Interim Ross County manager Don Cowie is relishing the chance to pit his wits against top-class dugout rivals – and Rangers’ Philippe Clement is next up.
Former Scotland international player Cowie, who also starred for County, Watford, Cardiff, Wigan Athletic and Hearts during his playing career, is seen as a coach with real potential.
That’s why County chairman Roy MacGregor had no hesitation in selecting the Premiership club’s assistant boss as the man to take the hot-seat when Derek Adams’ short return to dingwall came to an end in February.
Rangers head for the Highlands on Sunday in hot pursuit of the Premiership title, while the Staggies, in the relegation play-off spot, are currently four points behind St Johnstone, with Saints due to meet Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Clement has done ‘tremendous’ job – Cowie
Cowie’s first match since Adams left was a competitive 3-1 defeat against the Light Blues at Ibrox on February 14.
Rangers saw their rearranged fixture at Dundee postponed on Wednesday due to a waterlogged pitch, meaning they are one point behind leaders Celtic, but with one game fewer played.
When asked what it is like going up against the likes of Belgian Clement, or Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, Cowie said: “It’s exciting because it’s something that I’ve made no secret I want to do on a regular basis.
“This is the top level for football in our country, and you want to put yourself up against the best.
“We’ve certainly got one of the best coming on Sunday.
“Since Philippe has come in, he has done a tremendous job, and we’ll have to be at our best to get anything out of that game.”
Cowie has bond with Staggies’ squad
Working as assistant to Malky Mackay until earlier this season before the manager was sacked after two-and-a-half years in Dingwall was a great education for Cowie.
Going into his 10th match in charge, Cowie explained how working with players he knows inside-out has helped him so far.
He said: “Until you come and sit in this chair, you don’t know how you’re going to feel.
“So far, I’ve been really comfortable – I feel comfortable around the players, and I’ve had a really good reaction from them.
“The application and effort from them has been excellent, so I can’t ask any more in that sense.
“Then it’s just about learning as you go along, and hoping it’s the start of something that can go on for a long time.
“The main advantage for me is that, having been an assistant manager and coach at this club, I had built up a very good relationship with the group of players that we have.
“That meant that when I came into this role, I already had that relationship built and the trust was there.
“The players understand me as a person, and my personality is someone who is very open and approachable. That hasn’t changed by being a manager – you just have to adapt slightly.
“Now I have to be the person that leaves players out of squads, and those decisions and conversations are ones that I’ve never had before. It’s just about getting used to those big decisions that you have to make.”
Jay Henderson remains in Ross County plans
Cowie, meanwhile, insists former St Mirren starlet Jay Henderson, who dazzled on loan at Scottish Cup runners-up Inverness last term, remains a contender within his squad.
Since joining last summer, the 22-year-old has made just one start – and that was in a League Cup group stage tie at Edinburgh City last July.
Interim gaffer Cowie urged winger Henderson to keep his head up and continue to press for action.
He added: “It’s been a real challenge for Jay. He had an injury around October, and he was out for a few months.
“He’s in the Premiership, and he’s at a club where there are lots of options – especially in the area he plays in.
“We’ve got three very good strikers, and we’ve got Yan Dhanda and Josh Sims that he’s competing against.
“It’s just about Jay making sure that he gets above them, and to do that you have to perform at a very high level.
“These players have played at this level for a long time, and it’s not through a lack of effort that Jay is missing out, because he’s a great boy about the place who trains really well.
“It’s just about him dedicating to that, and he will get his reward eventually.”
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