Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Ross County boss Derek Adams defends standards rant but admits one regret

Derek Adams has revealed he stands by his comments branding the standard of Scottish football as "shocking".

The Ross County manager launched into an astonishing rant as he suggested his former club Morecombe is "100 times better".

And Adams has defended his comments as he stated that from the five matches he has watched since his return to management north of the border his statement was accurate.

However, the manager did admit regret over referencing his former club in his bombshell comments.

He told BBC Scotland: "What I said on Saturday was from the five games I've witnessed. Sometimes it's probably better that I keep my thoughts to myself and my opinion to myself. After the game, there was a situation where you've lost a last minute goal and you probably do say things quite quickly after it and that's what I did. From what I've seen in the five games, I stand by it, yes I do.

 "What I probably shouldn't have said, I shouldn't have referred to my former employer and that's something I do regret.

"The players are disappointed by what I said, there's no doubt about that, but now they have to go out and prove on the pitch how good they are.

"I'm trying to get us moving up the league, trying to push the players on. People can say that's maybe devaluing them etc, but I'm trying to get them moving forward and get them thinking."

In his jaw-dropping rant at the weekend, Adams had said: “The standard since I’ve come back to this country is shocking,” Adams said. “Today, if I’m a paying customer, I don’t come to watch this football match.

“The standard has got to be a lot better. The way we pass the ball, create chances – it has to be better – and that’s for both sides.

“Today I’ve seen some good play but over the afternoon I’m standing on the touchline thinking ‘what a job you have got on here’.

“I’ve left a club that is 100 times better and we had the lowest budget in League Two. I just see some of the things that happened and think ‘seriously?’

“It is so disappointing. I’m so annoyed, just at the way the (Scottish) game is.

“Even the opposition. You want someone to show up and produce some entertainment. I’m not seeing anything.

“I don’t see any entertainment. If this is the best we’ve got in the country, what are we going to do?”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.