After all those rumours about Patrick Kluivert, Jim McIntyre feels like a bit of a letdown. Some Ross County fans must have been getting excited about the prospect of Total Football in Dingwall, which certainly would have improved on the Total Pish they've had to watch so far this season.
McBookie didn't even offer odds on McIntyre, who has left Queen of the South to take up the post, being the man to replace Derek Adams.
So is the former Kilmarnock and Dundee United striker the right man to guide The Staggies up the table?
McIntyre's record as a boss is a bit mixed. After all, his only managerial experience in the top flight of Scottish football was as Dunfermline boss in 2011-12...which ended with the Pars relegated and him out of the door by mid-March. They were pretty rank, failing to win a home league game till April, and managed just five victories all season.
But it wasn't entirely his fault. He didn't have much in the way of resources to play with. He kept most of the squad that had won promotion, probably as much out of necessity as misplaced loyalty. Most of his signings were players who never played at SPL level. With the exception of goalkeeper Paul Gallacher - who spent half the year injured - the newbies who had played in the SPL before were either well past their best (eg John Potter) or had been found to be woefully out of their depth (eg Andrew Barrowman).
McIntyre didn't help himself with his insistence on playing 4-4-2, which left his defence far too exposed. But his side were always going to be up against it. And, if nothing else, he deserves a lot of sympathy for having to play Chris Smith in goal eighteen times that season. Smith was so terrible that he made Zibi Malkowski look like Manuel Neuer.
And, of course, the reason Dunfermline were in the SPL was because McIntyre took them there. The 2010-11 First Division was not the strongest league - a rather mediocre Raith Rovers came second - but they won it with a bit to spare. He's certainly proven himself competent in the second tier, having spent the last year establishing Queen of the South back there and taking them to a fourth place finish.
Opinion on his time in Dumfries seems positive, but not overwhelmingly so. Taking a newly promoted side to a top half position sounds impressive, but most of the side were brought in by Allan Johnston. Certainly QOS were no weaker on paper than the teams that finished below them. He's shown there that he has some tactical nous and flexibility though, moving to a 4-3-3 system which has ultimately served him well. After a tricky start to last season, they were very tough opponents in 2014.
At County, he doesn't come in to an easy situation. This is a squad built by Derek Adams, and early signs were not encouraging, particularly at the back. There is no prospect of new faces until January - though his new chairman, Roy MacGregor, thoughtfully brought in Jackson Irvine, Darren Barr and Michael Gardyne on deadline day to give him options. But it would be asking a lot of anyone to turn this around quickly.
MacGregor has been wonderful for Ross County in so many ways...but, aside from Adams, his record in appointing managers is not impressive. In the last 10 years the hot-seat has also been filled by Alex Smith, John Robertson, Gardner Spiers, Scott Leitch, Dick Campbell, Willie McStay and Jimmy Calderwood.
But McIntyre is unquestionably better equipped than he was three years ago with Dunfermline, both in terms of experience and resources. I remember him as a scrappy, hard-working centre forward; if he can instill those qualities in his players, they'll do alright.
And we at least owe him some thanks. His appointment of Billy Dodds as his assistant spares us from dealing with his inane ramblings on the BBC from now on. Though for County's sake, one hopes Dodds is far more competent and knowledgeable than he appears on the telly.
L.
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