Derek Adams has insisted that he is not bitter about his sacking as the manager of Ross County, just bemused.
The Dingwall club decided to dispense with his services - and that of his father, George, who was the director of football - following four successive defeats at the start of the season with a County statement acknowledging a desire to take "a new direction".
He is still under contract to the Highland side until 2016 - Adams would reach an agreement with the club should a new job come - but the 39-year-old is itching to take command somewhere more auspicious, a club at which he could concentrate solely on coaching and not have his working life cluttered with obligations to public relations, commercial activities and the like.
The former County midfielder, who also had spells at Motherwell and Aberdeen, would consider any opportunity to work abroad but admitted that such a move is unlikely since Scottish coaches are simply not rated on the continent.
"I'd look to do that but I enjoy Scotland and the passion from the people and players," said Adams. "If I had to go farther afield I wouldn't have a problem with that. However, other parts of the world are not receptive to Scottish coaching or our culture of football. They believe we play the long ball.
"I once went across to AZ Alkmaar and spoke with Michael Duisberg, who was in charge of the youth system there, and I asked him when he thought there would be a Scottish coach managing in Holland. I know Jimmy Calderwood has done it, but I can't think of another.
"He said he didn't think that was possible. How could we go there and tell the Dutch what to do? That's their way of thinking. I would go overseas in a minute because the way I coach and the way I manage is probably a way that would work in a foreign country. I have worked with foreign players and I know how they train, how they take to the game and I know how to deal with their mentality. That wouldn't faze me at all."
Adams will always be considered an enormous success in Dingwall, despite the early difficulties he experienced during this campaign. He led County from the second division to the top-flight and to a Scottish Cup final in 2010, defeating Celtic en route.
Those credentials may excite a demand for his services should another job come along in the top flight, but Adams will not consider a move to a club which he does not feel suited for. "You'll always get an opportunity to get back into the game but you have to weigh up whether it's the right one. I wouldn't jump at the first job that comes along," he added.
"When you're younger, you do make mistakes but I've had 300 games to get over them and along the way you learn what works and what doesn't. As a younger manager you think everything works and you can become a wee bit gallus and you don't listen to people and you think you can go into a club and change it in a minute.
"Ross County said they wanted to take the club in a new direction. I don't know what that means. It would have been easier for them to have said it was because we had lost our four opening games this season."
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