With just four months in charge of Livingston, Marcio Maximo didn’t have nearly enough time to make the changes he wanted at Livingston.
So it is a fairly natural reaction for him to feel that he has unfinished business.
The Brazilian coach was a shock appointment in West Lothian in 2003 when they were a Premiership club, replacing the legendary Jim Leishman who was forced to make a move upstairs.
Maximo came from the Cayman Islands where he had been working as a technical director and had previously coached national youth teams in his homeland containing the likes of superstar pair R9 Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
He was ahead of his time as looked to implement a high-pressing, transitional style of play that is now so in vogue, but found it hard to get his ideas across to the players.
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Ex-Livingston boss Marcio Maximo wants return to Scotland
Now 62 and currently working as and adviser for the Brazilian Football Federation after a stint in charge of the Guyana national team, Maximo would like to return to Scotland to work as a manager.
He readily admits he made a crucial mistake when in charge at the Lions, trying to change too much too quickly and get his ideas across straight away.
Speaking exclusively to Not The Old Firm: “I had my time in Livingston. We tried to implement some new methods that now everybody is doing like pressing high, transition, something more elaborate.
“But the people, sometimes it’s difficult to change so much so quickly, you know? I think it’s my big mistake, because I tried to change everything very, very fast.
“I enjoyed my time there a lot. I tried everything, but I’m proud because we put in many young players in the team, like like you should do.”
He still keeps a keen eye on Scottish football and notices such a difference in the style and standards here, feeling his methods would now be more suited.
Always a fan of the Scottish game as it was, he insists players are now much further forward in terms of technical ability.
Livi are obviously bossed by David Martindale, who hopes to lead them to promotion from the Championship, but Maximo would be open to work at any club.
He added: “I could help a in some stage and I think that the Scottish players start to change style.
“No more physical only, but also more technique. They have always had a good tactical discipline. But I talk about the technique to understand to attack the space, especially with the ball.
“Without the ball, they have good concentration, defensive concentration – very, very disciplined.
“Last year the Brazil Football Federation invited me to be instructor of new coach. I accepted but now is my time to come back to the pitch.
“I can complete my job there. I’m sure that I could give my contribution with the new style.”
Maximo gave Robert Snodgrass big chance
As he watched Robert Snodgrass go on to have an ullustrious career in the Premier League with West Ham, Aston Villa and others, and be a key man for Scotland across 28 caps, Maximo was proud.
That’s because he saw the potential in a young 17-year-old and brought him in to train with the first-team. He could see that Snodgrass had both the technical ability and the mentality to cope with that and to make it in the game longer term.
The Brazilian coach added: “I was the first coach that put him in because I saw a lot of potential.
“Because the football is not only about the physical and the technical, but you should have character. You should have personality to play.
“I brought not only him. I brought other players from the 17s.”