Ross County have tasked Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson with keeping the Staggies in the Premiership and the pair are firmly up for the challenge.
County, who are three points adrift at the foot of the table, were left searching for a new manager following Owen Coyle’s shock resignation on Thursday evening.
Staggies chairman Roy MacGregor immediately turned to under-20s manager Kettlewell and academy director Ferguson to oversee the remaining 10 matches of the season as co-managers, with the pair addressing County’s first team squad on Thursday night.
The Staggies’ home match against Partick Thistle today has been postponed due to the bad weather, leaving Kettlewell and Ferguson time to prepare the squad for their first match away to Kilmarnock next Saturday.
Kettlewell, who steered the under-20s side to the Development League title last season, says the Staggies must now focus on the task at hand following Coyle’s departure.
Kettlewell said: “The chairman and manager had a conversation and obviously we’ve now seen what the end result was. Therefore we were both asked to take over the first team. It’s as simple as that.
“I don’t think anybody thrives on the situation. With the position we’re in, we have to make sure we try and keep Ross County in this division. That’s the priority – we know where we are at.
“I think it is important we stress, certainly through speaking to Owen and Sandy Stewart after their departure, they were nothing but supportive and complimentary of Steven and myself.
“I can’t speak highly enough of how they dealt with the scenario and the way they were with myself and Steven.”
Ferguson, who has had two previous stints as caretaker manager, insists the pair are not looking any further than the end of the season, with their sole task to prolong County’s top-flight status which they have not relinquished since winning promotion in 2012.
Ferguson said: “The two of us are absolutely fine with it and accept the challenge.
“We are obviously disappointed when managers move on but we both know the situation we are in and we will do our best for everyone involved.
“There are no grey areas – everybody knows exactly where we are.
“Everybody knows the group of players we have got but we are in a position we don’t want to be in. We are looking after the first team until the end of the season when things will be re-evaluated.
“It’s a really clear remit, we are in it together. We will work together in the best way for moving forward.”