Tommy Wright has tonight admitted Kilmarnock deserved to go down as he gave an emotional interview following the club's relegation from the Premiership.
The Northern Irishman, who took over in February, insisted "it shouldn't have got to this" after Killie lost 2-1 to Dundee with the Dark Blues triumphing 4-2 on aggregate.
Goals in the opening 12 minutes from Danny Mullen and Lee Ashcroft put Dundee firmly in the driving seat for a top-flight return.
Kyle Lafferty's second-half penalty gave Killie hope but the reality was their performance was nowhere near good enough for a team trying to avoid the dreaded drop.
Wright refused to be drawn on his future at the club but acknowledged that there will be huge changes at Rugby Park with Championship football on the way after the summer break.
Here is what he had to say in his interview with BBC Radio Scotland's Chick Young on Sportsound...
"You don't know how difficult this is," he said. "This is the most difficult thing I have had in professional football.
"But we haven't deserved it over the two games and, more importantly, we haven't deserved it over the season because that's the 24th defeat that we have had. That is totally unacceptable.
"A lot of those defeats have been down to basic errors. I'm taking nothing away from Dundee – they were better than us, they were more competitive and showed more urgency; more desire as well.
"I said when I came in that if we do the basics well then we'd stay up and we haven't done the basics well; not in my time here and I've got to take responsibility for that.
"But when you look at 24 defeats, then players haven't done the basics well all season. We have had far too many defeats. All you needed to do in a 38-game season is turn four or five of those defeats into draws.
"But there's not the mental capacity to do that."
When asked about what happens next and his own position, Wright replied: "My future is for another day. I don't think it is right for me to discuss that. I've got a contract and I'll speak to the board. I know I've got the support of the board.
"Theres going to be a massive clearout. One or two might have got contracts had we went down. I might have to revisit that because what I have seen tonight isn't what this club deserves.
"With the chairman and the board, I know what the budget is, I know how they've backed people. But ultimately players get managers the sack and players get teams relegated.
"It's a crying shame for the club and the town. It shouldn't have got to this. It shouldn't have got to this. But it has.
"There will be people who avoid the responsibility. I take this as my responsibility as ultimately it is my team that went down, irrespective of the fact I have only been here a short time.
"I think I've four players when I wake up in the morning. Five maybe.
"[Of the others] Some will be natural wastage, loans will go back and some will not be offered contracts. Well, quite a lot.
"There will be no hard talking [with Billy Bowie, club owner]. I know Billy will support me, and he supported me with Kyle. They support their manager."
Wright was also asked about the club's prospects of retaining the services of strike star Lafferty.
He said: "Might sign for Dundee, I don't know. I don't think he will be with us. It will be up to Kyle. I would like him here. We will have to wait and see."
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