Paul Lawson believes Ross County manager Stuart Kettlewell will ensure his squad fights the Staggies’ corner in the Premiership this season.
Former midfielder Lawson played in a successful County side alongside Kettlewell, who was put in sole charge at Victoria Park this summer after partnering newly-instated chief executive Steven Ferguson as co-manager for two-and-a-half years.
Kettlewell has assembled a coaching team which comprises of former Staggies skipper Richie Brittain, along with recently retired former Scotland international Don Cowie, who enjoyed a highly successful career in England between two spells with County.
The new regime got the new campaign off to a flying start with a 1-0 victory over Motherwell on Monday, with Hamilton Accies next up at New Douglas Park on Saturday.
Lawson reckons the management team’s long association with the Dingwall club will ensure a strong desire to represent the Staggies will be instilled into County’s players.
Lawson said: “When you are up against it most weeks you need to have boys there who know what it takes at the club.
“I think that’s important at most clubs, but especially at Ross County.
“It happens a lot in England when people move to opposite ends of the country, but in Scotland people see travelling to Dingwall as a hardship.
“When players sign up there they need to buy into the club, and fully commit to it.
“These guys have done that, so they are well equipped to pass on their knowledge.
“They were part of a successful side, so it’s great they are still involved in the club.
“These guys know the club inside out.”
Despite suffering relegation from the Premiership early on during their reign in charge, Kettlewell and Ferguson quickly bounced back by winning the Championship title at the first attempt, before overseeing a 10th place finish in the top flight last term.
Despite the change in leadership model, Formartine United manager Lawson believes Kettlewell will make only minor adjustments.
Lawson added: “I don’t know the ins and outs of how Stuart and Steven worked but from speaking to one or two of the lads, the two of them were genuinely managers.
“There wasn’t one favoured over the other, which you’ve heard stories of players doing when teams have gone down that route in the past.
“It seemed to work really well for them, and got the club back to where they want to be in the Premiership.
“Stuart has promoted Richie and taken Don on board which I think is valuable. I don’t think there will be too much change.”
