Gardyne hails Ross County's wide game
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MICHAEL Gardyne reckons Ross County’s wide men can provide the extra dimension they need to even top their record-breaking season.
The Dingwall club finished sixth in the Ladbrokes Premiership and clinched the Scottish League Cup with a final flourish against Hibs in March to cap an unbelievable year – just 12 months after their great escape from the clutches of relegation.
Gardyne, who last week signed a 12-month extension which keeps him at the Global Energy Stadium until the summer of 2018, believes that being pitched into a wide left role by boss Jim McIntyre has proved a master-stroke, with the likes of Jonathan Franks working his magic on the right.
He said: "I like that about the way we play. Not a lot of teams play with a lot of width. I was never a winger until the manager asked me to play wide and I enjoy it. I’d always been through the middle, but it offers us something different."
With Rangers back in the top-flight as the Championship winners, it’s an added spur for 30-year-old Gardyne to mix it with the best in Scotland once more.
He explained: "After what we achieved last year, it’s given us a great platform to build upon. We finished sixth and that’s got to be our minimum target.
"Obviously it will be that bit harder with Rangers back now but these are the games, against Celtic, Aberdeen and Rangers, that you want to be involved in. I think we have shown last season especially that we deserve to be where we are in the league and teams know it will be hard to beat us and we only want to improve on that next season."
Gardyne explained that McIntyre keeping the faith in him even when his form dips makes County a place he’s happy to continue thriving at.
He said: "The manager pulled me aside and said that I had done really well and that he wanted me to sign another year on to the year I already had. I’m enjoying my football and I was more than happy to sign. I’ve been given the chance to play consistently by the manager. He trusts me enough that even when I have a poor game or two he sticks with me and gives me the chance."
