MALKY | Manager Relishing Celtic Challenge

Staggies boss Malky Mackay is relishing the challenge of facing last season’s champions Celtic in Ross County’s first home league game of the cinch Premiership campaign.

After a narrow defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle last weekend, the County boss is looking ahead to what is one of the toughest challenges in Scotland – but insists it’s a positive one.

“[It’s] great to come back to our home stadium, our own fans, that beautiful pitch there and obviously bringing the champions to town as well, the performance last week certainly helped us going into this game” said Mackay.

“They bring exactly the challenge that they brought last year, a style the manager has actually imparted on his team that won the title last year, so a terrific challenge for us, good players we're playing against and it'll be a tough day, but at the same time I think it's a great experience and certainly you want to test yourself against the best”.

County began the game at Hearts in great form putting the hosts under constant pressure but failed to convert, with the Jambos coming back to score twice before Jordan White grabbed one back.

Now Celtic – who opened their title defence with a 2-0 win at home to Aberdeen – present a different obstacle all-together.

“They'll be bringing a terrific crowd with them as well so the attendance in the stadium should be good, the atmosphere will be good, the pitch is excellent and hopefully we give ourselves a good account”.

Both Mackay and Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou were appointed in the summer of 2021, with both delivering success for their sides in the form of the league title and County’s top six finish last term.

“I think what I've tried to impart upon the team - the shape, the way I want to play, the patterns – are all into the football club now in terms of the players and the staff, a lot of the best practices we brought into the club are now just run of the mill.

“So that's been good and we're trying to improve things again and trying to push and make the club better, improve every aspect of the football club on and off the pitch”.

Kick-Off at the Global Energy Stadium is at 3pm on Saturday with plenty to play for in the early stages of the new campaign.