Malky Mackay says any incoming players must meet a high standard of application within his Ross County squad.
The Staggies boss looks set to make his first two signings of the summer – with English attacking midfielder Yan Dhanda on his way after leaving Swansea, and Canadian midfielder Victor Loturi expected to arrive from Calgary-based Cavalry FC.
Dhanda, 23, is a former England under-17 youth international and made seven appearances for the Championship Swans last term across all competitions.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Loturi could join two of his compatriots on County’s books, with Canadian Ben Paton signed up for next season and his brother and fellow midfielder, Harry, also offered a deal to remain in Dingwall.
The Staggies have also been linked to Sheffield United goalkeeper Jake Eastwood as their summer window ramps up.
In terms of outgoings, leading scorer Regan Charles-Cook has joined Belgian outfit KAS Eupen, while Blair Spittal has made the switch to Premiership rivals Motherwell.
The Staggies have also lost six loan players, who have returned to their parent clubs.
Last week, the Dingwall club were boosted when key defender Alex Iacovitti and Austrian midfielder David Cancola signed new contracts.
Players must have correct mindset
Mackay made sweeping changes to the County squad after arriving last May, with 12 new arrivals during the course of the summer.
The Staggies boss, who is preparing his squad for their pre-season trip to Italy, says the character of incoming players is a key criteria.
He said: “We talk about culture and mindset of the football club.
“When you’ve got players and staff and directors and fans all going in one direction, you need people to buy into each other at that point and be selfless as opposed to selfish.
“It’s easy to spot selfishness within a group of players. I’ve been doing this a long time, so when I come in from day one I can see that.
“We could see that based on conversations I had with the staff about some of the players that left the football club.
“That’s where things can start to grow and the culture can start to grow and something good happens.
“It’s about good habits, it’s about best practice, it’s about being selfless and working for each other instead of just yourself.”
‘Egos are left at the door’ – Mackay
Mackay has been heartened by the response from the squad he shaped last summer, insisting the environment is a healthy one for new arrivals to join.
He added: “Excellence is doing the little things consistently well, but it’s about consistency – you have to keep behaving that way.
“There’s no point in showing you can do that one day, but then the following day going and doing something different.
“The measure of that is how someone behaves over time, and that’s the thing that has been heart-warming when I look at my group of players here this year.
“Over a period of time, they’ve not only worked really hard on the training pitch and on Saturdays, but they’ve stuck together really well.
“Anyone that came into the group got embraced. They wanted to make sure they settled in okay.
“There are no cliques, because I won’t have cliques, and egos are left at the door.
“Those are the four or five things that actually make culture, and then you’ve got a team that have been able to have the belief to go around the country and take teams on.
“It was getting them into that mindset.”
No more ‘little Ross County’ – boss
County went on to enjoy a memorable campaign last year, finishing in the top-half of the Premiership for the first time in six years.
Mackay insists the Staggies have earned the right to feel at home among Scotland’s elite clubs.
He added: “People perceived us as ‘little Ross County’, but we’re a Premiership club.
⚽️ Ross County to run Highland Academy Festival this summer…
Ross County's Academy have created a two-day festival that will see youth teams from across the Highlands & Islands compete in a showcase event at the Highland Football Academy
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) June 18, 2022
“Four years ago we were relegated to the Championship. That’s not the case right now – we’re in the top six, and when the time came for the split we were the fifth best team in the country on merit.
“It doesn’t matter what people’s perceptions are. Perceptions change because of what you see and experience day-to-day, and that’s what drives this team and this football club on.
“We raise our standards as high as possible, and we keep pushing forward. We won’t take no for an answer.”
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