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Richard is an inexperienced manager and nobody, including himself, has claimed to be anything other than that.
Pearse Flynn has to let him learn by his own mistakes but the meeting the two had on Monday does not augur well for the long-term future.
These takeover bids seem to be running even longer than Coronation Street and the events at the start of the week were a bit like a soap opera.
Yesterday's statement that the manager's position is safe until the end of the season won't stop the turmoil at a club where it isn't even certain Flynn will gain 100 per cent control.
I really feared the worst for Richard and his situation reminded me of exactly what happened to another one of my former players earlier this season.
As everyone knows, Paul Sturrock was treated disgracefully by Southampton when he was sacked after only a handful of games.
I would have hated to see the same thing happen to Gough because I've always been very close to him and Sturrock. I can't help being a bit biased as they were really great servants for Dundee United - and I always had an inkling that they would go into management one day.
Make no mistake, Richard will come out fighting.He was a winner as a player and you never lose that special desire.
He never liked being told off in private or in public as he was such a natural leader who detested losing - but what was said between him and Flynn should have stayed private.
After all, he's only learning his trade. Richard has had no experience as an assistant manager and, as I can vouch for myself, it does take a while to get your ideas across to players.
My old chairman Johnstone Grant used to say to me the supporters wanted instant coffee - in other words results yesterday.
But nowadays the strain of the job is 10 times worse and the relationship between managers and chairmen are at an all-time low.
Honestly, I would hate to be a manager these days.Too many chairmen try to run the show by issuing statements to the press.
They're more interested in protecting their own egos than working for the overall good of the club.
Even though the manager might not like it, it should be his job to deal with the media and not some guy in a suit.
Just because Richard was an exceptional player in his day means nothing now - it's all about getting results.
I used to think a manager's time was measured in months but now it seems as if it's judged over a matter of weeks.
I've never met Mr Flynn but surely he must realise there's noway you can buy success at a small club like Livingston after all the financial troubles they've had.
It has to come from good coaching and time spent on the training ground even if time and money are in short supply.
You would need to be a miracle worker to turn things around overnight. Having said that, Richard will have known what he was letting himself in for before he took the job.
The pressure and clamour for results is part and parcel of life as a manager but he must be given more time - clear-the-air talks after just 11 games is ridiculous.
Richard, too, has to be as positive as possible. He's got to learn he can't always be 100 per cent honest on how he feels the team has just played as well as individual performances.
As Jock Stein used to say,you've got to watch what you say because you have to play most of them the following week.
It's sad that once again we're talking about negative issues dominating Scottish football rather than what supporters actually want to read about.
I just hope Richard can work things out at Livingston and with Archie Knox as his assistant he couldn't have chosen a more enthusiastic character.
(Aye, whatever Jum. We take it you've no seen the performances that Livi have put in under Fug Gough then, eh? - Ed)