Gary Warren believes the presence of Gordon Duff will ensure a bright future lies ahead for Ross County’s academy.
Bristol-born Warren has recently left his role as the Staggies’ academy manager to take up a similar role with West Country outfit Weston-super-Mare.
During his two-and-a-half year spell in Dingwall, Warren worked closely alongside Duff, who is the under-18s lead coach as part of his role as the club’s head of youth and academy operations.
Warren’s role has been taken on by Campbell Money, who became the Staggies’ football development director in October.
Dingwall-native Duff, who initially arrived at the club as a skillseeker, began his coaching journey as a community and academy coach nearly 20 years ago.
He has carried on a variety of different roles since then, including as the club’s community manager, before assuming his current role in August 2023.
Warren believes Duff, under the stewardship of Money, will have a crucial role to play in developing the Staggies’ future talent.
Duff has ‘held academy together’
Warren said: “I cannot speak highly enough of Gordon.
“He does a lot of the unsung hero stuff behind the scenes that people don’t realise.
“He is an excellent coach, and someone who has really held the academy together.
“I think he has been at the club for nearly 20 years now – he’s a stalwart of the club.
“He is a role model for the kids, but also for the club itself. It’s people like him that keep the club going, and keep the club alive.
“He was great with me, and helped me out quite a lot. We had a really good relationship, working together closely.
“Whatever his path is next, I’m sure he will do very well whether it’s in coaching, or looking to explore first team opportunities potentially. He’s got a really bright future ahead of him.
“Campbell Money was also great when he came in. His leadership and directorship will be great for the academy, as he will constantly push and drive standards within the groups.
“The academy is in a really good place.”
Warren has taken huge strides during Staggies tenure
As part of Warren’s role with the Staggies, the Englishman was tasked with nurturing young talent in combination with their education pathway.
The 40-year-old has been overwhelmed by the messages of gratitude in the wake of his departure.
He added: “I got so much out of it. Nothing will really prepare you for what the role is like.
“It’s very intense, and unforgiving at times because of the unsociable hours.
“What you get in return for that is the reward of seeing the kids develop and progress, not just in a footballing sense but in their life skills as well.
“Along with giving them a football platform, we are trying to help them get qualifications that they can take away with them for the rest of their lives.
“That has always been rewarding for me.
“At the time you don’t appreciate it, but when you leave you get messages from kids to say thanks. That’s probably the biggest positive – you obviously can’t help everyone but you have tried to help as many as possible.”
County youngsters starting to make first team step up
A number of homegrown players have been given their opportunity by manager Don Cowie this season, with George Robesten, Andrew Macleod and Dylan Smith part of the first team squad.
Warren says the trio can provide great inspiration for the current crop of under-18s to make the step up.
Warren added: “We have been lucky, as the first team management and staff have been really good in allowing the likes of Andrew, Dylan and George to go and have game time, and try to force their way into the first team.
“You don’t get that in a lot of clubs nowadays, a lot of them will just look further afield and neglect the homegrown talent you are trying to produce.
“Ross County have been brilliant in allowing them to come up and train.
“Even some of the under-18s have been able to train with them during the day sometimes. Calum Brown just signed a first team contract at Christmas, so there has been real scope.
“It’s great for not just the under-18s, but the younger boys as well to see there is a pathway.
“We would like it to be better, with more to be pushed through. At the same time you’ve got to understand that not many are going to make it, but there is a pathway if you are good enough.”
Timing right for Warren to pursue opportunity closer to home
Warren, who captained Highland rivals Caley Thistle during his playing career, joined the Staggies academy in 2022.
He initially continued his playing career with Clachnacuddin, before retiring the following year.
Warren’s desire to relocate his family back to the West Country was the driving factor behind his decision to leave the Staggies, with the Englishman excited about the challenge ahead with National League South outfit Weston-super-Mare.
Warren added: “We are at that stage now where we have been moving around for the last 10 years – and we are still trying to find that home where we can properly settle.
“Do I think we will ever settle? I’m not sure, because the type of family we are we are always on the move all the time.
“At this moment in time we are going back down south to be closer to family and friends down here, and just try to get a bit more stability really.
“It’s a head of academy role down here. It’s a club that I know pretty well, to be honest.
“I used to play against them quite a lot back in my non-league days, but since then the club has gone from strength to strength.
“They are in a real good place, trying to get from the Conference South into the Conference National.
“The club are striving to get to the next level, and the academy is in a good place.
“They asked me to come down and have a look at how we could try and take it forward together, and go to the next level.”
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