Ross County manager Don Cowie believes high summer turnovers are linked to Staggies historically improving in second half of Premiership seasons
Don Cowie believes that Ross County get better in the second half of the Premiership season because of the transition period that is often needed after summer transfer windows.
The Staggies have historically been a better side in the latter part of top flight campaigns, with form significantly picking up in the second half of the 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17, 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons.
This season has shown signs of a similar resurgence, with six of County’s nine Premiership wins coming since December 26 – the day their lengthy winless run away from home ended at Dundee.
Those years correlate with large turnovers in the playing squad in Dingwall, though, with an average of 16 players being signed across the above years.
Over the current season, 17 players have joined Ross County, so it is perhaps no surprise that it has taken some time for things to click.
“It comes back to what we spoke about with the transition of the squad,” Cowie reasoned.
“New players come in, and they have to get used to the football club. I spoke recently about the fact we lost the core of last season’s team, so we knew we had to replace that this year.
“I think we have done it really well. There is no guarantee that happens instantly because of the transition that needs to happen, with players coming into that new environment, with a new voice as a manager, along with new staff and the way we work.
“Now, you are seeing players that are really comfortable in this environment, looking really confident and strong in terms of where they are individually and collectively as a group.
“The challenge for us moving forward is how we minimise that to give ourselves the best platform at the start of the season.
“This year the majority of players that we have signed permanently are on longer contracts than has maybe previously been the case, which puts us in a good position going into next season.
“That’s always going to be the challenge. We didn’t foresee Jack Baldwin or Simon Murray leaving going into this season, and they were two of our key players from last year, so even if players are under contract you still have to be able to adapt and be ready for what’s coming.”
As much as Cowie is trying to build year-on-year, as pointed out there is always the risk that other clubs come in for their current crop of stars.
With the likes of Akil Wright impressing, and leading the Scottish Premiership in some statistics, Staggies fans may be fearing for their chances of holding on to their best performers from this season.
Cowie, though, would take it as a compliment if there is interest in County’s players.
“That’s part of football,” he added.
“It can only be a good thing – if there are other clubs looking at our players it means that individually they are doing something right, and that can benefit us as a team.
“In the current season, the players we have signed at the start of the season came in on long-term contracts because we worked so hard to get them.
“I believe we are in a really strong position. The thing that really excites me is I think there is more to come from some of them, in terms of where they can get to and where their career can go, so it’s up to us to keep trying to get that progression out of them.
