THE DON CHORUS
Naismith sings praises of his old team-mate & insists Cowie has the tools to be a top boss
STEVEN NAISMITH has been convinced Don Cowie is heading for a top career in management ever since they spent six months as team-mates at Hearts.
Regular chats about football’s finer details in the dressing room during the second half of the 2017/18 season were a pointer to where both players were headed.
Seven years on and Naismith was glowing in his praise for his old Jambos and Scotland team-mate ahead of facing off in the dugout for the first time when Hearts head to face Ross County tomorrow.
But with the third-placed Gorgie side desperate to keep momentum building he’s keen to throw an early spanner in the works of the Staggies interim boss’ hopes of getting the job on a permanent basis.
Cowie will be the third County manager Naismith has faced in three games this season. And he said: “I think it was very clear.
“He’s similar to myself in terms of enjoying watching football and seeing the game and talking about it.
“We would regularly do that when we were here as players. We then took a similar path, he has probably got more experience than me. He wanted to get experience coaching and learning before he went into management.
“And, as with myself, maybe it has come quicker than expected. But he is definitely someone who will be a good coach and manager for a long time.
“He has a calmness, when he is talking to you he is very clear. And he is a top person. His morals and all that part of it goes above everything. And that will rub off on a lot of the players.”
Hearts aim to make it 11 wins in their last 14 league games tomorrow and could have Scott Fraser and Yutaro Oda back in the squad after injury.
County playmaker Yhan Dhanda has agreed a pre-contract with the Jambos but Naismith batted away questions over the midfielder with a simple “he’s obviously a good player, just back from injury, so we’ll wait and see if he features or not” response.
One thing he is sure of is an upturn in his side’s away form this season with nine wins from 14 league games on the road.
And having ground out an impressive 1-0 Scottish
Cup win at Morton on Monday he’s looking for a repeat in the Highlands.
He said: “Patience has been important. Teams have shown us a bit more respect and draws become good results for teams, so it is going to take time.
“Monday was a good example of that. We knew it was going to be direct, they are going to put balls in your box, whether it be throw-ins, corners, set plays, direct play, at times you can’t stop it.
“As the game opened up we probably had four or five really good chances which we should score. Some league games have been similar.
“I wouldn’t say fitness was a focus, I had an understanding of how I wanted to work and how I worked throughout my career, where I felt best and what the numbers looked like, effectively.
“That’s what we have worked to, so we do work really hard. And we’re pushing everybody to the limits. But we’ll be better for it in the long term.”
He’s like me. He enjoys watching football and talking about it
STEVEN NAISMITH ON DON COWIE’S PATH IN THE GAME