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Only natural for future to be on minds of players at Ross County


By Andrew Henderson

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Jason Naismith admits it has been difficult not to let his mind drift past Ross County’s relegation battle to next season.

Picture - Ken Macpherson, Inverness. Ross County(2) v Hamilton(1). 12.05.21. Ross County's Jason Naismith clears from Hamilton's Scott McMann.
Picture - Ken Macpherson, Inverness. Ross County(2) v Hamilton(1). 12.05.21. Ross County's Jason Naismith clears from Hamilton's Scott McMann.

The full back may not be alone in wondering whether he will be in Dingwall by the time the 2021/22 campaign kicks off, with just a handful of players already committed to the club for another year – Naismith not among them.

However, speaking ahead of the vital win against Hamilton on Wednesday night, he knew that relegation would not help his chances of earning a good move.

Therefore, he suspected that the uncertainty may actually have helped County in their battle to stay up, with every player desperate to turn out at the highest level and avoid adding a relegation to their CV.

“We want to play at the highest level we can, I’m sure every player in the dressing room would rather play in the Premiership than the Championship,” he said.

“It’s human nature to think about that. Obviously it’s an uncertain time in football, and that’s something I mentioned recently in a team meeting. I said at the end of the day, we’re playing for our futures as well.

“It’s not set in stone. You can’t think ‘it’s okay, I’ll get another club’. That might not be the case, and a relegation on your CV is a black mark.

“We’re all aware of the job at hand to keep the club up.

“But also on a personal level you can’t have negatives like that going against you.

“We’re all fighting for the same cause. If people are fighting for their futures that’s human nature, but if you play well over the last few games and keep yourself up it gives you a better chance for the future.”

County’s manager John Hughes is in the same boat.

His own deal expires at the end of the season, but rather than discussing his future he too is focused on making sure there is Premiership football in the Highlands next season.

“Right at this moment in time it does not even interest me,” Hughes insisted.

“I don’t want outside noise, and I think the chairman is the same as well.

“It’s irrelevant really, I have enjoyed my time up here – it’s a place where you can come up and be sort of out the way. It just lets you get on with your football and I enjoy that.”


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