Ross County manager Malky Mackay believes PFA Scotland Player of the Year nominee Regan Charles-Cook still has further room for improvement.
Winger Charles-Cook is among four players shortlisted for the award, following a vote by his fellow professionals.
He is up against Celtic pair Callum McGregor and Tom Rogic, and Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
It follows a remarkable campaign in which Charles-Cook leads the Premiership scoring charts with 13 goals to his name.
Charles-Cook is out of contract in the summer, with the Staggies in talks to secure him on a new deal.
Although Mackay is thrilled with Charles-Cook’s progress, he feels the 25-year-old is capable of reaching further levels.
He added: “There is always room for improvement, and it’s something he gets from me every day.
“I think he can be better. I think he could have scored another four or five goals and been way ahead.
🗣️"I'm parking the bus on that. I'm just focussing on getting Ross County into Europe!"
The Scottish Premiership's top-scorer Regan Charles-Cook reflects on being nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award and plays it cool when discussing his future👇 pic.twitter.com/08aATOjOi7
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 27, 2022
“I think there are times when he could have made the back post more. When the ball is coming from the other side.
“I have shown him that at times, and it could have led to three or four more tap-in goals.
“That’s the bit where I think there is more to come. I could see some more little runs in behind at times as well.
“Other times he has done a couple of wonderful things. Even on Sunday, late on down the left-hand side, he had a great take on against Anthony Ralston.
“I’ve been delighted about his willingness to be open to listening to critique, but also applying it.
“That’s the difference. You can have things pointed out to you, but the proof is whether he shows that behavioural change on the pitch when he’s been told something.”
Winger has shown desire to learn
Mackay, who took charge at Victoria Park last summer, feels Grenada international Charles-Cook has reaped the rewards of his willingness to learn and develop his game.
Mackay added: “He came back a wee bit later because of the Gold Cup and he was playing catch-up for a few weeks in pre-season.
“What I saw immediately was an honesty about him, which I loved.
“He needed me to tell him where I needed more from him, and what I expected from somebody in that position.
“I also saw somebody that was looking me in the eye when I was talking to him. When he was talking back to me, the things he was saying back to me made sense.
“When we were having a conversation, it wasn’t the case that he didn’t know what I was talking about.
“He grasped it immediately, and he was asking questions concerning what I had just spoken to him about.
“There was an intelligence I liked, and a work ethic I liked. There was definitely talent there, so I wanted to pull it all together and actually make something of that.
“It takes him to walk across the line to do that.”
Covid restrictions affected Charles-Cook’s early days with County
Charles-Cook was brought to County by Stuart Kettlewell in 2020, but endured a frustrating debut season in Scotland in which he made just nine league starts.
Mackay feels the lifting of Covid restrictions on Scottish football has allowed Lewisham-born Charles-Cook to come into his own with the Staggies.
The County boss added: “He came off the back of a reasonably quiet season.
“He had played sporadically, but I think you’ve got to take into consideration the whole Covid situation after he came in from Gillingham.
“People were just turning up in a car to train, and then getting back in the car to leave.
“One of the great things about this year is we have organised the food a bit better for lunch time. We have table tennis, and when they are up there they are sitting and chatting. They are actually bonding as a group, and last year’s group missed that.
“I don’t think it would have been easy for anybody to settle last year. You’ve got to do it on the pitch, though, and maybe that was part of the reason.”
