Malky Mackay described the summer transfer window as being like a game of chess as Ross County made a striking move on deadline day.
The Staggies manager signed Wycombe Wanderers forward Alex Samuel (25) on a two-year deal, just hours after 22-year-old Oli Shaw moved from Dingwall to Championship side Kilmarnock.
It makes the incredible turnover since Mackay came into the club in May as 12 in and 15 out as the team can now get down to the business of adding to the two Premiership points on the board.
Thank you and good luck to @Alex_Samuel95, who has today joined @RossCounty.#Chairboys
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) August 31, 2021
Mackay explained the waiting game involved as August 31 drew to a close.
He said: “There were a host of clubs queuing up for Oli Shaw and it wasn’t right for us to let him go at that point, whereas in the last couple of days it was the right thing to do with Alex Samuel coming in.
“You’ve got to be clued in and know where a lot of chess pieces are sitting. You don’t want to wait until the last minute where somebody is phoning you out of the blue and you are taking a gamble.
“There was another one that didn’t transpire because of a situation at their club as well as Alex.
“We had a good conversation with Wycombe and with the agent and Alex and to get a player in with bags of experience of English football and who played in a play-off final, I’ll take that all day long.
“With Jack Baldwin also coming in, it’s pleasing to get two permanent signings as opposed to plugging gaps with loans.”
Shaw was credit as Killie awaited
While Shaw will aim to fire Killie back out of the Championship, Mackay was quick to thank the former Hibs hitman for his attitude, even when the move seemed imminent.
The boss added: “Oli is a terrific young man and I wish him all the best at Kilmarnock.
“He needed to go and play every week and get his career moving. He has been a credit to this football club and, even over the last week or two, he’s been an absolute credit and I hope it goes well for him.”
The other piece of activity on deadline day was young midfielder Ryan McLeman moving on loan to Highland League side Clach.
Staggies asked questions of Aberdeen
County have no game this weekend as they’re not involved in the SPFL Trust Trophy this season.
They return to the fold a week on Saturday away to Celtic in the league.
That match comes on the back of a 1-1 draw well earned at Pittodrie on Sunday when the Dingwall team were a few minutes away from winning it thanks to a Charles Regan-C00k strike.
Video replay vital for Staggies squad
Mackay took his players through the footage of the Pittodrie contest and said that the squad have taken the positives from their performance, despite feeling they deserved three points.
He said: “It’s a measure of how we played to be disappointed with it not just being a smash and grab and the fact that we had various other clear-cut chances makes a difference.
“It’s not just me talking, we showed them footage as evidence of what they did and that should give them confidence going forward because Aberdeen are a good team. Yes, they were disappointed at the time.
“However, Tuesday’s debrief was in the cold light of day and that more than anything over the years I’ve learned exudes confidence when they see it for themselves. It’s not me spinning lines to try and make them feel better.
“It’s actually there and they walk out of the room saying we did okay there and that builds confidence in a group that wherever we go we give a team a game.
“On another day, when one goes in, we might have lost a second, but we actually went on the front foot and had a couple of breaks on them and corners in the last couple of minutes.”
The manager also provided an injury update following Sunday’s encounter.
He added: “David Concola has a little tweak on his groin and it could be a couple of weeks, but no more than that. Connor Randall has been in for a scan after a real heavy fall on his ankle and we’re waiting to see the extent of that just now to find out the prognosis.”