The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Mackay: Charles-Cook up for player of year but could still improve
Ross County manager Malky Mackay believes PFA Scotland player-ofthe-year nominee Regan Charles-Cook can be an even better player.
Winger Charles-Cook is among four players shortlisted for the player of the year award, following a vote by his fellow professionals.
He is up against Celtic pair Callum McGregor and Tom Rogic and Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
It follows a remarkable campaign, in which Charles-Cook leads the Premiership scoring charts with 13 goals so far. He is out of contract in the summer, with the Staggies in talks to secure him on a new deal.
Mackay is thrilled by Charles-Cook’s progress and reckons the 25-yearold is capable of reaching even higher levels.
He said: “There is always room for improvement and it’s something he gets from me every day.
“I think he can be better, I think he could have scored another four or five goals and been way ahead.
“I think there are times when he could have made the back post more. When the ball is coming from the other side, I have shown him that at times, and it could have led to three or four more tap-in goals.
“That’s the bit where I think there is more to come. I could see some more little runs in behind at times as well.
“Other times he has done a couple of wonderful things. Even on Sunday, late on down the left hand side, he had a great take-on against Anthony Ralston.
“I’ve been delighted about his willingness to be open to listening to critique, but also applying it.
“That’s the difference. You can have things pointed out to you, but the proof is whether he shows that behavioural change on the pitch when he’s been told something.”
Mackay added: “He came back a wee bit later because of the Gold Cup with Grenada, and he was playing catch-up.
“What I saw immediately was an honesty about him, which I loved.
“He needed me to tell him where I needed more from him and what I expected from somebody in that position.
“I also saw somebody that was looking me in the eye when I was talking to him. When he was talking back to me, the things he was saying back to me made sense.
“When we were having a conversation, it wasn’t the case that he didn’t know what I was talking about.
“He grasped it immediately, and he was asking questions concerning what I had just spoken to him about.
“There was an intelligence I liked and a work ethic I liked. There was definitely talent there, so I wanted to pull it all together and actually make something of that.”