Bottom feeders
Gogic: Beating Rangers means nothing if we can’t win battles with drop rivals
HAMILTON may have just enjoyed a historic win at Ibrox but Alex Gogic insists beating Ross County today will be cause for greater celebration.
Ninth-placed Accies were elated after their first league win on Rangers’ turf for 91 years but the former Swansea centreback knows moving four points clear of the Staggies could shape their season.
Gogic pointed to County’s Highland rivals as a cautionary tale after Inverness shocked Rangers last season but still plummeted to the Championship.
He said: “Getting big results against teams like Rangers isn’t enough.
“You can win a couple of games against big teams but if you don’t beat the other teams you will be bottom at the end of the season.
“Inverness beat Rangers in the last campaign but they were still relegated. Every game is different. We need to focus on winning as many as we can.
“This is a massive game. All the fixtures against the teams around us are obviously very important.
“When it’s a game against a team we are close to in the league like Ross County, we need to win. There is nothing else we need. There are a lot of points available in December and loads of games to come. We need to remain focused this month and play our game.”
Gogic is one of several Accies players out of contract in May but the Cypriot is hoping to tie up a new deal over the festive period when he will enjoy a break in Rome.
He said: “I enjoy Scotland. I like the life here and I enjoy the football – it’s competitive and strong. When I came up here from Swansea, I knew it was a good league but I didn’t realise it was quite so competitive. “I’d like to stay beyond the end of the season. Hopefully, that will happen and negotiations go well. “I am going to Rome with my girlfriend during the break. I have a few days off and I want to see a bit of Italy. “It will be good to have some time off in January because I haven’t had that in a long, long time. I will enjoy it and then come back ready to work.” Meanwhile, Martin Canning has been boosted by the return of playmaker Ali Crawford, who’s been out for three months with a knee injury, for the County clash. But the Accies manager is wary of the the threat of the Staggies after failing to win any of their last five games under new boss Owen Coyle. He said: “Ali played for 60 minutes for the Under-20s this week so, all being well, he’ll be in the squad. “County have done well under Owen. They have a lot of good, experienced players so it will be a difficult game for us. “You don’t need to play well at the moment – it’s all about the results. County will spend money next month – they always seem to in January – but everyone up to Hearts in fifth is in this battle.”