Malky Mackay has urged goalkeeper Ross Munro to grasp his opportunity during Ross County’s Viaplay Cup group campaign.
Staggies number one Ross Laidlaw will be sidelined for the majority of the group stage, after undergoing a clean-up operation on his knee during the close season.
That will present a long-awaited chance for Munro to feature, with the Staggies making the trip to Stranraer in their first competitive fixture on Saturday.
County will also face Morton, Edinburgh City and Kelty Hearts before they start their league campaign away to champions Celtic on August 5.
Although Laidlaw is expected to return by then, Mackay wants Munro to show he can step in when called upon.
Mackay said: “Ross is a really good boy as a number two, and he’s a really good goalkeeper.
“He will have a career as a league goalkeeper, and how high he goes is up to him.
“We’ve got a top goalkeeper at the moment, and Ross Munro has been a great understudy. He has learned a lot from Ross Laidlaw and Scott Thomson over the years.
“It’s something that has to be a real balance, because if your goalkeeper goes down, the one that comes in has to play at Parkhead.
“The person on the bench has to be ready to play in the first minute, because the goalkeeper might get sent off. Knowing our luck, that’s probably going to happen at some point.”
Goalkeeper has waited patiently for chance
Munro has spent his entire career at Victoria Park, with the Nairn-born goalkeeper having been on the Staggies’ books since under-15 level.
The 23-year-old has found game time difficult to come by, with the majority of his eight appearances for County coming in the IRN-BRU Cup winning run in 2018-19.
Since Mackay took charge two years ago, he was handed a start on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign against Dundee United, and also played in a League Cup tie at Buckie Thistle last season.
Mackay is mindful Munro will need game time in order to develop his career, however, he is thrilled he has agreed to remain in Dingwall for another 12 months.
The Staggies boss added: “We had a chat at the end of last season about what was next for his development, and I was very open as to how fair I’m being with him.
“He’s a fabulous boy to have around this football club, he’s a great ambassador for Ross County and he trains like a beast.
“There will be a point where he needs to get his career going, but he wanted to be here for another year just to give himself another few fundamentals before he possibly steps out.
“We’ve had countless clubs calling us about him, and seeing what I see through the leagues, he’s going to be a good goalkeeper.”