Malky Mackay says Ross County’s long-term benefit outweighed his temptation to keep Matthew Wright and Adam Mackinnon in his squad for the second half of the season.
Wright and Mackinnon, who both spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Montrose, were both farmed back out during the latter stages of the January transfer window.
Midfielder Mackinnon returned to the Gable Endies, while forward Wright joined fellow League One side Falkirk.
Mackay insists the pair, who are both from Lewis, will be better served gaining experience on loan rather than being on the fringes of his Staggies squad.
He said: “I used to look at our young Scottish internationals and it frustrated me when some of them weren’t out on loan, but were sitting in the last spot on the bench or in the stand for a Premier League club.
“The long-term benefit for both the player and the club was going to be out on loan.
“I obviously get it. As a manager, you don’t want to leave yourself short and it is all about the here and now.
“But the club is about the longevity of good young players coming through and making sure they come through in the correct way.
“When they do come in they then hit the ground running and eventually they are an asset to the football club.”
Wright given full-time platform
Wright has already made a first team impact for the Dingwall side, having netted a late equaliser in a 3-3 draw against Rangers in January 2021.
With his previous two loan spells having come at Brora Rangers and Montrose, Mackay was keen to take the opportunity to send him to a full-time club.
Mackay added: “After Christmas, Falkirk, who are challenging at the top of that league, came in for Matthew and pitched for him to be full-time with them and heavily involved, which he has been so far.
“I just felt it was a good progression for him.
“He’ll be down there most of the time, but we’ll stay in touch with him once a week and keep an eye on his games.”
Mackinnon back to a familiar setting
Similarly, Mackay has full faith that Mackinnon would be capable of contributing to his Staggies side.
The County boss sees more merit in giving Mackinnon the opportunity to gain more regular game time, in an environment that he thrived in during the opening half of the season.
Mackay added: “Right from the first moment in January, Stewart Petrie was hoping to get Adam back.
“I was conscious of the possibility of bringing Adam back in and actually getting him involved in the squad because he has been doing really well in our training.
“He’s definitely contributed to Montrose in the first half of the season.
ROSS COUNTY MIDFIELDER REJOINS GABLE ENDIES ON LOAN
Young Adam Mackinnon has returned to Links Park on a half season loan from Premiership side, Ross County FC. pic.twitter.com/4GO9VU9n9A
— Montrose FC (@MontroseFC) January 27, 2023
“I had to be careful, just in terms of what our numbers were going to look like.
“Come the back end of the window as we filled it up a little bit with signings, it meant the best thing for Adam was to go back.
“I’d love to be sitting here with Adam available, but it would be unfair. It would be good for me to have him because, at any point, I know I could now put him on the bench and throw him into the Premiership.
“But it would be unfair because the best thing for our football club is for Adam to go back out on loan and play football, for his long-term benefit and for the club.
“If he goes out on loan again and he makes another good contribution to Montrose, by next year, he will be at an even better level.”
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