As everyone knows, football management is a career path fraught with danger.
Unless you are an exception to the rule such as Sir Alex Ferguson, most bosses are always just a few poor results away from the sack.
So, it is not surprising to hear Ray McKinnon admit that when he decided to give up the safety of a well-paid job as technical development officer with the SFA, to become manager of part-time Brechin in October, 2012, he was taking a huge gamble, financially and career wise.
However, he felt it was a risk he just had to take and so far, it is paying off with his side currently on an incredible 14-game unbeaten run, sitting in one of the League One play-off spots and with a Scottish Cup fifth round tie with Falkirk to look forward to this weekend.
While McKinnon insists he still has unfinished business with Brechin, the ambitious 44-year-old insists that one day he hopes he will be in a full-time manager post.
The former Dundee United, Nottingham Forest and Aberdeen midfielder said: “Financially, I took a 50% pay cut to leave the SFA for Brechin.
“I had a career in front of me in terms of being in that system of coach education so it was a huge gamble for me.
“I thought it over and at times I had felt I was a bit under productive at the SFA.
“I was in the office a lot and that is just not for me.
“I loved going out and helping guys get their A and B licences and leading sessions.
“I also got my pro licence during that period which was a huge bonus.
“I was approached by Brechin after Jim Weir was sacked.
“It was still a wrench to leave the SFA but there were other things like travelling back and forward every day to Glasgow at a time when there were big delays because of roadworks.
“So it was two hours there in the morning, working nine to five and then two hours back home in the evening.
“It was hard going but I had a good two years with the SFA.
“So when Brechin came in, despite it meaning a 50% pay cut, I still thought I had to do it.
“I made a big sacrifice and gambled a lot but I think it is working out.
“Realistically, there should have been a chance to combine the two jobs but I wasn’t allowed.
“I could have worked at the SFA and managed Brechin but it was frowned upon because of a conflict of interest.
“However, I have no regrets about my decision and I am really enjoying my time at Brechin.
“I have a great board of directors and there is a real buzz about the club.
“I am determined to bring success to Brechin but I am also ambitious and working in full-time football is my ultimate goal.”
The decision to leave the SFA was a huge one for McKinnon for a variety of reasons.
One of those was the simple fact that he would be taking over a club that at the time was well and truly in the doldrums.
However, it was a tough test McKinnon relished.
He said: “When I took over, we were third bottom and had lost our last six games.
“But that’s the sort of challenge I like. I also liked the fact that I could go in there and put my own stamp on things.
“I was fortunate as when I went in there was an international break so I had two weeks to prepare them for the next game.
“When things go wrong, a lot of it has to do with a lack of confidence and belief.
“So when we went in, the first thing we changed was the feel of the club.
“There had been a lot of fear in the past with guys finishing a game and then getting straight into their cars and away.
“So the first thing we did was to change the atmosphere at the club.
“We told the lads what we would work on at every training session and gave them a plan.
“We told everyone there was a clean slate. We quickly built up a real camaraderie and a lot of the credit for that has to go to my assistants Grant Johnson and Darren Taylor.
“People like Alan Trouten were thinking of leaving the club. He was playing in a right-back role but I moved him alongside Andy Jackson and the pair were flying.
“So it was about rebuilding belief and trust to get them buying into what we were doing.
“The key was putting players into the right positions. We changed the system to a 4-3-2-1 which is one I like.
McKinnon added: “We had been losing a lot of goals so I brought them all to Gussie Park and worked tirelessly on the back four and our shape.
“We did it again on the Tuesday and on the Thursday with a different sort of scenario.
“We hardly lost a goal after that and shot up the league.
“We were very unfortunate not to go up that season. We got beaten by Alloa in the play-offs but we were really unlucky.
“We were beaten 2-0 at home but had loads of chances and I said that we would score down there, I was so confident and we did.
“We won 3-2 but really should have won 4-2 and taken it to extra time.”
The next season was one to largely forget for Brechin with McKinnon’s squad ravaged by injuries throughout the campaign.
Thankfully, so far in this term, most of his players have remained fit which has helped them considerably during their current unbeaten run.
And the manager insists the fact that part-time clubs such as his own and his Angus neighbours Forfar are up there challenging at the top of the table when there are big-budget sides such as Morton and Dunfermline in the league is nothing short of remarkable.
He added: “Last season we were absolutely decimated by injuries. I had seven or eight key players out injured all the time.
“It got to the ridiculous stage and we even had three players coming off injured against Rangers in the first half.
“You couldn’t make it up and to finish where we did in the league was just incredible.
“This year, the lads have been outstanding and if it wasn’t for some last-minute goals we would be sitting top of the league.
“We are not far off it now and that’s due to having a really good squad which injury free with the exception of Callum Tapping.
“The difference between my budget and the likes of the full-time sides Dunfermline and Morton is astronomical.
“So for us and Forfar to be up there is incredible.
“I have to work the markets pretty well in terms of loans and youths.
“I have a crop of good players and it just shows if you do it right you can get success.
“All in all it has been brilliant.”