Hoops’ Europa heroics won’t make this any easier for County

Stuart Kettlewell reckons Ross County won’t benefit from Celtic’s hectic Europa League programme.

Neil Lennon’s side head for a high-noon clash in Dingwall less than 72 hours after Thursday’s top-spot clinching win over Rennes.

But Ross County co-boss Kettlewell (below) is sure having Rangers breathing down their necks in the title race means there’s no way the champs will take it easy.

He said: “From our perspective, it is just the Old Firm continually pushing each other on.

“Irrespective of the time between games, I think that’s one of their strengths, the ability to continually knock out performances.

“Whether or not that’s a 72-hour rest period between games, I think they find themselves in such a fluency.

“It’s something I’m a great believer in. I’d rather play a Saturday-Tuesday or a Sunday-Wednesday every single week because you start to find that level of consistency. I think it’s clear to see from Celtic’s result and performance on Thursday night it is something these guys are more than capable of doing.

“Their international players went away last week with their respective countries and turned in the same level of performance.

“That’s why Celtic are the top team in the country. That’s why everybody finds it so difficult against them.

“They have found not only topquality players but this level of consistency where there’s no excuses in terms of rest or fatigue.” There was uncertainty as to whether top scorer Odsonne Edouard, one of those absent against Rennes, would return today or be kept for the League Cup Final next week. Either way,

Kettlewell’s only consideration regarding the Frenchman’s presence or absence is stylistic, with Leigh Griffiths or Lewis Morgan in attack likely to present a different kind of threat.

Kettlewell stressed: “On Thursday night Celtic made one or two changes and brought in top-level players.

“But Neil Lennon, all season, has pretty much stuck by an XI where you generally get maybe one player dropping out.

“That’s a great place to be in as a club and something I’ve always been a huge believer in.

“Sometimes telling the modern player that, and ensuring the modern player has the mental capacity to do that, is a wee bit different.

“They seem to be flowing with it right now but, whoever plays, we have to be ready.”