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Ross County boss Stuart Kettlewell relishing chance to plan ahead to new campaign

Stuart Kettlewell.
Stuart Kettlewell.

Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell says the Staggies have already started planning their roadmap to the start of next season.

County chairman Roy MacGregor was involved in an SPFL meeting yesterday along with the Scottish FA, sports minister Joe Fitzpatrick and national clinical director Jason Leitch.

The SPFL are seeking permission to allow teams to train from June 10, with the hope of starting the 2020-21 season on August 1.

Training will only be permitted within small groups to begin with, ahead of a phased return to full sessions.

Kettlewell has welcomed the opportunity to plan ahead to next season since the decision to call the last Premiership campaign on a points-per-game basis.

Kettlewell said: “It now puts a rubber stamp of clarity on what’s happening, and we get an opportunity to plan and move forward.

“We have been for a number of weeks, but now we can actually start to see that plan can take shape.

“We realise the bigger picture of what’s going on in the world – and football is secondary to that.

“But in the industry we work in, we want to try and make sure we are in the best position we can be in when football resumes.”

County released four senior players last week, while new deals remain on the table for skipper Marcus Fraser and defender Callum Morris.

Ross County defender Marcus Fraser.

Kettlewell is hopeful of adding to the squad this summer, adding: “It’s always hard. There is always a transfer window at this time of year, when players come to the end of their contracts.

“In the current climate, we never relished those conversations but it’s always done with the best intention of the club.

“We just have to see how we move on, and whether we can add to the squad.

“From myself and Steven Ferguson’s point of view there is always a blue sky thinking in what we would like to do, and where we feel we need to strengthen. We just to play that one by ear.”

County have promoted teenage left back Josh Reid to the first team ahead of next season, and Kettlewell hopes to create a clearer pathway into the first team for young players.

He added: “With the massive pressure we’ve had over the last couple of years, we were categorically told we had to get ourselves promoted from the Championship.

“Fortunately we did that, but we knew we had to stay in the Premiership this season – that was non-negotiable.

“It’s great to say we have achieved that, and we are going to be a Premiership club next season.

“This gives us an opportunity now to pave a way for some of our young kids to come through. That opportunity is now there for the likes of Josh who goes straight into the first team squad whenever we start again – hopefully some time mid-June.”