The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Kettlewell silencing critics in his own style.
● Kettlewell admits he likes quietly silencing his doubters
Stuart Kettlewell will thrive on the challenge of proving Ross County’s doubters wrong – as the Staggies’ manager insists he has done throughout his career.
County have been widely tipped to struggle in the Premiership, having been picked by pundits as a popular choice to be relegated.
This has only fuelled Kettlewell’s determination to defy the odds, with the Staggies looking to build on Monday’s opening-day victory over Motherwell when they travel to Hamilton Accies tomorrow.
Kettlewell said: “It’s probably just another day for me. If everybody looks back at my journey, as a player and as a coach, that’s just part of the course.
“You get written off constantly. Stuart Kettlewell is not a big name in football which is absolutely fine.
“I would rather it was that way than all the nonsense with David De Gea.”
Kettlewell was the subject of an online post earlier this week from David De Gea in which the Manchester United goalkeeper expressed a striking resemblance in appearance between the two, which gained worldwide attention.
This was not exactly appreciated by a man who prefers the low-profile.
He added: “I’ve been used to that since I first started kicking a ball 20 years ago with Queen’s Park at senior level. It’s something that I really enjoy.
“The flip side of that, the one year I didn’t experience it was when we were the favourites to win the Championship and it was a totally different outlook.
“You had to think a different way, you had to respond to questions about different games in a completely different fashion. I think the players enjoy that as well. They have a wry smile because they believe they can prove the doubters wrong.”
While Kettlewell respects the right for analysts to provide their opinion, the County boss insists his attention will not detract from the job at hand.
He added: “This isn’t me on a crusade. If people think we are the weakest team in the league, we do things in the wrong fashion and don’t recruit well, then everyone is entitled to their opinion.
“Going round every media outlet and everyone who has a voice to try and respond to it is impossible.
“I just laugh it off and try and use it as motivation.
“I do think we are a club that does things right, considering what our resources are and where we’re situated on the map.
“I think we’ve punched above our weight, but we will still have another 10 pundits saying we’re going to be relegated.”