Ross County chief executive Steven Ferguson says no decision will be made on Don Cowie’s future as Staggies manager until Premiership status is confirmed
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Ross County chief executive Steven Ferguson says interim manager Don Cowie has put a strong case forward to be named the club’s permanent boss – but insists everybody at the club is comfortable prioritising the fight against relegation over individual futures.
The Staggies are unbeaten at home since Cowie was placed in temporary charge, and he has proven to be a popular man in the dug out amongst players and supporters alike.
Cowie himself has also made no secret of his desire to be County’s permanent manager, but has previously said that he is on the same page as Ferguson and club chairman Roy MacGregor.
Ferguson insists no decision will be made until the club know which division they will be playing in, and in the meantime the club’s staff, coaching team and playing squad are all solely focused on securing Premiership football for next season.
“Don knows exactly where we are, and the communication between Don, the chairman and I is really good,” Ferguson explained.
“We are under no illusions, and we have collectively spoken about there being a bigger picture here. The focus is on getting the best out of the group that we’ve got on and off the pitch to make sure we’re playing in the Premiership next season.
“Don’s personal situation hasn’t been discussed in any length, because it’s not the most important thing to the three of us. The most important thing was to steady the ship and maximise the group that we’ve got.
“The performance and result against Rangers tells us that Don has got some momentum, and he’s got a group that believes they should be playing in the Premiership next season. Until that is secured though, there won’t be any other focus for us.
“I think Don has put a really strong case forward for showing that he can lead this football club, but like me, Don is 100 per cent comfortable putting that on the backburner to make sure we leave no stone unturned to make sure our club is playing Premiership football next season. Then we can revisit what comes next once our future is secured.
• Related: How does Don Cowie’s record compare to his Ross County predecessors?
• Related: A look at the Staggies’ form after the Premiership split in years gone by
“It’s mathematically possible that we can still go down automatically, there is still a strong possibility that we will be in the play-off, and there is a strong possibility that we will stay in the league.
“So much can still happen in these last five games, so our focus is on the collective over any individual.”
Last weekend’s historic victory over Rangers will only have fuelled belief that Cowie should be named Ross County manager on a permanent basis.
It a highlight for many fans in their time following the Staggies, and it was no different for Ferguson whose association with the Dingwall outfit spans nearly 30 years.
County’s chief executive, though, was cautious against getting carried away with the club still sitting in the Premiership’s relegation play-off spot.
“We certainly were really pleased with the result, but also the performance,” Ferguson reasoned.
“We appreciate that it’s been a difficult season, and nobody expected us to go and get the win against Rangers. Even in our own camp, it’s a game that you want to do well in and see what happens but at no stage are you expecting three points.
“Those points are so important, huge at this stage of the season, but in isolation it’s just three points.
“We’ve still got a task ahead of us with five games to go, so it’s probably one we will look back on as an iconic result at the end of the season.
“It’s one that people will remember, but with the situation we’re in at the moment the thing that is really good for us is that three points helped us in our quest to stay in the Premiership.
“Yes, we enjoyed it, and we recognised that it was a big result for us. It sounds cliche, but it means absolutely nothing if we don’t stay in the Premiership.
“That’s not trying to take any shine off it. It was an iconic game for us, and the performance was really good, but really it’s just a part of a bigger picture for us.”
