Former Sunderland manager Jack Ross has been sacked by Dundee United after just seven games in charge. Ross was dismissed in the aftermath of Sunday's 9-0 home defeat at the hands of Celtic, which the 46-year-old had described as 'humiliating and embarrassing for me, personally and professionally'.
That heavy defeat made it five losses in a row for the Terrors, a sequence which also included a 7-0 scoreline against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League, and 4-1 and 3-0 defeats in the Scottish Premiership against Hearts and St Mirren respectively. His only win as head coach was a 1-0 success in the away leg against AZ, prior to the defeat at Tannadice.
A terse statement issued on Dundee United's official website did not include the customary thank you to a departing boss. It read simply: 'Dundee United can confirm head coach Jack Ross has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.
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'Liam Fox will take charge of the the first team on an interim basis with the focus now fully on Wednesday’s Premier Sports Cup match with Livingston. No further comment will be issued by Dundee United at this stage.'
Ross had previously spent 17 months in charge of Sunderland, having taken over in the summer of 2018 following the club's relegation to League One. In his first season in charge on Wearside, Sunderland reached the play-off final against Charlton Athletic and the EFL Trophy final against Portsmouth, but lost on both occasions.
Ross was sacked by the Black Cats in October of 2019 with the club in sixth place. He went on to spend just over two years in charge of Hibs after leaving Sunderland, before taking on the Dundee United role.
Sunderland played Dundee United in pre-season in mid-July, with the Black Cats winning 2-0 at Tannadice thanks to a goal from Trai Hume and an own-goal from Charlie Mulgrew.
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