Derek Adams insists it will be his decision to stay or go as manager ahead of crisis talks with Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor
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Derek Adams tonight hinted he could take his future into his own hands and quit as manager after a 5-0 thumping away to Motherwell.
The Ross County manager, after 78 days in charge, saw his team slump to a seventh defeat in the last nine games, with just two points taken in that sequence.
The 48-year-old’s words after the thrashing at Fir Park suggested he was a man potentially ready to fall on his own sword.
Asked by the BBC how confident he was he would be given the time to turn it around, Adams responded: “This will always be my own choice.
“From my point of view, I’ve come in and been here for 11 games. I’ve said what I’ve said before.
“I’ll decide when that is the right opportunity.
“Give me a bit of time to think things through. I’ve got to look at the bigger picture here, not just for myself but for Ross County as well.
“It’s in a difficult position. It was in a difficult position when I went in and it still is now."
Asked if that meant he would consider his own position if it was better for Ross County, Adams replied: “Listen, I’ll have a conversation with the chairman (Roy MacGregor) and the CEO (Steven Ferguson) and go from there.
“I’ve tried to come in and help the situation. It’s a difficult situation the football club is in. I said that many weeks ago.
“I was open-eyed, honest, I looked at it and all I can say is I’m not surprised.
“And that’s difficult for me to say, because Ross County Football Club is a fabulous one, but at this point of time it is in a difficult circumstance.”
Adams, on appointment for his third spell in charge at the club on November 20 last year, began confidently with seven points from nine in three home games against Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Motherwell.
He then suffered a 2-0 defeat at St Mirren and then, in his fifth game in charge, was thrashed 4-0 at home to Dundee.
In the aftermath of that game, he slated standards he had seen in the Scottish game, stoking huge controversy with some of his words.
Form has slumped since, despite some signs of the football Adams wants his team to play.
Tonight Andrew Halliday, Blair Spittal and Theo Blair, the latter from the penalty spot, had Well 3-0 up by the break.
County were much better in the second half, but lost another goal late on to a stunning strike from ex-County man Spittal and then another at the death to Jack Vale afterf throwing everything at a recovery.
Rangers at Ibrox now await next Wednesday.
Adams said: “I thought we started the first eight minutes well.
“Then, all of a sudden, Motherwell played a couple of really good balls in behind us. We struggled and didn’t cope well after that.
“Motherwell had umpteen opportunities to get goals tonight.”
Asked if 5-0 flattered Motherwell, Adams replied: “No it doesn’t.
“I think our goalkeeper George Wickens kept us in the game. The number of times they went one-on-one (on us) through poor decision-making cost us tonight, in and out of possession.
“It’s not good enough. The players are trying but the quality they’ve had tonight hasn’t been good enough.
“That’s why the scoreline was what it was.
“I don’t think it is (down to lack of effort and application), it’s the quality. We started with a back three and they ran in behind us and they ran in behind us.
“From that point of view, we went to a back four. It helped us a wee bit.
“Just a wee bit of organisation, talking and decision-making tonight didn’t help us.”
A win would have put County back in the pack, but Motherwell instead moved six points clear of them.
“It is really difficult. We’re five points behind and we’ve got that game in hand. But we’re in the same position now as when I took over,” he said.
“It is really difficult. We’ve had two wins in the last 11 games. Motherwell have had two in 20. That tells you how difficult it is.
“We’ve had opportunities to win games – Livingston and Hearts – and we’ve not had enough quality to see it over the line.”
Asked if the players have the belief to get out of the situation, Adams replied: “I think they are working extremely hard. They can only work as hard as they are.
“We have lacked a lot and made bad errors.
“To lose two goals late on was naive. Really, we have a number of younger players on the pitch, which doesn’t help that because experienced players wouldn’t have done that.”
