Liam Fox accepts that his position will come under “scrutiny” after Dundee United slipped to a fifth consecutive defeat.
However, the Tannadice head coach remains adamant that he IS the right man to lead the Tangerines away from the Premiership drop-zone.
A Stevie May double condemned the Terrors to a 2-1 reverse, rendering Dylan Levitt’s sumptuous curling effort futile.
United remain one point behind Ross County.
The relegation rivals clash in Dingwall next Saturday.
There were audible chants calling for Fox to go during the defeat.
Asked if he feared for his job, he replied: “Any manager’s position at any club comes under scrutiny when you’re on the kind of run we’re on.
“So I accept that. There’s no issue there for me.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I still feel I am the man to get the club where we need to be — I have no doubt in my mind.
“We are frustrated, we’re disappointed and we’re angry.
“We are still bottom of the table and I’m not hiding from that but we’ll keep working and I believe the harder you work, the more breaks you’ll get.”
Double-whammy
St Johnstone’s winner bordered on the farcical.
United keeper Mark Birighitti dallied on a Charlie Mulgrew pass-back, allowing May to TACKLE the ball into the net.
The Australia international — clutching his shoulder — was immediately replaced by Jack Newman and Fox believes the injury could keep Birighitti out for a period of time.
“Mark knows he made a mistake,” said Fox. “It was a strange decision because it’s not something we ask them to do. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, players can make bad decisions.
“Today we have been punished for it. We have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Fox added: “We have a real issue with Mark long-term as well so it’s a double-whammy. He’s potentially dislocated his shoulder, that’s what the medical staff are saying.
“We might have to look at another keeper (emergency loan or free agent) because a couple of the younger keepers at the club are injured too. We only have Jack Newman.
“That’s something we’ll have to look at in the next few days.”
“We gave the points away”
Fox’s was heartened by the overall performance of his team, with United — deployed in a 4-3-3 from the first time in his tenure — displaying for more tempo and impetus.
That only makes the denouement of the contest even more maddening.
“It’s massively frustrating — it’s very difficult to take given how much the players put into the game,” he added. “I’d like to be talking about the performance of Kai Fotheringham, Dylan Levitt’s goal or coming back to get a point.
“But we’re not. We gave the points away without having to make St Johnstone work for it.”
Conversation