Jack Ross says there’s no bitterness over his harsh Hibs exit as he dismissed suggestions he’s on a revenge mission at Dundee United.
The 46-year-old is back in management at Tannadice having been bulleted by Easter Road chief Ron Gordon in December after two years in charge with the Leith side His shock sacking came with the club sitting seventh and just 10 days before the 46-year-old was due to lead Hibs out at Hampden for the final of the Premier Sports Cup.
But Ross says he has brushed off that disappointment as he revealed he’s received good luck messages from both Gordon and Hibs chief exec Ben Kensell since accepting his latest posting on Tayside. Now he says his only focus is on carrying on the success of United predecessor Tam Courts, who led the Tangerines to a fourth-place finish last term. The new boss spoke at the plush Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews as he was officially unveiled.
He said: “It’s funny when you leave clubs. I know there’s a lot of things that float about which then becomes fact or a ‘reality’ that there was never any truth in.
“I left – I didn’t agree with it – but I left on good terms. I’ve had messages from the chief exec and owner since I took this job so that gives you an indication of where that relationship still lies. I wish no ill will on the club. It was a brilliant club to manage.
“Now I’m at United and I think it’s a club that’s on an upward trajectory. What they achieved last season was terrific, on the back of being promoted and stabilising. The challenge for me is not an easy one because it’s about delivering a period of sustained success. But it’s more than capable of doing that as a football club. So I’m looking forward to embrace that challenge.”
Ross also stressed he took no joy from seeing his successor Shaun Maloney struggling after taking his place in Edinburgh.
While the former Alloa, St Mirren and Sunderland gaffer had guided Hibs to a top three finish for the first time in 16 years the previous season, Maloney failed to even see out his maiden season in charge after he was axed after four months as Hibs eventually limped home to a miserable eighth-place finish.
“You don’t take any vindication from anything that happened after that,” added Ross. “I believed in two years I delivered a lot of what was asked of me and when it was done, it was done.
"As I said, there is certainly no feeling of bitterness or a desire to prove them wrong. I am probably too long in the tooth for that.”
Gordon has previously hinted he made the wrong call in rushing to pull the trigger on Ross after a run of just one win in nine Premiership games. But the new United boss admits the way his Easter Road experience ended did sting.
“I’m pretty good at parking stuff,” he said. “It was sore at first because of the timing of it and what was ahead in the weeks after.
“But you move on from it and reflect — because if I had got everything right then your position would never be under threat. I had to think, 'Would I have done anything differently? Behaved differently? Changed anything?’ Hopefully that makes you better.
“I have always had good relationships with owners and that sometimes makes it harder – I got on really well with Stewart [Donald] at Sunderland, I had a good relationship with Ron and a good relationship with the guys at St Mirren.
“Sometimes that makes it harder. You may naively think that personal relationship might help you further down the line but then you realise it doesn’t. But that still shouldn’t put you off having it if it is in your nature.”
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