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It's a few weeks now since I chewed the fat with Stevie Clarke over dinner.

That’s not strictly true, it was a bowl of linguine gamberoni.

An off the record, getting to know you bite to eat with the Scotland boss, as informal as, ‘how’s life pal and can you pass the parmigiano?’

Without getting into detail, the company was refreshingly candid, extremely approachable and provided confirmation that he possesses engaging qualities and a dry sense of humour. A guy you’d be happy to go for a pint with but maybe draw the line at being your wingman at the dancing.

This was a rare insight into his football mind and as we skipped dessert, the conclusion was he was also the kind of guy I’d have loved to have played for.

A galvaniser, someone who sees the game in its simplest form. Don’t ask players to do what their level of ability doesn’t allow.

His is a philosophy of playing to strengths, in foodie terms he likes his pasta simple and not given to transforming a basic bolognese into anything more gastronomically bourgeoisie.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Which brings us to his old side Kilmarnock, Kirk Broadfoot and the new St Mirren signing’s public slating of current Rugby Park incumbent Angelo Alessio and an, ‘I told you so’, moment.

Clarke’s time at Killie allowed him to mould a side in his image. Uncomplicated, organised and based around doing the basics well and when it came to training, he preferred his players to do disguised running courtesy of small sided games.

Cue big Broadfoot and his complaints over Alessio’s methods couldn’t be starker.

The Italian is prone to spending hours on the training ground working on shape.

It’s one of the most monotonous tasks as a footballer, it involves a lot of standing around, noses are put out of joint, if you’re not involved then it only serves to build up the resentment. Come hail, rain or shine, it also bores you rigid.

The reverse argument is that if it’s good enough for a former Juventus assistant then it’s a failing of Scottish players not to embrace the sophistication of a superior technical brain, but nobody’s buying it.

(Image: SNS Group)

Working on shape is a game of Give us a Clue. I’ve been there, a series of knowing looks to team-mates as you try to second guess the manager about his line-up.

If he’s walking through a drill or a positional system and you’re left standing at the side then you don’t need to crack the Enigma code to decipher you’re not playing. Or worse, during one shaping session at Clyde, I heard my name being shouted to get out wide on the right as my job was to try and negate the attacking threat of Brian Laudrup. I can still hear the stifled laughter.

Ask any coach worth their salt and they’ll state the importance of trying to keep a squad engaged in every session and time spent on shape should be kept to a minimum. Especially for the average footballer who has the concentration span of Jacob Rees-Mogg at a parliamentary debate.

Alessio’s training methods have been an open secret for months and Broadfoot’s revelations backed up the reports coming out of the dressing room that relations between players and boss are at breaking point.

If you don’t believe Kirk’s account then see if you can track down Killie keeper Jamie MacDonald.

(Image: SNS Group)

You’ll have a job as by all accounts he’s taken to topping up his fitness by pounding the streets during late night jogging sessions.

It was the subject of a column from yours truly which brought scorn and worse on social media, an agenda against Angelo was the accusation. Not so. My opinion that Killie should cut their losses with the Italian after only a few months was based on the cries for help coming from a dressing-room who could not understand their new manager’s methods.

Broadfoot’s the whistleblower over the turmoil behind the scenes and won’t be the last.

It’s that same disillusionment which is currently stinking out the dressing room at Partick Thistle.

Don’t shoot the messenger but the jungle drums are beating about Jags players and disharmony with the methods and management style of their boss Gary Caldwell. It appears something’s got to give down Firhill way and the whistleblowing is already audible, if not yet ready for a public hearing.

Anyway, ask Stevie Clarke. You don’t need a Michelin star to be a success in management, sometimes it’s best to stick to the tried and tested menu.