Cowdenbeath boss Jimmy Nicholl feels as if he has some unfinished business as he prepares for his first game back in charge of the Blue Brazil.
The Northern Irishman is beginning his second spell at Central Park following the departure of Colin Cameron and starts with a tough game at home to Livingston on Saturday.
Although more than two years have passed, he remains disappointed with how he left the Fife club the first time around.
Nicholl was unable to stop Cowden from avoiding relegation from the then First Division at the end of the 2010/11 season and eventually decided to take the assistant manager job at Kilmarnock at Kenny Shiels’ request.
However, he is back in the Central Park hotseat after his spells with Killie and subsequently Hibs and is raring to get back into the swing of things.
“I was waiting for a couple of things to happen but then I spoke to Donald (Findlay) at 11am on Saturday morning and it was just a case of saying: ‘That’s it, I just want to come back’,” he said.
“It’s a case of trying to retrieve some personal and professional pride as well because the last time I was here we got relegated.
“Kenny (Shiels) got the job at Kilmarnock and asked if I could go help him at Kilmarnock, so I went with the blessing of the chairman.
“But there was a ‘walk away’ feeling and I didn’t like it, but it was a decision I had to make.
“When Donald asked me back I felt a wee bit uncomfortable because the last time I was there we were relegated, Mickey (Cameron) took over the reins and I went up to the SPL, so I have been a bit uncomfortable with that.
“I told the chairman that and he said it was entirely up to me if I felt that way, but he said he wanted me to come back.
“So I just feel that it’s an important thing for me to come back and do something here.
“The main thing I have to do is make sure the lads stay in this division and from what I’ve seen and from what I’ve heard, they get themselves into good positions and they start games well but the unfortunate thing is that if they don’t score when they are on top and creating chances we seem to go a wee bit.”
Nicholl has taken training sessions with most of the players on Monday and Tuesday but got the entire group together for the first time on Thursday night and set about trying to turn the club’s fortunes around.
“I’ve been talking to Mickey and he was saying the working week is good, they’ve been going into games and creating chances but if they don’t take the chances and concede they get a wee bit despondent,” he said.
“I can understand that if you are a poor or average team, but if you look at the Falkirk game, they played well, got to half-time at 0-0 and then they go and lose by four.
“So there’s something not right, but I’ve seen it happen before and it’s just a case of getting the character out of them.
“I’ve got my own ideas and I’ve been picking Lee Makel’s brains, so I’ve a fair idea of the way we’re going to go on Saturday.
“It’s just been a case of making sure everyone knows their jobs ahead of what will be a difficult game against Livingston.
“I have to make a quick judgement because I can’t afford to wait for people.”
Nicholl also had praise for his predecessor Cameron, and believes the former player/manager will be back in management sooner rather than later.
“It was a shock because I was in Manchester on the Monday and Tuesday and I saw Mickey on the Wednesday at an SFA course,” he said.
“He told me that was him away from Cowdenbeath and said you might be getting a phone call from Donald because he was after someone experienced to take over.
“Mickey did a fantastic job when he was here. When I brought him here the first time it was because I knew he could do the job.”
And on speculation Cameron could land the vacant Morton job, he added: “I hope he does get it he’s always been determined at whatever he does.”