Nohan Kenneh insists every Ross County player is determined to deliver wins for Don Cowie because he trusts them to perform on the Premiership stage.

The 22-year-old Liberian international is on loan from Hibernian, two years on from his first loan stint with the Dingwall club.

Last term, he was on loan at Shrewsbury Town, and with no minutes for Hibs so far this season, he secured a switch back to the Global Energy Stadium until May.  

Manager is ‘there to encourage you’

Malky Mackay was the manager in 2023, but his assistant Cowie is now the man in charge and Kenneh appreciates the chance he’s been given back in the Highlands.

He said: “I was really happy to come back to Ross County. I know a few of the boys and the gaffer was here before too.

“It’s a good environment.

“As a footballer, you want to play football. You can’t be happy being on the bench or training. I just wanted to play football.

“The manager wants us to do well, and we want to do well for him.

“He’s not there to put you down. He is there to encourage you or guide you as to how you can do things better.

“He’s calm compared to someone who shouts and, for me, that’s the kind of manager I like.

“When the manager wants you to do well, you want to do well for him.

“There is the motivational factor and the trust factor.

“He trusts you to go on the pitch, so you want to repay that trust.”

That trust extends to the way Kenneh plays the game.

Kenneh has attacks in mind

Cowie sees, in certain games, what the midfielder can offer in an attacking sense, which the player relishes.

He said: “Different managers mean different requirements.

“Games can be different too. Some games, I might sit in, while in others I have the licence to go forward.

“I do feel more confident now and I’m more aware of my strengths and weaknesses compared to two years ago.

“I love scoring goals, and I love pushing forward.

“As a number six or eight, you don’t get the chance of that often but planning when to go forward in games is also important.

“The gaffer has given me the licence to get forward, so I feel happy to do that as much as possible.”

Four ‘massive’ matches before split

The Hibs loanee is back in Edinburgh on Saturday as County face Hearts at Tynecastle, with the seventh-placed Jambos just one point and one place better off.

The two games this season have ended in draws and Kenneh feels with just four pre-split games to go, now is the time to build further on their progress as a team.

He added: “It will be tough against Hearts, but we just need to focus on ourselves.

“We know their strengths and weaknesses after playing them a few times, but we will just focus on ourselves.

“Any wins or run of form you can put together gets you up the table.

“We just need to try and grind out results. We’re now at the business end of the season, that’s when it shows who is ready to fight.

“Every game from now on is massive.

“Right now, we want to get as many points as possible before the split and see where it takes us.”

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