There’s only one team I dream about managing ... Scotland
FOOTBALL LATEST EYES ON TOP PRIZE
JACK ROSS remained tight-lipped on his future as a club boss – as he opened up on his ultimate ambition of managing his country.
The St Mirren gaffer held talks with Ipswich Town last week as the Championship side look to replace Mick McCarthy.
Record Sport understands further discussions at Portman Road have been pencilled in for this week.
But the 41-year-old was on home territory yesterday to pick up his second managerial award of the season after being voted Ladbrokes Championship Manager of the Year.
“There is always a danger in football that people take it as a sign of disloyalty or that you are not doing your job properly.
“Those who know me will know I have spent every day at Ralston (Saints’ training ground) since the season finished trying to make sure we are in as good a place as we can be for next season. As things stand that is BY ANTHONY HAGGERTY where I will be next season. The club is waiting to have communication with them (Ipswich). I have always been relaxed about it simply because I enjoy this job so much.
“I am excited about the fact we have a Premiership season to look forward to. That excites me as a manager because it gives me that freshness.
“The pathway to England is one players and managers want to take because of the huge resources available down there – but I am a big advocate of the game up here.
“The recent attention and profile the Scottish game has received through the likes of Steven Gerrard’s appointment at Rangers as well as the Hibs v Rangers game at the weekend highlights the fact there are good things happening up here. There are good players and managers operating in Scotland and we should embrace that more.
“I’ve never had preconceived ideas about how I would want my career to go other than the fact I would like to be Scotland manager one day.
“That’s romantic for me. I always wanted to play for Scotland when I was a young boy. Now you hear young boys saying they want to play in the English Premier League. For me, the ultimate as a manager would be to manage my country. But beyond that it has only ever been about doing the job I’m in to the best I can.”
Ross picked up his award on the same day former Buddies star Lewis Morgan earned his first international call-up.
The Celtic new boy has been drafted into Alex McLeish’s Scotland side for the trip to face Peru and Mexico. And Ross said: “It’s brilliant Lewis has been called up. He deserves it in terms of his ability. He’s
good enough to do it and will use it as an opportunity to show he should be included in squads for more meaningful matches.
“He’s a terrific young man, has a brilliant temperament, a really good mindset and he is a top player. I felt he had the raw materials but at different stages over the last year-and-a-half psychologically he’s improved.
“In our last home game when he scored the winner against Morton, he jumped the hoardings and got booked for his celebration in front of their fans.
“He’d never have done that six or nine months ago. Now, people would say that’s not a great example but it’s all right because he never did anything bad, just held his arms out. It was just to say, ‘I’ve taken a bit of stick’ and he gave some back.
“That shows he has grown and added, not a nasty streak, but you need something about you to keep going up the levels.
“He is smart and understands what he needs to do to deal with what lies ahead.
“I’m building a squad for next season and looking at the holes I need to fill. There’s one thing I’ve written to my board and it says ‘matchwinner’. That’s what he was for us and that’s not an easy thing to find.”