Jack Ross has been sacked as Dundee United head coach following Sunday’s 9-0 hammering by Celtic – just his seventh game in charge.
The record home defeat for United was the club’s fifth successive loss, a run that includes a 7-0 Europa Conference qualifying defeat away to AZ Alkmaar.
Ross departs after only 10 weeks in the job with United two points adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.
United confirmed he has been “relieved of his duties with immediate effect”.
Liam Fox takes interim charge, with the Tannadice side visiting Livingston for a League Cup last-16 tie on Wednesday, and the club say they will issue no further comment at this stage.
Former St Mirren, Sunderland and Hibernian manager Ross, 46, was appointed in June to succeed Tam Courts, who led United to fourth place last season and secured European football for the first time in a decade before joining Budapest Honved.
United’s sole league point from five matches this season came at Kilmarnock on opening day. And Ross’ exit in the wake of the humiliating loss to Celtic leaves the club seeking a fifth manager in four years under American owner Mark Ogren.
Speaking after that defeat, Ross insisted he was determined to fight on and “put things right” – but United have now taken decisive action.
‘Players didn’t throw towel in’
Questions have been asked about the United players’ professionalism after that run of heavy defeats, a spell interim boss Fox said has been “difficult” for everyone connected with the club.
Fox, however, does not believe that miserable form is down to the squad downing tools under Ross, and instead suggested it has come down to a “lack of confidence”.
But the former Livingston player and coach was keen to stress how “we can’t hide behind the fact results haven’t been good enough” and there is “no time to dwell”.
“All of us have had a lot of things thrown at us,” Fox said. “Accusations about throwing the towel in, as a professional it’s probably the worst thing that can ever be labelled at you, so we need to see a response.
“I don’t think they threw the towel in. I think there was a lack of confidence. We played against some good teams.
“It’s important the players and staff take a minute to reflect in the part they’ve played in it. The players will do that. I saw a disappointed changing room [on Tuesday morning] – and I felt that from them as well.”
How did it go so wrong so quickly?
Ross’ fall from grace at United has been devastatingly swift after early signs of promise.
He was only denied a debut win when Kilmarnock snatched an injury-time equaliser, then United claimed a stunning victory at a packed-out and noisy Tannadice when AZ were defeated 1-0 in the first leg of their Europa Conference qualifier.
That optimism soon drained, though, along with the players’ confidence. Having rested players in the 1-0 defeat by Livingston, United travelled to Alkmaar with fresh legs and high hopes – only to be annihilated 7-0, the joint biggest European defeat for a Scottish side.
The after-effects seemed to take a heavy toll as United returned to domestic action and were soundly beaten by St Mirren and Hearts before the Celtic thrashing. United have conceded 24 goals in their five-game losing streak, while scoring just one.
United’s spending this summer was the envy of some Premiership clubs. Ross was backed in the transfer market to bring in eight new signings, including marquee arrivals Steven Fletcher, Aziz Behich and Dylan Levitt, but the reshaped squad has failed to deliver and the head coach has paid the ultimate price.
