Sunderland sacking IMPROVED me as manager says Hibs boss Jack Ross

Hibs boss Jack Ross believes he is a better manager 12 months on from his shock sacking at Sunderland – and insists he has no regrets about his Stadium of Light spell.

Hibernian boss Jack Ross left Sunderland 12 months ago and signed up at Easter Road a month later (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

A year to the day since his departure from Wearside, Ross is now riding high in the Scottish Premiership and the 44-year-old is glad of the experiences – good and bad – he faced in the Sunderland goldfish bowl.

"I hadn't realised it was a year, until someone mentioned it the other day," said Ross, who was out of work just 38 days before being appointed at Easter Road.

"I was fortunate to get an opportunity so quickly. You never know when you'll get a job, given the nature of this profession. To get back in so quickly, and at such a great club and big club, was fortunate.

Jack Ross has no regrets from his time on Wearside. Picture by FRANK REID

"I'm fortunate I've had very good jobs and this is another."

Third in the SPFL Premiership table just behind the Old Firm, they've made a good start to the new campaign under Ross and he feels better equipped thanks to his experiences at the Stadium of Light.

"Every management job I've had, I've learned and reflected," he told the Sunderland Echo. "I reflect every day on what I do.

"I feel as if I've learned and improved and one thing the Sunderland job did do was make me feel I can deal with the pressure and scrutiny as manager of a very big club.

Ross has Hibs flying high. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

"I keep telling people here (in Edinburgh) what a big club it is and I think the Netflix programme has helped people understand that, because it's massive and the scrutiny is huge. So from that point of view it's helped me to grow again as a manager.

"I've said this countless times, I've got absolutely no regrets at taking the opportunity and loved all of it."

The sacking was a setback, but now his career is back on the right track. His win percentage at Hibs is more than 50%, as it was at Sunderland and St Mirren.

Until October 8, 2019, Ross had only experienced an upward trajectory in his managerial career. Scottish manager of the year during his promotion-winning time at St Mirren, he was Stewart Donald’s choice to turn the Sunderland ship around. Two kicks of a ball in the play-off final – Lee Cattermole’s penalty in the Football League Trophy final and Patrick Bauer's scuffed winner in the play-off at Wembley were all that separated Ross from a successful 2018/19 season.

Small margins - would he change anything if he had his time over again?

"I think you always question if you made the right choices at the right times, but that's always easy in hindsight. I've always been quite thorough in my thought process, and why I came to certain decisions and my management record shows I get that right more than I don't.

"Two occasions that could have been a different legacy. But it happens. I learned a lot, and a lot of good things and positive things, and it stood me in good stead."