Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell is hopeful midfielder Iain Vigurs can play some part in the Staggies’ remaining Betfred Cup Group A campaign.
Vigurs has not featured since returning to the Dingwall club earlier this summer from Highland rivals Caley Thistle, having undergone minor groin surgery on a long-standing problem.
With County out of action this weekend, Vigurs could be in contention for Wednesday’s game against League 1 side Arbroath at Gayfield, although Kettlewell is wary of rushing the 30-year-old back.
Kettlewell said: “Iain is bursting to go – I don’t think any of us are under any illusions as to how good a player he is.
“I watched him in training on Sunday and he’s a Rolls-Royce of a player. He sees things that other players don’t see on a pitch. He’s a fantastic player.
“I don’t want to heap too much pressure on him but we know what he can do. The important bit for us is that we nurse him back, and have him firing on all cylinders for the start of the season.
“How we do that over the next two games, we will judge that off the back of a couple of training sessions.
“But he’s certainly in a position we expect him to be after his operation.
“Kevin Bain, our physio, has done a fantastic job with him and he’s pretty much raring to go.”
Kettlewell has been encouraged by the way his players have reacted to the pre-season regime he has rolled out along with fellow co-manager Steven Ferguson, adding: “We know where the players are at and we can see everybody has hit the targets we are looking for over a pre-season that we feel beds you in for a season.
“Everybody has got it. We haven’t three or four guys with muscle injuries that have missed large chunks.
“Even Iain, who has had that minor op and a tidy up in his groin, even with his rehab he has hit his targets.
“We feel we are in a good place. But the most important thing is games, that is where we are judged.”
