Ross County manager Don Cowie hails teenage trio as ‘future of the club’ as Dylan Smith, Andrew MacLeod and George Robesten return to contention ahead of Staggies’ match against Hibernian in Dingwall
Don Cowie says that having Dylan Smith, Andrew MacLeod and George Robesten back available this weekend will feel like three new signings – and hailed the trio as the future of Ross County.
All three teenagers spent the first half of the season out on loan, with Smith playing in League One for Arbroath and MacLeod and Robesten each turning out for Brora Rangers in the Highland League.
Although the returning group were unable to feature against Livingston last weekend due to being cup-tied, they could all be named in the County matchday squad for this Saturday’s Premiership match against Hibernian in Dingwall.
Cowie had previously said he would not keep the youngsters in Dingwall to sit on the sidelines as that would stunt their growth, and he sees big things in all three of their futures.
“I believe they are the future of this club,” Cowie stated.
“They train with us every day, and I see how well they are progressing.
“They will be like three new signings. I was slightly frustrated we couldn’t use them on Saturday in the cup, but that was a decision we made previously in terms of letting them play for the teams they were on loan at. Now they come into the reckoning this week.
“We felt in the summer that if they weren’t going to get the game time regularly with us, it was important they got that elsewhere.
“It always has a domino effect. Ultimately you’re never going to leave yourself short, but that’s why the three younger lads coming back really add to the squad.
“It’s not just for numbers, because if I didn’t think they were ready to be a part of the group I would send them back on loan to get that experience.
“I think they’re now at that stage where they’re ready to compete and fight for that jersey. It’s exciting to see the progression they’re making.”
Much as Cowie has liked what he has seen from Smith, MacLeod and Robesten in training, he will keep demanding of those three just as much as every other player at his disposal.
Their progress so far has earned an opportunity, but the Staggies boss will stress to them that this is not the end of their journey – only the beginning.
That is a process he knows all too well, having had to wait years to become a regular in the County starting 11 himself after making his first team debut.
“You have to earn it – the hard bit is still to come,” he stressed.
“They’ve got to this stage, and now it’s about making that next step, and that’s about being as consistent as you can every single day. Then when the opportunity comes on a matchday they have to grasp that.
“At the same time, the first opportunity they get isn’t going to make or break them. From my point of view, that’s important.
“It can take time. I made my debut at 18, but I probably didn’t because a regular until I was 21 or 22. Everyone goes through that process at a different speed, so I’m comfortable being patient with them.
“I always say that I believe I was fortunate, because people at this football club were really patient with me.
“I maybe was at a stage technically to play, but I was nowhere near physically. Luckily for me, at this club they stayed patient and waited until that time came.
“Now, maybe they don’t get that time, because people start to think that by the time you’re 20 or 21 you should be a regular, whereas I didn’t get to that stage for another year or two.
“That also maybe comes down to how volatile football is, and how quickly managers change. There is always that different cycle coming, whereas I had a consistent group of people around me.
“Those are things I look back and learn from to try and help the individuals get to that point here and now.
“What I will say is that right now they’re in a really good spot with the way they have progressed physically, technically and tactically.”
In much the same way that Cowie had senior figures who would show patience with him as a young player, as a manager now he will be relying on the experienced heads in Ross County’s dressing room to help set the standards and guide up and coming talents through.
“It just goes back to how important it is that the young players are with the senior ones every day,” Cowie added.
“They do everything the senior players do, so it’s not like we have a reserve team to transition and they then have to get up to the first team.
“The way we work, the young players are with the senior players every day, so they become familiar with each other, the habits and the culture that we’ve got.
“They won’t be spooked when they hopefully get to the point where they’re playing for the first team regularly, because they’ve been there for a few years.
“When Covid hit, the process at this club changed. For me, the benefit of that is that our young players are thrown into the deep end very early which I think will help them make that progression in the long run.”
