who guided the Paisley side to League Cup glory earlier this season, took charge of his first match as Dons gaffer last weekend where they drew 1-1 with Falkirk at Pittodrie.
As for St Mirren, they were led by interim boss Craig McLeish as they lost 1-0 at home to Rangers. Tuur Rommens scored the only goal of the game to give the visitors all three points.
Steven Naismith and Neil Lennon reportedly among next St Mirren manager contenders
The Daily Record have reported that former Hearts head coach Steven Naismith is among the contenders to replace Robinson as the next permanent St Mirren manager. Dunfermline Athletic boss Neil Lennon, formerly Hibs manager, is also linked with the Buddies’ vacancy.
Naismith is currently working as part of Steve Clarke’s coaching staff with the Scotland men’s national team, having returned to that role in August last year. He has not coached at club level since departing Tynecastle in September 2024 where he was replaced by Neil Critchley.
The 51-times capped Scotland international, who ended his playing career with the Jambos in 2021, has also filled his time with punditry work across the BBC and Premier Sports. It is unclear if taking the St Mirren job would impact his position with the Scotland national team.
Neil Lennon left his job as Hibs manager in 2019, after guiding them back to the top flight in 2017 by winning the Scottish Championship, for a second spell as Celtic head coach. His Hoops’ side did the treble in the 2019/20 season which was controversially cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He went on to have short spells with Cypriot side Omonia and Rapid București of Romania before returning to Scottish football with Dunfermline Athletic last year. His Pars side currently sit fourth in the Scottish Championship table and have reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, knocking out Aberdeen and old club Hibs along the way.
Who else is in contention to be the next St Mirren manager?
The same report claims that former Rangers and Dundee midfielder Charlie Adam is interested in the St Mirren job. His most recent, and so far only, spell as a head coach was with English Football League side Fleetwood Town.
Former Hibs midfielder Stephen McGinn, who also played for the Buddies, is another name mentioned with the 37-year old currently working as a first team coach at John McGlynn’s Falkirk. There is also Diarmuid O’Carroll, who was previously assistant manager to Robinson at the Paisley outfit and then at Newcastle United as a youth coach, but he currently works as assistant manager at Czech heavyweights Sparta Prague so would likely require some convincing to leave that role for a return to Scotland.