Kettlewell expects Staggies to defy odds again

Stuart Kettlewell is refusing to bet against Ross County achieving a topsix finish as the Staggies aim to defy the odds yet again.

County finished in 10th place last season on their return to the Scottish Premiership and the bookmakers are predicting another tough campaign for the Dingwall side.

But manager Kettlewell sees no reason his team cannot hit the jackpot and finish in the top half like Motherwell and Livingston did last season.

The County boss – whose side kick-off the new season at home to Well tonight said: “Last year our main focus was on staying in the league.

“Some people said it was a tough campaign last season but from out point of view it was job done. Now we’ve got aspirations to get higher up. We want to improve on 10th place.

“Livingston and Motherwell were great examples of teams punching well above their weight. And even during my 10 years here at the club we’ve been able to defy the odds.

“I played in a team which finished fifth under Jim McIntyre, we won the League Cup too. So we believe we can defy the odds again and upset a few people along the way.”

Motherwell captain Declan Gallagher has aimed to take the lead in fostering team spirit in unusual circumstances as players returned from the lockdown.

But a four-hour bus trip for tonight’s game will give summer arrivals Callum Lang, Nathan McGinley, Scott Fox, Ricki Lamie and Jordan White heightened exposure to the dynamics of Stephen Robinson’s squad.

“There’s been a big difference in the sense that the boys weren’t all together from the start,” Gallagher said.

“We had to train in separate pods to start with.

“For the new boys coming in, it’s maybe been a bit harder to start speaking to everyone right at the start, but slowly and surely we’re getting there.”