Coyle calm about future

WHILE Kilmarnock have catapulted up the table since appointing Steve Clarke as boss, Ross County supporters could be forgiven for wondering why their new manager bounce was so fleeting. Owen Coyle replaced Jim McIntyre in September but after an initial upturn in results, the Dingwall side have picked up just two points from their last six matches. County, who sit second bottom of the Premiership table, face crucial festive fixtures against Hibernian, St Johnstone and bottom-placed Partick Thistle. And Coyle, who is eyeing quality signings in next month’s transfer window, warned his players to stand up and be counted. He said: ‘We have to put the pieces in the jigsaw. Can we get a couple of pieces that can make the difference and turn those margins in our favour? That’s the key to it. ‘Going into January we are looking at the areas we would like to strengthen. ‘It’s a simple scenario. The players need to show me what they want to do and that they want to be part of us moving forward. ‘They need to show they have the necessary tools and abilities, and some have done that, in fairness. ‘I always felt as a player, every week, I was playing to be in the team next week.’ Coyle, who has so far recruited only former Manchester United winger Chris Eagles, believes County have every chance of emulating past top-flight campaigns with a surge in the second half of the season. He said: ‘What we know in the bigger scheme of things is, when we put the bits together, we’ll be fine moving forward.’