Hearts MD Campbell Ogilvie charged with pushing through key parts of McLeish review, reports Moira Gordon

IT WAS not included among the recommendations typed out in black and white but it is the one on which the success of Henry McLeish's report into the development of grassroots and youth football may hinge. A constant theme throughout the launch of the first part of his Review of Scottish Football, he suggested that optimism and drive were vital to implementing a lasting legacy.

Which is why the former First Minister considers it a coup to have SFA vice-president and Hearts managing director Campbell Ogilvie charged with pushing through the key components of the document.

Think tanks have spewed forth on the ways forward for the game in the past and, acknowledging that few of the ideas highlighted by the consultation process are completely new, McLeish said the one thing that had to be different this time around was the way the recommendations are taken forward.

With every question preceded by apologies for the scepticism or cynicism, McLeish acknowledged there was a place for a certain amount of those qualities, given the futile attempts to revolutionise the game in the past, but he added that "if we are turning a corner, and I think we are, then let's do it positively".

"This time we should mean business and that is why, unlike previous reports, at the end of this one we have around a dozen recommendations and we will also have a Performance Director and somebody like Campbell being involved."

There are few who will now envy Ogilvie his role, though. He is the man charged with not only identifying the best person to oversee matters as the performance director, he will also have to act as lobbyist, diplomat, activist and power broker, as he seeks not only the verbal backing of government and clubs but also their financial support.

"It's one thing for the (SFA] board to have met three times and to embrace the report but it's another to not only flag up the performance director as being absolutely crucial but then they put a person who will be president in future years in charge of taking on this mantle," said McLeish. "I'm very encouraged by that. We have already met to discuss the recommendations and next week there will be further meetings to try to look at some time line and how best to take them forward."

Notoriously, though, the wheels of diplomacy turn slowly in football and in politics and the fear is they could grind to a halt completely when it comes to finding the 400 million McLeish has pinpointed as crucial for financing his main proposals. That money would be used to finance a facilities improvement scheme throughout the country, as well as the creation of at least 20 Schools of Football, the longer opening hours at schools to complement both schemes.