Immediately after his side lost the semi-final of the League Cup Danny Rohl seemed bemused.
His team and tactics had been outplayed and defeated by a manager twice his age and in the caretaker job for less than a week.
Rohl spoke diplomatically. He understood the shambles he had inherited, soon there would be relief with Paddy Stewart and Kev Thelwell being sacked.
That wasn’t likely to help the young German in just his second management job.
THE CAMPAIGN
Something else was about to prove a game changer for Rohl and his gormless squad of players. A campaign was underway that would yield spectacular results.
Forget the brutal double assault on Johnny Kenny by Mohamed Diomande and Derek Corneilus. Ignore the obvious penalty claims for incidents involving Reo Hatate and Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
An incredible campaign was underway between two of the biggest forces in Scottish football.
Legacy media outlets and Scottish referees. With honest Willie Collum the chief enabler. His bestie is Gordon Duncan of Radio Clyde and Sky Sports, he can count on David Dickinson, Greg Aitken, Andrew Dallas, Nick Walsh, John Beaton and a dozen back-ups that know the route to the top in Scottish refereeing.
The results have been spectacular. Rohl can hardly believe what he is witnessing. If Russell Martin had the same good fortune he would be managing the SPFL leaders.
NOVEMBER 22 LIVINGSTON AT HOME
The atmosphere are Ibrox was very flat following the defeat to Celtic earlier in the month. A home pumping from Roma followed before respite arrived with a 3-0 win away to Dundee and the international break.
Fernandez opened the scoring in the seventh minute but just 11 minutes later Livi equalised through Tete Yengi.
The same player was through on goal on the half hour mark. Shooting from 10 yards out, the ball crossed Ferendaz who swing his left arm to block the net bound shot.
Referee Ross Hardie decided that the ball had followed a natural path. He knew that John Beaton on VAR duty had a social even that night in Bellshill to attend.
Play continued, Livingston lost 2-1, wee Davie Martindale was raging post match. During the week honest Willie Collum and Beaton phoned to explain that an honest mistake had been made. Martindale took it in his stride.
DECEMBER 3, DUNDEE UNITED AWAY
After home draws against Braga and Falkirk the Rohl bandwagon is in danger of being derailed.
Leading 2-1 midway through the second half Dundee United launched a long thrown deep into the penalty box.
Panic struck Fernandez raises his right arm to deflect and control the ball. Dickinson has a clear view of what happened, the movement of the ball helps him out.
Play on. Going 3-1 down at Tannadice could have sunk Rohl.
Dickinson added six minutes to find an equaliser. In the 98th minute of the match he had no hesitation awarding the visitors a penalty. Nedim Bajrami scored from 12 yards out to salvage a point.
DECEMBER 6, KILMARNOCK AWAY
Kevin Clancy was given the chance to impress in front of the Sky Sports cameras, he did exactly what was required.
Trailing 1-0 Kilmarnock were pushing hard for an equaliser, Clancy knew the stakes involved.
David Watson was bursting into the penalty box, Mohamed Diomande grabbed his jersey, held onto it and denied the Kilmarnock midfielder a run at goal.
Later on Jack Butland raced from his penalty box to wipe out Bruce Anderson. Clancy waved play on. He sent off Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell, nine days later Kettlewell was sacked. Rohl is the prize guy.
DECEMBER 27, MOTHERWELL HOME
Dickinson again, given his second Rohl appointment on the month. Not accidental, just like Greg Aitken on VAR, two of a kind.
Leading 1-0 in a tight encounter reached the closing stages.
Motherwell open up the home defence, Lukas Fadinger darted right into space. But was sent tumbling to the ground by a crude challenge from Fernandez (again).
Dickinson saw it clearly. Two days earlier he had celebrated a staunch Christmas with his family.
Play on. Dickinson knew that Aitken wasn’t going to contradict him.
He knew that he wouldn’t be hounded by the Scottish media. Three controversial decisions over 24 days all going in one direction. Uncle David in Australia was well pleased by those results.
Rohl must be picking himself at his good fortune. All for wearing brogues and a club suit.
And so it continues. Ryan Lee makes his Ibrox debut tomorrow night against St Mirren. With John Beaton on VAR only a very brave man would put money on an away win or even a draw.
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