Derek Adams quits Hibs to resume role as Ross County manager

The First Division club reached an amicable agreement with his employers Hibernian to terminate the 35-year-old's contract after just over six months working as No 2 to Colin Calderwood at Easter Road.

Calderwood told Hibs' website: "I'm sorry to see Derek go, as we have a great relationship and he has been fantastic since joining us last year. But the opportunities to be a manager are limited, and I completely understand his desire to be a number one again."

Calderwood added: "I've really enjoyed working with Derek and wish him the very best in his new role."

Adams said: "I have enjoyed my time in Edinburgh and am sorry to be leaving Hibernian, but the chance to be a manager again at Ross County is just too good an opportunity to turn down.

"Colin has been great to work with, and I would like to thank him, and everyone at Hibernian, for the opportunity and wish them every success in the future."

Adams resigned from his position at Ross County in November last year just five months after guiding the Dingwall outfit to an historic Scottish Cup final appearance.

In his first, three-year spell in charge - initially as Scottish football's youngest manager - he also won a Second Division title, a Challenge Cup and re-established County as a First Division force.

But ambitions to coach at a higher level and frustration over County's poor start to last season persuaded the former Aberdeen, Burnley, Ross County and Motherwell midfielder to seek pastures new.

After suitable offers to manage in his own right didn't materialise, Calderwood made his move for Adams in October with County enduring a rocky season.

Adams' successor Willie McStay was sacked after only three months before County scraped to safety under Jimmy Calderwood, who failed to impress the Dingwall board. Chairman Roy MacGregor explained he had come to the conclusion that nobody understood Ross County better than Adams.

MacGregor also insisted it was his decision alone and not that of director of football George Adams, Derek's father. MacGregor claimed Adams senior was initially opposed to the plan.

MacGregor said: "They say 'never go back' but we've had difficulty in finding someone who understands Ross County. The Ross County model is different from other clubs. It's about staying in the Highlands and not going up and down the road.

"It's about understanding the people in the club and what the club is about. Looking round at where we might go, I came to the conclusion it had to be Derek. I knew Derek wasn't completely happy at being a number two. His father had nothing to do with this - in fact, he didn't want this to happen. But I did."

MacGregor hopes the seven months away will have refreshed Adams junior and added extra experience to his armoury.

The chairman said: "I think the Hibs experience will have added something. I cautioned him about the move because I felt he was a leader who would find it hard to be a number two. I think that's a positive not a negative in that he'll come back even more fixed on what he needs to do.

"He knows most of the players and knows what has got to come in to make us challenge at the top of the First Division. It's a good decision from both clubs and I want to thank Colin Calderwood and Rod Petrie for allowing it to happen. Derek was contracted to Hibs for longer but we were able to come to an amicable solution on that."