County pair ruled out of Prem opener
ROSS COUNTY manager Stuart Kettlewell admits he only expects to be without Joe Chalmers and Tom Grivosti for their Premiership opener against Motherwell.
Midfielder Chalmers has not kicked a ball since December 29 due to an ankle complaint, while defender Grivosti has been sidelined since last October with a foot problem.
And although the pair are expected to return to training in the coming weeks, Kettlewell admits they will not be available for the televised August 3 visit of the Steelmen.
He said: “We’ve only really got two that are still out – Joe Chalmers and Tom Grivosti – but they’re making really good progress.
“I think both will be pretty much into full sessions by the first game of the season, but I don’t think they will be fully fit or fully functional by then, but my hope is they are fully integrated with the group by that point.
“There has been a long lay-off for both, so it will take a bit of time to get them up to speed.”
Kettlewell, meanwhile, admits he has been frustrated in his attempts to line up a friendly at Victoria stadium.
County’s warm-up for the new campaign also suffered a blow at the weekend when their clash at Hibs’ training base on Saturday afternoon was called off as a precaution only hours before kick-off.
Hibs had not received their Covid-19 results from their latest round of testing.
Kettlewell added: “It has proved a huge challenge to arrange a friendly up here in Dingwall.
“People aren’t jumping out of their skin to travel up here.”