Graham Alexander admits he might stay in the stands for good after being left feeling like a naughty schoolboy by the SFA.
The Motherwell boss copped a two game ban for losing the rag in the goalless draw with Hibs last month and he’ll be off the touchline against Aberdeen today and Rangers next week.
Alexander might give the touchline a permanent swerve but he wasn’t happy with his grilling from the beaks this week.
He said: “I felt like a schoolboy who hadn’t done his homework. I’m a grown man who has been in the game for more than 30 years.
“I’ve never been in front of a disciplinary panel in 34 years and I don’t like feeling like a schoolboy.
“I didn’t like feeling like a schoolboy when I was a schoolboy!
“I wanted to grow up and be a man but that’s how I felt.
“It’s just a brick wall.
“I just find it extremely old fashioned. It’s the ‘do as you’re told’, but where does that work anywhere in modern life?
“It doesn’t. I don’t want to be sitting angry at people, I want to get on with people. I’m not this raving lunatic people seem to think or get the impression about from the touchline.
“I am animated, involved and emotional.
“But I have to adapt to the conditions of where I am working, and that’s what I’ll try to do.
“I don’t believe I’ve doing anything different. I’m not here to say, look at him or him, because it’s a tough job.
“But it’s about communication. If any grown man asks a question and he’s told to go away and be quiet, in any walk of life, you’re not going to feel good about it when it’s your job.”
Alexander spent a match in the stands when his men won at Livingston earlier in the season and he admitted he’s considering taking himself out of the firing line after clashing with officials all term.
He said: “I have to find a way of not getting banned without it taking away what I do for my team.
“If it’s affecting the way I help my team I have to change and adapt to the environment.
“I’ve discussed sitting in the stands with my assistant. It was after the Livingstone game when I had a view from the stands.
“I watched Scotland rugby and Gregor Townsend was sitting up there all calm behind his laptop.
“I’m always thinking about how we can improve and get better anyway. I’m not fussed about the touchline stuff, it’s more being in the changing room, especially at half-time where it’s more important .
“I’m being punished for my supposed behaviour on the touchline but the punishment goes beyond that, which is a struggle for me to comprehend how that is fair.
“But life’s not fair so we crack on.”
Alexander is snibbed but he’s hoping for another Aberdeen after last week’s Scottish Cup victory made it three victories out of three against the Dons this season.
The cup glory cast Stephen Glass his job at Pittodrie and there was also some after with Well striker Keven van Veen hitting out at ‘arrogant’ Aberdeen’s on pitch antics.
But Alexander said: “Kev’s Kev. He’s a grown man and if he wants to say something, he’ll say it. “He talks from the heart.
“I’m not concerned, Kev will be a target again because he’s a good player who scores goals. I saw some of the old school stuff at Pittodrie as well, but that’s fine.
“We’re grown men. There was no violence, it’s just the game.
“I expect all players to play on the edge. We have to push the limits as that’s the only way we win. “We can’t do it in third or fourth gear.”
