Michael Tidser has revealed how his Dunfermline sacking turned his life “upside down” and reduced his children to tears.
But he is determined to learn lessons from the ill-fated spell with the Pars as he seeks a return to management.
The 35-year-old lasted just two months in the job at East End Park before being ruthlessly axed last month in the wake of a Fife derby defeat to rivals Raith Rovers.
In post for 11 games, the Pars won only three of them.
And Tidser admits going quickly from Kelty Hearts to Dunfermline and then out of work in the space of a few weeks was an emotional rollercoaster for him and his family.
“Listen, it’s been really difficult,” said Tidser, who could return to Kelty following Charlie Mulgrew’s departure.
“I feel like my life’s kind of been turned upside down.
“From going from part-time, being a player and a manager, to then full-time and obviously the inevitable, you know, getting the sack.
“It’s been difficult but it’s a major learning curve for me.
“The biggest thing for me was, the opportunity to go to Dunfermline was one I couldn’t turn down, especially at 35 years of age.
Dunfermline ‘a fantastic club’
“I’ll place it on record, it’s a fantastic club, with really good people.
“But, in terms of myself, I certainly learned a lot and, going forward in the future, I think it’ll stand me in good stead.”
Speaking to The Footballer’s Football Show podcast, he added: “I’m still young.
“We all want to stay in football.
“But it just shows you that you can go from having interviews and getting jobs, to then, bump, you’re done.
“That’s football, and I try to explain that to my two young boys (Aaron and Josh), who are football daft, that it’s a ruthless business.
“My kids were visibly upset, they were crying their eyes out, and worried about their dad, and what’s going to happen.
“But it’s par for the course at times. It’s never easy, but it’s something you need to take on the chin.
“And you quickly dust yourself down. You need to then try and focus on another challenge, and see what’s out there, and hopefully doors can open.”
Tidser has confessed that defeats against relegation rivals Airdrie (3-0 in his first league game in charge) and Hamilton (1-0 in his fourth-last match) were particularly damaging.
And, despite never fully winning over the Dunfermline supporters, he has praised them for backing the team through difficult times.
He looks back on his short spell with the Pars as a harsh lesson and is convinced the club can survive in the Championship with Neil Lennon now at the helm.
Tidser: ‘I didn’t want to change’
However, despite the difficulties, the former Celtic and Morton player is adamant his football principles have not been altered by the experience.
“This is going to come across as kind of arrogant,” he added. “But I didn’t want to change because I genuinely believe, for longevity, that’s the way you’ll (get success).
“I remember seeing an interview with Ange Postecoglou, and it’s something that always stuck with me, he says that football always tries to change you.
“And it did, there were loads of times that I thought about it.
“But I tried to stick to what I knew, because over the 18 months at Kelty, I’d seen results, I’d seen how it worked.
“But, going into a club with the players there already, that’s trying to fit square pegs in round holes at times. And that’s probably my biggest takeaway, that’s my biggest learning curve.”
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