The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Title beckons for Kettlewell and his young Staggies side
Development League: Under-20s manager embracing task at hand
Ross County’s under-20s will win the Development League if they defeat Dundee United at Station Park at Forfar this afternoon.
Stuart Kettlewell’s Staggies are four points clear of Celtic, with today’s game the first of only two remaining.
County are unbeaten in their last 13 matches and, despite being within touching distance of lifting the title, Kettlewell wants his players to relax ahead of the match.
Kettlewell said: “It’s going to be a difficult task for us but it’s one we embrace and look forward to.
“We want to give as good an account of ourselves as we have done for pretty much the whole season.
“That’s all I can ask of the players. I know there’s pressure that comes with trying to win a league but I can only ask the best of them.
“If they show that, I’m happy. I’ve said that to them throughout the season – when there have been so-called must-win games, if they give me everything they’ve got and they follow the instructions asked of them then I can’t ask a great deal more. I’ve said that for the next two games. If they do that and they come up short I can’t ask any more of them. “As a development coach, people say it’s not about winning games, it’s about improving players. “I can say that every player within that squad has become a better player this season. “That’s all I can ask. If we can get the added bonus of winning the league off the back of that then it’s fantastic.
“It’s as good as we could have hoped for, but I’m not heaping that sort of pressure on them.
“It’s great to put ourselves in the position. We’re just stressing to the guys to enjoy the experience of playing for something.”
Midfielder James Wallace reckons the Dingwall players have caught everyone else in the 17-team league by surprise.
The 16-year old-said: “No one has really talked about us but we have been happy to sneak undetected to the top of the table.
“It would be a great achievement if we could win against Dundee United and become league winners when you consider the likes of Celtic, Hamilton Accies, Hibs, Aberdeen and Rangers all have strong squads.”
Forward Greg Morrison, who has been involved with Jim McIntyre’s first team squad this season and netted 15 times with the development team, said: “We have two games left as we have Hamilton Accies to face next Monday.
“We have done really well in the second half of the season and it would be great to get one more win.” Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte wants Eden Hazard to continue to put the team before himself.
The Belgium midfielder made a decisive impact as a substitute as Chelsea beat Tottenham 4-2 in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.
Hazard has been a key figure in Chelsea’s bid for a possible double and netted his 15th goal of the season against Spurs, who are four points behind the Premier League leaders with six games to go.
Afterwards, midfielder Cesc Fabregas stated his belief that team-mate Hazard was second in ability only to Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and can improve if he is more selfish and shows a killer instinct, but Conte reckons players can only be great by playing as part of a team.
“The first target for every great champion is to play for the team and to put your talent in the team,” Conte said. “I don’t think that a player like Messi is a selfish player. The best
“I can only ask the best of them – if they show that, I’m happy” “I’d prefer to lose a game than to have a selfish player”
players in the world don’t exist without the team. For me, it’s sad when I listen to this, that one player must be more selfish to reach the top.
“This is not my idea of football. I never will understand this. Never.
“In my team I don’t want selfish players. I’d prefer to lose a game than to have a selfish player. I don’t want this, I can’t accept this.”
The Blues could complete the double in Conte’s first season in charge after advancing to the May 27 final, where they will face Arsenal.
But they need to respond from two losses in their last four Premier League matches – to Crystal Palace and Manchester United – beginning at home to Southampton tonight.
Conte is uncertain if his team has struck a psychological blow by beating Spurs, adding: “Honestly, I don’t know. I think it was important this win. To reach the final in the FA Cup is great.”