Jack Ross, the former manager of Hibs, stated that he hopes to serve as a sporting director in the near future.
Ross played for Sunderland, St. Mirren, and Alloa Athletic before enjoying a two-year stint at Easter Road from 2019 to 2021. He had some success during his first full season in the city, leading The Cabbage to their best-ever third-place position in sixteen years and almost missing out on Scottish Cup victory in the final against St Johnstone.
The capital club’s decline began with that cup final loss; in the season that followed, they faced criticism for their football philosophy, even if they had had a strong start. Just ten days before the League Cup final, in December 2021, the team’s performance collapsed, and Ross was fired following a string of seven losses in nine league games.
With the exception of one game in his first seven league victories with former Premiership team Dundee United, Ross has only managed one other team since leaving Hibs. Notably, the rule ended two days after a 9-0 loss to Celtic.
Having vacated the dugout for almost two years, the 47-year-old now plays a significant role as Newcastle United’s head of coaching development.
Dan Ashworth, the team’s sporting director, and Ross collaborated extensively. Ashworth is currently on gardening leave in anticipation of a potential transfer to Manchester United. In the background, Ross is also instrumental in supporting the club’s academy, which has produced players like Joe White, Elliot Anderson, and Lewis Miley who have all made significant breakthroughs this season.
Ross says he can see himself working as a sporting director in the future, which is why Sunderland Echo knows he is pursuing a master’s degree in the field.
The former Hibs manager insisted he has not left management, but he did say he is now looking at other options in the game, speaking to I News.
He stated to the publication, “I want to work as a sporting director since, paradoxically, I don’t think there are many individuals with my background in the field. That’s unexpected, because upon closer inspection, you’ll see that not many have ever held managerial or playing positions.
“Dan [Ashworth] mentored me and spent a lot of time with me; this has been incredibly illuminating because academic experience was one of the gaps in my CV.
“I wasn’t at all sure I understood football. The best tribute I could give it is that there are certain aspects that I would absolutely incorporate if I were to lead a first team once more.
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