As a successful American lawyer, St Johnstone new owner Adam Webb will be familiar with the term ‘Res ipsa loquitur’.
It’s a Latin legal maxim meaning ‘the thing speaks for itself’, and applies in cases where damages are sought for harmful actions caused, where negligence can be inferred.
Now I doubt the McDiarmid Park owner expects a flood of claims from angry Saintees claiming Craig Levein’s side were negligent in losing in the League Cup at Alloa.
However, one thing that clearly speaks for itself in football is that most fans expect full-time teams to beat part-time outfits and tend to angrily infer a fair degree of negligence when they don’t.
So that midweek loss to the League One side creates unwanted early pressure on everyone at Saints even before the league campaign gets underway.
Adam Webb has talked warmly about getting fans re-engaged with the club but talk only goes so far.
‘Judgement is swift’
Those who have done well in business usually have a tougher side privately than that revealed for public consumption, and in American business culture, harsh consequences tend to apply to underperformers.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer and one early defeat doesn’t indicate poor fortunes ahead.
But I suspect that Webb has in his legal life set a very high bar and will similarly set one in football and expect others to clear it.
I wonder if those who can’t may find judgment is swift.
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