Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe admits he is facing toughest challenge of managerial career amid losing streak

Nothing has gone to plan for the Diamonds so far this season and a last-gasp defeat to Livingston yesterday was the latest blow for Rhys McCabe

Rhys McCabe admits he is facing the biggest test of his managerial career after rock-bottom Airdrie suffered a third defeat on the spin.

The Diamonds gaffer has tasted plenty of success since taking the reins in May 2022, winning promotion from League One to the Championship in his first season before going onto lift the club's first trophy in 16 years last season by winning the SPFL Trust Trophy. The club also reached the Premiership play-offs last term.

However, his third season at the helm has not gone to plan so far with just one win in seven Championship games and his side now propping up the table.

The misery was piled on yesterday when Livingston found a stoppage-time winner through Andrew Shinnie to deny his side a point in West Lothian with a 2-1 win.

For the first time, questions are being asked of the player/boss amid one win in seven Championship games, which include a 5-0 humbling at Ayr United and defeats to Falkirk, Morton, Queen's Park and now Livingston.

And while he is confident of turning things around, he knows how he handles their predicament is what he will really be judged on - but he backs his Diamonds to come up trumps in the end.

McCabe, whose side face a huge clash next weekend with joint-bottom Dunfermline, said: "Of course it is the biggest challenge I've had. We've had a vast array of success since I first came to the club.

"But I am not going to be judged - and I certainly don't judge myself - on when I'm just doing well. I'll be judged on how I do and how I am as a coach and a person when going through tough times.

"I am under no illusions that just because I've had a taste of success in the short time I've been a manager, it will be like that all the time. There will be ups and downs, that is the nature of the business.

"But there's no element of frustration or sulking from me, thinking 'oh we are under a bit of pressure'. It's a run of results that haven't gone for us, so what are we going to do about it? The only thing we can do about it is work hard, try to learn from mistakes, try to lean on the positives.

"In the short period I've been in the job now, the three years, I think we've had similar occasions. I think we started last season with a similar points tally, with one win in six, lost 4-0 away to Arbroath. These circumstances we've always come through and I have absolutely no doubt that we will come through this.

"Anybody watching on Saturday will tell you that is not a team that looks like they've given up or anything like that.

"It is a team that, at the minute, aren't getting their fair share of luck and aren't getting their fair share of luck with injuries and setbacks.

"There's nothing you can do. You've got to work hard, have a positive outlook on it and deal with the cards that you've got, that's it."

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