Europe bid right at top of career in football

Malky Mackay reckons guiding Ross County into a chase for European football is as good as anything he’s achieved as a manager.

The 50-year-old former Scottish FA performance director is keen to make history by driving the Staggies into the Europa Conference League for the first time ever.

They are eager to be one of two teams below Hearts to clinch the final European position in the Premiership.

Mackay, who took over from John Hughes last summer, has led a transformation from top to bottom and, after a 10match winless start, made them one of the form teams in the country.

They began their final five fixtures on Sunday with a 2-0 home loss against leaders Celtic.

Now they’re preparing for Saturday’s trip to Tynecastle to face Hearts still in fifth place, one point behind Dundee United and ahead of Motherwell on goal difference.

To be in this position, given where they’ve come from as a club over the past 10 months, fills Mackay with pride as he sets out to deliver for chairman Roy MacGregor, chief executive Steven Ferguson, staff and the supporters.

Mackay, who took charge of Scotland for a friendly 1-0 loss against the Netherlands at Pittodrie in 2017, led Cardiff City into the English Premier League and to a League Cup final.

When asked how taking the Staggies into the upper half compares with past achievements, he said: “Really up at the top. I have been lucky in my career in terms of where you end up and how it works.”

Mackay is quick to stress this season’s success so far has been down to the united efforts of everyone at the club and its supporters.

He said: “Reaching the top six was huge. It was massively pleasing for everyone at this football club. We are a small club with a small budget, punching above its weight to be in the Premiership in the first place.

“For a town the size of Dingwall playing in a 6,500-seater stadium having sold out against Celtic and playing at the top end of Scottish football nine of the last 10 years is incredible.

“It’s a credit to the people who run this football club, chairman Roy MacGregor, chief executive Steven Ferguson and the staff here who run this club.

“My task was to ensure I was not one of the guys who takes us down. For us to stay in the league then with five games to go, we

can now prepare for next season.

“For us to finish in the top six within a pretty tough league, given the teams involved this season, is a massive thing for me.”