Emotions can easily run high in the minutes after a defeat.
When it’s a last-kick defeat, feelings can be even more intense.
Throw in a pitch invasion by a bunch of jubilant visiting supporters and you’ve got a recipe for serious trouble.
So it proved when Dundee beat Ross County 1-0 in Dingwall just before Christmas.
Staggies boss Derek Adams wasn’t a happy man at full-time. To say the least.
Anybody who’s ever been involved in football at any level, whether as a player, a coach, a manager or a fan should be able to understand his frustration.
We’ve all felt it from time to time and wanted to lash out.
But what Derek said to the media in the aftermath of Joe Shaughnessy’s last-minute winner has had serious repercussions for him.
In almost two months since, his team hasn’t won a single game.
And after Tuesday’s 5-0 hammering by Motherwell, he admitted he’s thinking long and hard about his position.
I’d imagine, given the chance again, Derek wouldn’t have criticised his own players in the way he did after their loss to Dundee.
Saying his old team, Morecambe, of English League Two, were “100 times better” than County hasn’t been the motivator he maybe hoped it would be.
Results since then are proof of that.
Derek Adams blast had ‘huge impact’
Managers would probably prefer if they had an hour or so to decompress after matches before getting a microphone shoved under their nose.
And remember – not every question is a nice, gentle one.
In Derek’s case though, I think he’ll know he should have been more careful with his public criticism of his players.
He now looks to me like a manager who maybe doesn’t want to be in the job he’s in anymore.
Those words from way back in December have had a huge impact.
I said a few weeks back that it wouldn’t be long until Dick Campbell was back in the dugout.
Now he’s taken charge at East Fife – and I’m absolutely delighted for him.
Dick is back in the saddle with his trusted lieutenants alongside him in Pink and Youngy (Ian Campbell and John Young) and I think that’s a smart call by the Fifers.
Of course, it means that somebody, in former manager Greig McDonald, has lost their job, and that’s the horrible side of football.
Lindsay Hamilton and Paul Thomson have left the club too.
But when the dust settles, East Fife’s players will quickly find that life under Dick Campbell is different.
He and his backroom staff will get them enjoying their training and their football in no time at all.
The way things ended at Arbroath was disappointing for everybody involved after so much success.
There was also an incident where Dick was spat at by a so-called fan, which pretty much made his mind up to go, I think.
Some people have short memories.
But Dick, Ian and Youngy will be ready to make some new ones with East Fife now.
Will I be joining up with them as goalkeeping coach? File that one under ‘wait and see’.
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