Jack Ross – a year on from Cats exit
Jack Ross insists he has no regrets about his time at Sunderland – and believes he is a better manager 12 months on from his shock sacking.
A year to the day since his departure from Wearside, Ross spoke to this paper and admitted he still reflects on missed opportunities and fine margins that could have meant he left a different legacy at the Stadium of Light.
Now riding high in the Scottish Premiership with Hibernian, the 44-year-old is glad of the experiences he faced in the Sunderland goldfish bowl.
It left him tired–e motionally and physically, given the demands and scrutiny of the job – something he didn't quite realise until lockdown, which gave him an opportunity to reflect and come back refreshed, but he believes he has grown as a manager and is better equipped to deal with some of the challenges anyone in such a role faces at a huge club.
"I hadn't realised it was a year until someone mentioned it the other day," said Ross, who was out of work just 38 days before being appointed as Hibs head coach.
"I was fortunate to get an opportunity so quickly. You never know when you'll get a job given the nature of this profession, so to get back in so quickly, and at such a great club and big club, was fortunate.
"Lock down was pretty good for me in some ways – because it was so quick (the return to management) and the Sunderland job was so ti ring, and I was into a situation where we had to stabilise things here, I think lockdown allowed me a bit of time to reflect that I hadn't had in between the jobs.
"When we came back post-lockdown I felt ready to go again. I'm fortunate I've had very good jobs and this is another one."
Hibs is another club packed with potential, though without the intensity Ross faced at Sunderland.
Third in the SPL table just behind the Old Firm giants, they've made a good start to the new campaign. Breaking into that top two may be too big an ask this term, but whatever the demands of life at Easter Road, Ross feel she' s better equipped thanks to his experiences at the Stadium of Light.
"Every management job I've had, I've learned and reflected," he added. "I reflect every day on what I do.
"I feel as if I' ve learned and improved, and one thing the Sunderland job did do was make me feel I can deal with the pressure and scrutiny as manager of a very big club.
"I keep telling people here (in Edinburgh) what a big club it (Sunderland) is and I think the Netflix programme has helped people understand that, because it's massive and the scrutiny is huge. So from that point of view, it's helped me to grow again as a manager.
"I've said this countless times, I've got absolutely no regrets at taking the opportunity and loved all of it."
Until October 8,2019, Ross had only experienced an upward trajectory in his managerial career. Scottish manager of the year during his promotion-winning time at St Mirren, he was Stewart Donald’s choice to turn the Sunderland ship around and for the majority of his time on Wear side, success followed too.
The sac king was a setback, but now his career is back on the right track. His win percentage at Hibs is more than 50%, as it was at Sunderland and St Mirren.
Two kicks of a ball were all that separated Ross from a successful 2018/19 season. Lee Cattermole's penalty, Patrick Bauer's scuffed winner in the play-off final.
Small margins, though some big tactical decisions were often criticised by fans in the run-in to the season. So would he change anything if he had his time over again?
"I think you always question if you made the right choices at the right times, but that' s always easy in hindsight,” he said.
"I' ve always been quite thorough in my thought process and why I came to certain decisions, and my management record shows I get that right more than I don' t. I' ve done a load of management presentations during lock down and I' ve spoken about fine margins and key moments, and that's the same in any job. I cer - tainly had a couple of those at Sunderland.
"Two occasions that could have been outstanding, and a different legacy. But it happens. I learned a lot, and a lot of good things and positive things, and it stood me in good stead."
In many ways, the club hasn't progressed since his departure. The summer after the play-off defeat, Ross' plans were affected by a potential sale of the club, with the manager holding talks himself with potential new owner Mark Campbell, and recruitment put on hold.
Fast forward 12 months, and the club is still in League One and still in the midst of a potential takeover.
Ross remains in contact with people at the club who he formed strong relationships with in his 16-month tenure. He still has contact with fans, and still hopes Sunderland can return to the top flight.
"I was really close to a lot of people at the club and it's really tough when you come away from it and you have to detach yourself a bit from it, when you were so immersed in it for a while," he admitted.
"I would love to see the club successful, simply because of how much I loved the job and how brilliant a football club it is.
"I still live in Northumberland and still bump into a lot of Sunderland fans - I got cakes off one on Sunday at a family market - so it has its plusses.
"The end of last season meant it was difficult to judge it, but I wish the club every success and would love to see them back up the leagues."