Malky Mackay is relishing Ross County starting the Premiership season with a trip to tackle Hearts next month.
The fixtures were released by the SPFL on Friday morning and Staggies will be off to Edinburgh on July 30 to face Robbie Neilson’s Jambos.
The capital club were clearly the third best team in Scotland last season behind champions Celtic and runners-up Rangers.
Hearts won’t take County lightly after the Dingwall team banished a disappointing start to last term after a massive summer of upheaval to surge all the way up to sixth place, missing out on a European spot by just five points.
The Dingwall side were tricky opponents for Hearts in 2021/22, holding them to draws on three occasions and giving them a run for their money in a 2-1 loss in Edinburgh on Boxing Day.
Although he would have preferred a home game to start with, Mackay expects a brilliant opening occasion for his men and fans in Gorgie.
He said: “It’s a tough start. You don’t get too much harder than Hearts at Tynecastle, but it’s a fantastic stadium with a good atmosphere within it.
“We had some really good games against Hearts last season, so we’re looking forward to it.
“It would have been great to get an opener at home, but you deal with the situation as it is.”
Top three within first five games
County kick off their home campaign on August 6 with the visit of champions Celtic.
Overall, within their first five matches, the Staggies will face the top three teams from last season, with a match away to Rangers set for August 27.
Mackay smiled at the fixtures lining up as they are at the start, but is fearless rather than fearful about the challenging early matches.
He said: “Thank you to my friends at the SPFL for giving us that – a nice start.
“But you have to play them all. We have Hearts away and Celtic at home. It is a tough start, but we are really looking forward to getting going.”
Mackay wants to play role of Santa
Another eye-catching date for the diary is the visit of league runners-up and Europa League finalists Rangers on Christmas Eve.
The manager hopes he can play the role of Santa and bring festive cheers to Staggies supporters.
He added: “It will be interesting playing on Christmas Eve. We’re at home and hopefully plenty of our fans can turn out for it.
“Everyone will be rushing about for their presents, but hopefully we can give our fans a wee present with a result against Rangers.”
Planning needed due to early break
The World Cup being played in Qatar this winter means there is a winter shutdown from November 13 to December 17.
Mackay explained he and his coaches will plan appropriately for this shift in schedule.
He said: “It’s going to be different for everyone, throughout the whole of Europe, so we have to make sure we balance that in terms of having time off with maybe some warm weather training.
“It worked well last season, in terms of the small winter break we got after Christmas.
“We were planning on going abroad, but because of Covid, all the Premiership clubs decided not to do that.
“We decided to have a week’s break in Edinburgh with the team. So, we will look at it as the season progresses and all eyes will be on the World Cup at that point.”
League Cup comes before league start
County’s first competitive game of the new season is in the Premier Sports Cup on July 9 when they go to Highland League runners-up Buckie Thistle.
The side will also face Dunfermline Athletic (home) on July 16, Alloa Athletic (away) on July 19, and East Fife (home) on July 23 in the competition.
Next weekend, Mackay and his player pool head to Verona, Italy, for a week of pre-season training in the sunshine.
Conversation