Craig Levein believes he could have guided St Johnstone to a top six Premiership finish.
The former Perth boss, sacked on Tuesday by new owner Adam Webb, acknowledged that recent results put him in a precarious position.
But he was confident that the long-term picture was encouraging.
And he backed the McDiarmid Park club to get themselves to mid-table safety under his successor.
“I’m disappointed because I do think the squad is good,” said Levein, speaking on BBC Sportsound.
“But I have been in the game long enough to know it’s about results and if you don’t get results the chances are you’ll lose your job – and that’s what’s happened.
“You have to take it on the chin, there’s always a reason.
“Not getting results is the most obvious reason there is, that’s what was put to me basically.
“I think there’s more to that for me because there were really good signs that the team is better than last season.
“We were playing much better football and creating more chances. Those things were facts and easy to research.
“I felt we had a reasonable chance of getting into the top six this season.
“But Adam bought the club from Geoff, he calls the shots and I just have to respect that.
“The disappointing thing for me is that I actually felt we had quite a good squad this season, certainly in the front line there were good goalscorers and options.
“I was looking forward to working with them but that’s not going to happen now.
“I do think that the performances have been good and the results haven’t been as good as the performances.
“We had some difficulties, we’ve had five sendings off – which doesn’t help – and we had a few injuries.
“I felt the team were competing in every game we played.
“Even in the last match I still felt that at any point in the game we could score and get ourselves back level.
“I feel better leaving this job than I did leaving Hearts because I think I’ve left the semblance of a decent squad.
“I think it’s one which can finish mid-table and for St Johnstone that would be successful.
“So I feel like I’ve done a decent job, especially staying up last season and then improving the squad with the signings.
“We’ll see.”
‘Adam’s club’
Levein was hired by Geoff Brown and fired by Webb.
The ex-Scotland head coach highlighted the “different priorities” of the two men.
“It’s Adam’s club,” he said.
“He’s come in, he’s calling the shots and he’s decided it’s time for me to go.
“It was a surprise but I’ve been here in this movie before and no doubt if I get back in I’ll be in it again!
“There wasn’t anything in conversations that indicated it had been decided at a certain point.
“But obviously he’s been thinking about it and pulled the trigger.
“I actually got on alright with him but the priorities for me were to improve the squad and get results.
“I think Adam is looking at the bigger picture.
“I got on OK with him, there were no issues on that front.
“People manage in different ways and Adam has different priorities to what Geoff had.
“But it’s his club and I can’t tell the owner what his priorities should be.
“If it’s not successful it’s going to cost Adam money, it won’t interfere with my life now.
“If you’ve just bought a club it’s his decision how he runs it.”
Levein doesn’t believe his assistant at McDiarmid, Andy Kirk, will be in the running to replace him.
“I don’t know what Adam’s plan is and if it goes the same way as other clubs who have American owners have gone, I don’t think Andy’s going to stand a chance,” he said.
“They all seem to want to bring their own guys in.
“Again, it’s Adam’s club and he can do what he wants. I’m sure he will.”
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