It is one of the most arresting images of the Scottish football season so far.
A forlorn Jim Goodwin, traipsing across the Easter Road turf moments after being relieved of his duties as Aberdeen manager following a 6-0 defeat against Hibernian.
A couple of Hibs players do a double-take as Goodwin, satchel in hand, hops over the advertising hoarding — the beaming face of Sunshine the Leith Lynx adding to the incongruity.
The end of his 10-month rein in the Granite City.
‘I was just looking for the quickest route to my car’
He smiles: “There was a lot said about walking across the pitch at Easter Road but, unfortunately, that is where I was parked.
“Some of the videos I have been sent have been dramatised and it looks like something from a Hollywood movie! I can assure you, I was just looking for the quickest route to my car and the steward pointed me in that direction.”
That capitulation in Edinburgh was the denouement of an atrocious 10 days for the Dons.
A 5-0 defeat at Tynecastle against Hearts, a 1-0 reverse to West of Scotland League side Darvel in the Scottish Cup — arguably the worst result in Aberdeen’s history — and then the final straw in Leith.
‘That was what hurt the most’
“Prior to the World Cup, we were sitting third in the table with a cup semi-final to look forward to,” the new United gaffer continued. “We came back after the World Cup and just never got going.
“It’s hard to put your finger on why that happened. I could sit here and talk about individual results and performances.
“Against Celtic, we were three minutes away from taking a point. Against Rangers, we lost goals in the 95th and 97th minute. If we’d taken four points from those two games, I don’t think I’d be sitting here, frankly.
‘It was on me’
“I had a terrible week as Aberdeen manager. The last week prior to losing my job was a disaster. There’s no hiding from that.
“To lose those games in the manner we did was the hardest thing for me. That was what hurt the most.
“But I don’t blame the players and I don’t blame the directors — it was on me. It was my team and I take accountability.”
Discussing his dismissal publicly for the first time, Goodwin added: “Of course, there was a lot of hurt and disappointment but there wasn’t a lot of anger.
“I have no ill-feeling towards Dave Cormack (chairman) and Steven Gunn (director of football). I have taken responsibility for what happened. For whatever reason, for the last couple of weeks I couldn’t get the boys going again.
“A number of senior players spoke to board members and assure them they were still behind me and believed in me. But sometimes in football, you just can’t turn it around and that appeared to be the case at that particular time.
‘I want to be involved in the game’
While keen to emphasise the lessons he learned at Pittodrie, there has been scarce time for Goodwin to rest and rehabilitate following that “nightmare” finale to his tenure with the Dons.
“This opportunity came around a lot quicker than I anticipated,” he acknowledged.
“It would’ve been easier for me to sit at home and put my feet up for a couple of months. But that’s not in my nature.
“I want to be involved in the game, and there’s nothing better than this type of challenge — where you’ve got to fight and scrap for every point.”
Short-term focus for Goodwin
Should Goodwin work his magic and secure Premiership survival, he would become firm favourite to take the reins on a more long-term basis alongside his incoming assistant manager Lee Sharp.
His initial deal is only until the end of the current campaign, at which point the situation will be reevaluated.
“For me, there is no long-term,” said Goodwin. “It is a short term objective, initially.
“It is 12 games and we start with an incredibly difficult one on Saturday. That is where my mind is just now.
“If we get the job done and manage to survive and there is the opportunity to talk about a longer term thing, then we will have those conversations.”
He added: “In my own head, and among my staff, I have a number (of points) and we have to get there as quickly as possible.
“The league is very tight. Look at seventh down to where we are — two or three wins on the bounce, and you can catapult your way up the table.
“That has to be the mindset; nobody feeling sorry for themselves. Everybody knows what is required and this is too big a club to be in the position that it is in.”
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