Ross County manager John Hughes says striker Oli Shaw has no point to prove to anybody other than his new Victoria Park boss.
Shaw spoke prior to Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Hibernian of his determination to impress against his former club, with the attacker coming up with the clinching goal in the Easter Road triumph.
Shaw began his career with the Edinburgh outfit, but joined the Staggies last January after increasingly finding game time limited with his hometown club.
Wednesday’s goal took Shaw’s tally to five for the campaign, one behind leading scorer Ross Stewart who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Hughes played alongside Shaw’s father Greg, who was also a forward, during their time at Falkirk, and he has called for the 22-year-old to forget all that has happened so far in his career as he looks to get the best out of him for the Staggies.
Hughes said: “Who does Oli have a point to prove to? Only me. I’m his manager and I’m not bothered about what’s going.
“Everybody in football can go up and come down, but he’s working for me now.
“The shift he gave me against Hibs was great. I told him if he’s half as good as his old man he will be all right because I played with his old man.
“He’s a lovely boy and it’s my job to try and get the best out of him. He had the hardest job in football on Wednesday, playing up there against two centre halves.
“He was one up against two and living off crumbs, because we were playing off a solid shape to get there.
“I’m delighted for Oli but I’m more delighted for the defence at keeping a clean sheet.
“For me to highlight anybody would be wrong, I thought it was a real hard-working team performance.”
Hughes was thrilled to clock up his first victory since replacing Stuart Kettlewell last month, with Shaw’s late goal adding to Harry Paton’s first half strike which had ended a 571 minute goal drought.
The result lifted the Staggies off the bottom of the table, a point ahead of Hamilton Accies, going into today’s visit of St Johnstone to Dingwall.
Although Hughes hopes his side takes a lift from their triumph over Jack Ross’ fourth-placed Hibs, he has urged his players not to get carried away.
He added: “It has to give them confidence but I’m saying to them that we are keeping our feet on the ground.
“It’s only a game. We went to Hibs and did our business, but I have told them not to look too far in front.
“I have broken it down to every 45 minutes.
“We will enjoy it and let the emotions calm down, and we will go again for St Johnstone, which will be a whole different ball game.
“But surely that must give us a wee lift. It gives me a wee lift knowing the shift and hard work they put in, and what I’ve got here in this team.
“Hopefully we can build on this.”
Hughes has credited his players with their reaction since he took charge, with the former Caley Thistle boss adding: “I have said to the boys, from what I’ve seen they are better than where they are, from me going in and
standing back, scanning and looking.
“Obviously there’s a new manager coming in so they are all flying on the training pitch, but we just have to harness that.
“If they can do that on the pitch, we will not be far away. I honestly think I’m getting that.”