Malky Mackay breaks silence to back Don Cowie's rise to interim manager at Ross County after Derek Adams' resignation
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Malky Mackay is backing Don Cowie to restore calm and unity at Ross County after Derek Adams’ disastrous spell in charge.
The ex-Staggies manager is maintaining a dignified silence on the turmoil and furore that followed the recruitment of his short-lived successor in November.
That included comments from Adams publicly criticising Scottish football, the quality of County’s squad and the wage levels he inherited from his predecessor.
But Mackay retains a huge affection for the Highland club and its small team of staff, and is convinced chairman Roy MacGregor was right to place faith in Cowie.
When Mackay took over at County in May 2021, he immediately promoted Cowie from first team coach to assistant manager.
The pair had worked together as manager and player at Watford after Brendan Rodgers signed Cowie from Caley Thistle in February 2009, while Cowie later followed Mackay to Cardiff City and then Wigan Athletic.
Mackay is quietly confident the time is right for the 40-year-old to make the job his own.
“Don will put a calmness back into the place, which is a measure of him,” Mackay said.
“As a player, I saw all the personality traits, but I got to know him better in the manager and assistant relationship.
“He is very diligent, hard-working and very detailed. He has a kindly manner about him and, with the players, there will be a calmness to the place.
“I know him and his wife Shelley, and their two girls, very well and their extended family. They are good people.
“I saw Don talking about how he got to where he did in the game as a player through hard work. There is a bit of humility there.
“He played in England’s Premier League and he played for Scotland. You don’t do that just because you work hard. There’s obviously plenty of talent there.
“The more hidden aspect of his character is that steely determination that’s usually found in people who get to that level in the game.
“Don came from a Highland club, and to go from there to standing inside Wembley, taking a penalty kick against Liverpool in the Carling Cup Final shows determination in someone.”
In his first interview since being axed by MacGregor, Mackay resisted any temptation to hit back at Adams’ statements during his brief third spell at County.
The closest he came to a barb was to say that Cowie “knows Ross County inside out, knows Scottish football and understands what’s needed in the Premiership.”
Adams had expressed shock at poor standards in Scotland and admitted he should have researched County more thoroughly before taking the job.
There were also comments about the County players failing to live up to the budget spent upon them.
Mackay, though, will let others judge the rights and wrongs of Adams’ words.
He was just heartened to see the team of talented players and staff he brought together being led by a young man he rates highly as a coach and as a person.
“The players will respond to Don – very much so. They are a terrific group of players and staff, and I don’t say that lightly,” Mackay said.
“It was a really close dressing room and staff we built.
“Don was an integral part of that and I have no doubts that they have a lot of respect for him – and everyone is going to play for him.
“He has started his Pro Licence as well, so there is the educational side where he recognises he needs to keep learning.
“As he mentioned the other day, he worked as a player under myself, Sean Dyche and Brendan Rodgers as well, along with various others.
“Just as I did, there are little things you draw from other people and mould it into who you are as a manager.
“I was an interim manager myself at one point between Aidy Boothroyd and Brendan Rodgers – and it is an eye-opener.
“It is different from being a coach. The players are the obvious group you deal with, but you have to deal with staff, the press and the club ownership.
“These are all stakeholders that Don will now add to his day-to-day work.
“But there are good people at that football club and good staff around him.
“One of the crucial things is delegation. The job is nowadays all-encompassing, 24 hours a day with the phone.
“With those good people around him, though, I’m sure that he will thrive.”
As for Cowie’s readiness to take the leap into full management, Mackay stressed there were always uncertainties, but added: “There’s a period where you think you’re ready and a period when you actually have the tools in your bag to have a go.
“There is a distinct difference. All of us think we’re ready before we quite are.
“I certainly felt that way after Aidy Boothroyd left Watford and I became interim manager. I’m actually thankful I didn’t get the job at that point.
“I learned an awful lot more from Brendan and then went into the job after him.
“Don has worked closely with Stuart Kettlewell and, latterly, John Hughes. Who knows what he would have been like back then?
“He has had another period of preparation with me and I definitely think he has plenty of tools in his bag now – a lot of experiences to inform and prepare him.
“He is hopefully at the point where he goes in there and absolutely flies.”
