Revealed! The stats behind Jack Ross' remarkable managerial career
While on the face of things that may seem like a surprise, the stats behind Ross' remarkable rise suggest otherwise.
This is a man who has won just shy of half the games he has ever managed and one who his current club - St Mirren - were desperate to keep.
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Hide AdHis managerial career only began in December 2015 when he took over at Alloa Athletic and his rise has been rapid, especially since he joined his current club in October 2016.
We've crunched the numbers on Ross' career to see why the 41-year-old is so highly sought-after.
He's a winner
If there's one thing that quickly becomes clear from Ross' stats, it's that.
Through his managerial spells at Alloa and St Mirren, Ross has won 48.25% of the games he has ever managed.
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Hide AdIn the 35 games he took charge of at Alloa, the Scot oversaw 14 victories which gave him a win percentage of 38.24%.
And that percentage only improved at the Buddies with Ross winning 52.5% of his outings at St Mirren.
He likes to score goals - and keep things tight at the back
St Mirren netted 63 goals in just 36 games last season - the best in the Scottish Championship.
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Hide AdIndeed, even when he inherited a struggling team in Paisley midway through the 2016/17 campaign he still saw his side score 41 in 28 gamesin what was a fine turnaround.
And indeed, Ross' teams have have a reputation for playing positive football and getting on the front foot.
Also pleasing is the spread of goals around the team.
In 2017/18, 19 of the 37 players Ross used found the back of the net - showing that he'll expect goals to come from all areas of the pitch.
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Hide AdBut attacking football isn't at the sacrifice of defensive stability.
While St Mirren's record wasn't the best in the league, they conceded an average of just one goal a game.
That was accompanied by 14 clean sheets, meaning Ross' sides tend to be effective at both ends of the field.
He values performances on home soil
Key to any promotion push is impressive form on home soil - and this was certainly the case for Ross' side last season.
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Hide AdOf the 18 league games St Mirren played at the Paisley 2021 Stadium, they dropped points in just four as they picked up a staggering 14 home wins.
They conceded just twelve goals on their own patch and this home form was the catalyst for the Buddies' title win.
This is in stark contrast to Sunderland's dismal home form last season, with the Black Cats picking up just three home wins throughout the campaign.