Ross County chief on challenges of a Highland club
Ross County were relegated from the Scottish Premiership to the Championship last season.Speaking at half time on Friday during County's televised home game against former Premiership rivals St Johnstone, Ferguson was asked about the challenges of being based in the Highlands.He was reminded that County's footballing neighbours, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, considered moving its base 136 miles south to Fife to be nearer central belt players before scrapping the plan.Ferguson said: "We understand our importance to this area. They love their football up here. They are passionate about their club. "We just need to show that same passion we get from our community."He said County believed it had assembled a good squad."I would wrong to say that anything other than winning the league is good enough because we have invested in a group of players we believe is good enough to win the league," he said.Ferguson added: "We are bedding in a lot of players."It does take a little bit of time a lot of players are moving to the Highlands. It is a different environment for them. They accept all that."
BBC Scotland Sport pundit and former Hearts captain Michael Stewart agreed Highland clubs faced significant challenges recruiting players.He said: "We are a very central belt focused nation, and there is no doubt about that."It does become difficult to get players up here, but I guarantee you and I'm sure Steven Ferguson will tell you this - once they are up here they won't want to be leaving because it is a wonderful place to be - it really is."There is a different pace to life, but it (Ross County) is a very important club for the Highlands."St Johnstone won the game 1-0 with a goal from Uche Ikpeazu.
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