Malky Mackay: Ross County questions for County after manager fails to find answers
- Published
Malky Mackay won 31 of his 107 games in charge of Ross County
From a top-six finish to dramatic relegation play-off comeback, Malky Mackay's Ross County reign had its share of highs.
Unfortunately for Mackay, a series of lows reached a tipping point to bring his Dingwall spell to an abrupt end.
The former Watford, Cardiff and Wigan manager got off to a slow start at County, with no wins in his opening 10 Scottish Premiership games.
The Highland side endured a similar run at the start of last season with one from their first nine league games. But on both occasions, County found their footing.
Mackay's men finished season 2021-22 in sixth position, narrowly missing out on a first ever European qualification.
Last term was more of a struggle, with an 11th-placed finish putting them in a play-off with Partick Thistle.
However, three goals in 19 minutes brought County back from three down and they triumphed in a penalty shootout to preserve their top-flight status.
The current campaign started more positively than the previous two, with two wins and a draw from their opening five Premiership games.
But another lengthy winless run - nine consecutive games in all competitions - put paid to Mackay's hopes of finishing a third campaign in charge.
Those difficult autumns have given a County an average points per game of 0.97 since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, lower than St Johnstone and Livingston, who sandwich the division's second bottom team.
Mackay lost more than half of his league games and achieved a win percentage of 24%. Of the current top-flight sides, only Dundee's percentage is lower and they were absent from the Premiership last season.
Though the stats do not scream relegation, the trends certainly suggest another difficult season for County and Mackay's dismissal comes at a time when St Johnstone are on an upward trajectory under new manager Craig Levein.
For County and owner Roy MacGregor, survival is paramount. For 11 of the past 12 campaigns - including this season - the club have been among the country's elite, sometimes even mixing it with the sides pushing for Europe in the top six.
And it is unlikely to have escaped MacGregor's notice how difficult Highland rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle have found it since they dropped into the Championship in 2017.
"It was a bit of a shock," former County assistant Billy Dodds told BBC Scotland.
"They're still competitive but I know they're down the bottom and that's when Roy can get a little bit twitchy. With St Johnstone beating them as well with the change of manager, it's got Roy thinking."
Where do County turn next?
St Johnstone elected for experience in Levein and it would a surprise if County did not follow suit. Their current predicament does not lend itself to an aspiring young manager, such as Airdrieonians' Rhys McCabe, who has been mentioned.
When Stuart Kettlewell made way at a similar stage of the 2020-21 season, County appointed John Hughes, no stranger to a battle as a player or manager, and he kept them in the division. He is available as things stand.
Or, if County want another familiar face, Jim McIntyre took over amid similar circumstances and went on to become the club's most successful manager with the 2016 League Cup triumph and is out of work.
Should the club wish to appoint from a rival, Livingston have already rejected St Johnstone's advances for David Martindale. And former Perth double winner Callum Davidson is also available.
In the Championship, Ian Murray is having an impact at Raith Rovers but had a short and unhappy spell at St Mirren in 2015.
County have 10 days until their next match, against Kilmarnock, with the international break giving MacGregor and his board a bit of breathing space.
"Survival is the key," Dodds added. "If they stay in the Premiership, it's a relative success."
If the form doesn't load properly, go straight to it here..., external
Our coverage of Ross County is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment
Everything Ross County - go straight to all the best content