Ross County boss Don Cowie explained what this term’s real-life managerial experience has taught him after moving one step closer to his Uefa pro licence.
The 42-year-old recently returned from Uefa’s headquarters in Switzerland where he was on the student exchange – part of the qualification coaches need to take ties at European level.
The former Scotland, County, Inverness, Watford, Cardiff City, Wigan and Hearts midfielder is in his first full season in charge of his home-town team in the Scottish Premiership.
With three games go to before the league splits, his side are ninth in the table following their 2-0 loss away to Hearts at the weekend.
They sit four points outside the top six and four points above second-bottom side Dundee with seven matches of the campaign left.
Following the international break, County host Dundee United a week on Sunday.
Cowie moving closer to pro badge completion
On his study visit to Nyon, Cowie said: “The cohort from the Scottish FA were over and it was a valuable experience learning from many key people from the football industry mixing with the fellow candidates, which was good – we hadn’t seen one another for a while.
“There were valuable lessons.
“The coaching badges are over a two-year cycle. We’re nearing the end of our cycle, so the finishing line is in sight.”
‘Consistent messages’ to players are vital, County boss has learned this term
Naturally, Cowie feels his first full season in club management has also providing valuable learnings.
Has he changed as a boss over the months?
Cowie said: “I don’t think I have changed, just learned from things that have happened throughout the season.
“There are always highs and lows. It’s about trying not to get too caught up in it either way – football changes really quickly.
“When you are the person, or figurehead, for the players, it is about being consistent with your messages and the way you conduct yourself.
“You don’t want that to feed into the players. You want them to be as consistent as possible.
“I’ve enjoyed it. I have still so much to learn and get better at.
“You definitely getting more and more comfortable as a manager the longer you do it.”
‘My door is always open’ for players
Cowie feels having open dialogue with his players and staff is also vital in modern football clubs.
He added: “I’ve come in during an era of football where man-management is huge – you need to have that relationship with the players to get the best out of them, and I think I’m really approachable to the players and my door is always open.
“I’m always going to be honest. I’m not going to tell them something for the sake of it, but at the same time I want all of them to improve and get better.
“That’s my role in the club, and it’s just about being consistent with that no matter who it is – someone who people see as the main player in the team, or someone who is out of the squad right now.
“It’s about having everyone on the same path.”
‘Real experience of winning games’ has boosted Ross County belief
Despite the loss to Hearts, County’s overall recent form has been impressive, with victories over Motherwell, Dundee and Kilmarnock peppered amid defeats at St Johnstone and the Jambos.
Cowie reckons his players are showing they’re capable of winning games is giving them cause for optimism.
He said: “The team have got a real experience of winning games of football recently, and that can only be a good thing.
“It means that when you go into each game, you’re looking forward to it and you know what you’re capable of as a group.
“They’re showing it, and I think they have realised what they are capable of.
“The challenge is to replicate that game after game after game.
“When we don’t do it, we lose games of football.
“But when we work together collectively as a team, we can be very competitive in this league – and that’s what we’re doing right now.”
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