Jack Ross reveals what he told his former coaching staff after Sunderland exit

Ross has since taken charge of Hibernian following his sacking at Sunderland, with his former assistant Fowler the new head of football operations at Kilmarnock.

Ahead of the Scottish Premiership game, Ross told the Scotsman: “When I left Sunderland I had a staff there and the message I gave them was to do their job there.

“I said they had to look after themselves because you can’t rely on someone else getting a job and equally you don’t know what scope you have to bring a team with you if you get a job.

“In an ideal world you all move as one big happy group but it’s not like that. I knew this opportunity was there for him. I wouldn’t say I encouraged him – he had to make up his own mind – but we had a good conversation about it.

“Whether I helped make him believe he had the attributes I don’t know. But I think he’s suited to it.”

Ross has taken former Sunderland first team coach John Potter with him to Hibernian.

On Fowler, Ross added: “I’ve spoken to him since he got the job, just not this week.

“We probably will speak tomorrow but if we do have a conversation there won’t be much about the game, more a general thing.”