Tom Grivosti feels being pitched into Ross Draper’s holding midfield role is a sign of the trust shown in him by Ross County’s co-managers.
Englishman Grivosti, who is usually a centre back, has been deployed at the heart of the Staggies midfield during the influential Draper’s absence through a knee injury.
Although Grivosti returned to defence for last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Kilmarnock, the 20-year-old is eager to repay the faith shown in him by co-managers Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson regardless of where he plays.
Grivosti said: “I don’t think Ross gets the credit he deserves. He’s a big player for us defensively and big shoes to fill.
“With Ross being out, me and a couple of others have stepped in as holding midfielder to fill that gap, especially away from home when we want to be harder to beat.
“It is a huge call from them to play me, a young centre half, in midfield away to Aberdeen and Motherwell.
“It gives me huge confidence, given the faith they show in me – but I already knew that anyway.
“I thought I did all right against Aberdeen, although I didn’t have my best game at Motherwell.
“The managers have told me what to do and I’ve just tried to help the team the best I can.”
County are looking to continue their early season momentum when they host St Johnstone today, with the Dingwall men undefeated in their last three matches.
Former Bolton Wanderers player Grivosti has been thrilled by his newly-promoted side’s start to the campaign, adding: “We’re joint fourth in the league table. We could only have dreamed of the start we’ve had.
“Probably the international break is coming at the wrong time for us, given the momentum, but it works both ways. We probably needed it after the Aberdeen defeat.
“We just have to keep training hard and make sure we keep the run going.
“Getting the results early on gives us the confidence we can stay ahead of the other teams and put them under pressure.”
Grivosti has already learned there is little room for slackness in the top flight following his side’s promotion from the Championship last term, and he added: “With us coming up a division, teams may have been thinking we might struggle, but we’ve started reasonably well.
“The quality of attacking players is such in the Premiership that, if you make a mistake, they punish you.
“You have to be fully concentrated at all times.
“Going away to Aberdeen, I don’t think we played badly at all, but they were 3-0 up inside 50 minutes with us hardly making a mistake.
“We didn’t do much wrong defensively. You might not make a mistake and still find yourself 2-0 down. That’s probably the main difference.”
