Lewis Stevenson has been no stranger to managerial changes in his career – but has confessed his latest experience at Raith Rovers took him completely by surprise.
That it was a former Hibernian team-mate in Ian Murray made the news of the Stark’s Park axe all the more tough to take.
However, he knows the players can do nothing other knuckle down and try to make the transition as smooth as possible.
And, awaiting Murray’s successor in the dugout as they make the tricky trip to Ayr United, he is hopeful Raith can build on their 1-0 victory over Partick Thistle the last time out.
“It was obviously a bit unexpected,” he said as he reflected on Murray’s departure. “I didn’t think that would happen so early on in my Rovers career.
“So, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind. But these things happen in football; you need to prepare for anything.
“It was a bit of a shock to the system for everyone at the club.
“But these decisions are made for different reasons and as players you just have to focus on yourself and on what happens in training and on a match-day.
“I’ve dealt with this situation loads in my career.
Stevenson: ‘Responsibility’
“As a player, you always take a bit of responsibility when this happens, because you’re maybe not performing.
“And I’m disappointed for Ian. He’s a guy who I played with and he was my manager, and I got on really well with him.
“So, on a personal level I was sad to see him go.
“But we’ve bounced back pretty well, getting a good win at home against Partick.
“We needed that. The players needed that, the club needed that, and we’ll try to follow that up against Ayr.”
Stevenson played under 14 different permanent managers, and eight caretakers, during nearly two decades in the Hibs first-team.
Incredibly five of them were in the last five years.
Despite such experience, the 36-year-old insists he has not taken on any greater role in recent days.
“Most people in that changing room will have had a managerial change at some point in their career,” the left-back added to Courier Sport.
Rovers are focused
“Everybody deals with it differently, but you just have to focus on what’s in front of you.
“Whoever takes over, the players just have to do everything they can in training and in games.
“That’s the most important thing.”
Raith followed up their 1–0 defeat to Airdrie on the opening day of the league campaign with a narrow victory over Partick a fortnight ago with John Potter and Colin Cameron in interim charge.
Having played under Potter at Hibs, when Raith’s technical director was assistant to Jack Ross, Stevenson reckons he has been the perfect man to take the reins temporarily.
“I’ve worked with John on the training pitch at Hibs and on the training pitch here,” said Stevenson, who signed a two-year deal with his hometown team in the summer.
“So, he’s a familiar face and a familiar voice, and he knows how to get the place lifted and keep the spirits up.
“We have to take responsibility as players to keep the standards high in training and give him everything.
“He’s a big character, on and off the pitch, and he’s got us all going. We’ve all enjoyed training and hopefully that transfers into a performance on the pitch.”
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