Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor admits Derek Adams made a mistake with his controversial comments on the standard of Scottish football.
But the Staggies chief admits there is “a bit of truth” in Adams’ assessment of the game north of the border.
In Adams’ post-match interview following his side’s 1-0 defeat by Dundee, he said the standard of the games he had seen since returning to Scottish football was “shocking” and claimed his Morecambe team had been 100 times better than the County side he inherited.
Adams later apologised to his players for that comment.
In an interview in the Mail on Sunday, MacGregor said: “He made a mistake. Some of what he was trying to say was visionary, some of it frustration.
“I don’t want to lose that passion in him but the stuff about other leagues and other clubs was not right.
“I think he was messaging that he wanted more. He felt some players were not performing and picking up their wages too easily.
“That’s normal for managers but life has changed.
“Generationally, we are now with millennials, and I would have thought 700 games as a manager would have taught him how to not get frustrated at the end of a match.”
MacGregor added: “I think he regrets the way he said it.
“I don’t know 100% what triggered it because in the interview he seemed fine.
“But I think everyone would agree there is a bit of truth in what he said.
“Is the product as good as it was?
“He is very much a guy who wants to play football in the final third. But is the pressure to survive so great that teams are not doing that?
“Are they not playing enough young Scottish players? I think there is debate there to be had.”