CUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

If Nick can make a star out of Jason, then he can hit the jackpot at Hibees

- TAM MCMANUS

THE smart money appears to be on Nick Montgomery for the Hibs job.

If any one person should underline the Central Coast Mariners boss' credentials, look no further than the Cumdog... Jason Cummings.

The former Hibs prodigy looked to have lost his way in the game after a big-money move to Nottingham Forest didn't work out and was a shadow of himself at Dundee, where off-field activities never helped his cause.

When Montgomery and the Mariners offered him an opportunity to relaunch Down Under it looked like last-chance saloon for the striker.

But one year in New South Wales and suddenly Cummings was breaking scoring records, off to the World Cup with the Socceroos and winning himself a move to become the highest paid player in India.

It's a remarkable rejuvenation and while most of the credit goes to the player, there has to be a major acknowledgement of the man-management of Montgomery.

By all accounts, it's one of the 41-year-old's strongest assets and, in the modern game, manmanagement is 50 per cent of the job.

Listen, last week I said Derek McInnes was the man for the Hibs job and I stand by that.