Wilson is adamant axed boss deserved more time

AS the autumn leaves begin to gently tumble from the trees, the toppling of two high-profile Scottish football managers within the space of 14 hours signalled a more dramatic start to the sacking season. On Sunday night, Falkirk parted company with Peter Houston, whose three seasons at Westfield saw the Bairns reach a Scottish Cup final and finish above Hibernian and Dundee United in the Championship. Few would disagree that Houston was an excellent Falkirk manager and there are many who believe he had earned the time to turn it around. However, Falkirk’s board could cite with justification a horror start to the league season — no victories and just three points out of 21 — as the logic behind their difficult decision to part company with a club legend. Outwith Dingwall, it is less easy to identify the sound rationale behind Ross County’s decision yesterday to sack the most successful manager in the club’s history. Jim McIntyre’s side had only won once this season and sat in tenth place in the Premiership on four points. But five out of the last six games had been against top-six clubs, with the promise of winnable matches to come. McIntyre could also have been forgiven for hoping the two minor footballing miracles he presided over since arriving in September 2014 would count in his favour. Bottom of the table and looking doomed, the Staggies pulled off a great escape in McIntyre’s first season, picking up 25 points from nine matches to finish ninth in 2014-15. McIntyre topped that unlikely feat the following season by steering County to victory over Hibs in the 2016 League Cup final at Hampden and a top-six finish. He now joins former St Mirren boss Danny Lennon and Kilmarnock’s Kenny Shiels as managers who have fallen victim to the curse of winning that particular competition. For all the shockwaves it caused around the country, though, yesterday’s sacking of McIntyre and his assistant Billy Dodds did not come as a total surprise to Barry Wilson. But the respected BBC

analyst believes it was a premature and harsh decision.

‘Did Jim’s departure take me by surprise? Yes and no,’ the former Ross County and Inverness Caley Thistle midfielder told

‘Even last season, there were fans who were not happy. There was a poor run before the split, but results picked up in the final matches.

‘This season, they started well in the Betfred Cup and then beat Dundee in the league, but four points from seven games has left the fans restless again.

‘As I messaged Jim when I heard the news, County had played all the top teams and they were facing four games where they could have picked up points (at Kilmarnock, at home to Hearts and Hamilton, and then at St Johnstone).

‘They also lost Liam Boyce to Burton Albion and a club like County can’t cope easily with the loss of a 25-goal-a-season striker.

‘I just think it’s very harsh on a guy who won Ross County a cup 18 months ago and took the club to the top six. Yes, last season was not brilliant, but fans maybe need to remember the size of the club and maybe be careful what they wish for at times.

‘It’s just a real shame and I’m so disappointed for Jim and Billy. They also did so much good work behind the scenes at County.

‘The Under-20s won the Development League last year and one or two are starting to break through into the first team.

‘Roy MacGregor (chairman) has put a lot of money into the club. He definitely has its best interests at heart. But I thought they would give Jim four more games.’

With the big beasts of Scottish football now all back in their natural habitat, Wilson (below) believes fans of clubs such as Ross County need to temper their ambitions.

‘The fans’ perception of success is perhaps overestimated now,’ he said. ‘When there was no Hearts, Rangers and Hibs, yes, top six was an aim. Now, there is Celtic, Aberdeen, Rangers, Hearts and Hibs — and St Johnstone have parked their bus in the top six for a long time.’

In 2013, Inverness manager Terry Butcher hailed ‘the powerbase of Scottish football shifting north’ when Caley Thistle and County finished above established SPFL giants such as Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United. At one point, the Scottish Cup lay in Inverness while County were holders of the League Cup. That seems like another era, with Caley Thistle now two points off the bottom of the Championship. ‘Maybe Roy MacGregor has watched what happened to Caley Thistle,’ said Wilson. ‘They dragged their heels when it wasn’t working under Richie Foran and just look at them now.’