Michael Gardyne admits he is thriving on the freedom Owen Coyle’s managerial philosophy lends his natural attacking instincts.
In an outstanding first-half performance, the Ross County midfielder tormented Motherwell with two goals and a clever assist for young Davis Keillor-Dunn.
In amongst it all, particularly in a far more difficult second half when the Steelmen clawed the match back to 3-2, Gardyne put in a power of work in helping resist the amber and claret tide.
At 31, Gardyne is a player at the peak of his powers – and he is enthused by how Coyle’s ethos can bring the best out in both him and the team.
The former Celtic and Dundee United winger said: “It’s always good if the man in charge likes wingers and attacking players.
“He has come in and given us licence to go and play. He has made it clear he doesn’t mind us losing the ball so long as we keep trying and stay positive in what were doing.
“He doesn’t like players hiding if they have lost the ball a couple of times. That’s what you want to hear. You want that licence to go and play your game.”
Gardyne, while glad to accept the official man of the match plaudits, was more thrilled by the team display, particularly in that devastating first-half show.
He stressed: “It was good to get the win. Obviously, from a personal point of view, it is good to get the two goals and the assist. It’s always nice to be involved in the goals. But I thought the lads, all through the side, were brilliant today – in the first half, especially.
“We knew in the second half they were going to come out at us with the two strikers and they’re good at getting the ball up the park quickly and playing off Louis Moult and Ryan Bowman. But we saw it out and that’s all that matters.”
Gardyne, after a sticky start to the campaign, feels County now have sights fixed on teams above them.
He said: “To get the win was great going into the international break. There’s nothing worse than losing when you haven’t got a game for two weeks.
“It sets us up nicely for the weekend off – and it doesn’t get any better than playing Celtic at home when we come back.”