Dutch forward Alex Schalk says he has joined Ross County to rediscover his attacking prowess after being shifted out of position by previous club Go Ahead Eagles.
Schalk last week joined the Staggies until the end of the season, having impressed manager Jim McIntyre during a trial spell at Victoria Park.
The 23-year-old boasts an impressive pedigree, having been capped four times for the Netherlands’ under-21 side while with NAC Breda, where he began his career.
After three years with Breda, towards the end of which he was sent on loan to second-tier outfit Jong PSV, Schalk moved to Go Ahead Eagles at the start of last season. He scored four goals in 20 Eredivisie appearances, although was unable to prevent his side being relegated from the top flight.
After being told he would be deployed out wide by manager Dennis Demmers, Schalk asked to leave in search of football in his natural position as an attacker and is relishing the challenge of forcing his way into the Staggies’ side.
Schalk, who could make his County debut in tomorrow’s Premiership encounter against Aberdeen, said: “With Go Ahead Eagles, we were relegated to the second division but I renewed my contract for another two years.
“I wanted to play as a forward but in Holland they play 4-3-3. After a few weeks the manager told me he wanted to play with a big physical forward and two wide players, with me being one of them.
“I’m not a wide player, so I told him he could get a real wide player for the money he was paying me. I got a few other offers but my feeling was they weren’t right.”
Schalk is confident he has the attributes to thrive in Scottish football and he is eager to make his mark with the Staggies.
Schalk added: “It’s a big change but with my type of game, there’s plenty of opportunities. The manager told me he was looking for someone with specific qualities and he saw I could bring that.
“I’m a runner. I want to run in behind the defence and get on the end of passes. When I’m in the box I think I’m pretty deadly and can shoot with both feet.
“What I’ve seen so far is that over here, the game is based more on power, where in Holland it’s a bit more technical. That’s not bad at all and it’s a higher intensity. I hope to bring the technical side of the game to mix it up with the qualities we already have here.
“It gives something unique to the team. I’m excited about that and want to play as soon as possible.”