Canny Adams adds another trophy to the shelf
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HIS managerial stock is soaring but Derek Adams insists he is not about to be dazzled by big clubs with big histories – and big debts.
Adams’ yesterday (Thursday) collected his third manager of the month award this season – a record for any non-Old Firm manager since the SPL’s creation.
Tomorrow’s visiting boss Neil Lennon is now the second best -decorated with two awards this seasonyear.
Adams has been repeatedly linked with bigger club vacancies in Scotland and beyond but is now in talks aimed at extending his current deal at County beyond summer 2014.
The presumption that the talented 37-year-old will simply up sticks to greener pastures at the first opportunity rang false yesterday as the County boss talked of the future.
The Staggies stand on the brink of club history as they chase the top six and, potentially, European qualification, but remain a young club in senior national league terms.
Adams, it seems, will think long and hard before abandoning his five years of work in Dingwall.
The County manager said: “There is talk about a new contract.
“I’ve got a year of my contract to run here and I am more than delighted with the progress we are making.
“I’m hopeful I can get the majority of the players signed up as well because I think we have got a good foundation for the SPL.
“We’ll add players toin the squad and we will lose players, we are comfortable with that.
“But over the five years there is no player who has moved on and done any better than they had been at Ross County.
“We have a good environment here and a lot of them will have seen others go and not do as well elsewhere.
“A top- six finish would have an affect on the budget and it will allow us to offer better contracts.
“We have already proved the club is ambitious and the players have shown it on the park.
“There are a lot of clubs with a lot of history but they don’t have the balance sheet like Ross County or are run like this club.
“That’s one of the reasons we have been successful. We have not spent money we don’t have, unlike a lot of clubs in Scottish football.”
On the subject of his own future and repeated links with clubs like Aberdeen, Hearts and Dundee United, Adams was frank.
He said: “I just get on with my work. There has been a lot of talk over a number of years.
“I enjoy working here. I’m able to do what I want to do by running a football club and I’ll not get that, I know, at many places.
“It’s like David Moyes at Everton. He has been able to move that club on for the last 10 years and make them the club they are.
“Bill Kenwright has allowed him to do that. My chairman and the director of football here have allowed me to do that as well.
“A lot of other football clubs have a lot of opinions.
“It is vital that the football manager is able to have control if he is doing the right thing well.
“There are a lot of clubs with a lot of history, but that’s what they have just now.
“We’ve got a football club that is up-and-coming and competing at the highest level.
“There are a lot of clubs with a lot of debt and a lot of clubs who had a lot of success in the past and don’t have any success just now.
“So who is to say Ross County cannot compete with them on a weekly basis? We are doing that just now.”
Adams has goalkeeper Mark Brown out injured and Richard Brittain suspended for the highly-anticipated visit of Celtic.
County tackle the champions with a 10-game unbeaten run – and five clean sheets – behind them.
Celtic return, perhaps fatigued, after their heroic Champions League journey ended against Juventus in Turin.
Adams knows a shock County victory would push the club to the brink of securing top- six status.
He said: “It would be nice if we could do that. We’ve put ourselves in a great position with four games to go. Let’s see if we can finish in the top six.
“The players want it and that’s been shown with what they have done on the pitch.
“Celtic come off Turin and we’re unsure as to what team they will take to Dingwall, but we’ll take it from there – and try to keep the unbeaten run going.
“They will not be on a low after exiting the Champions League but, listen, they will not be on a high either.
“They will not enjoy coming to Dingwall. We’ll be fresh and ready for them.
“Will they freshen things up? They might do, but the players they freshen up with are pretty decent.”
