Ross County scrap training camp in Spain in favour of staying in Scotland
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ROSS County cancelled their planned winter break to Spain in favour of staying closer to home due to the impact of the pandemic.
Manager Malky Mackay confirmed the Staggies scrapped their travel plans to go to a base in Spain and will now train at the Oriam Centre in Edinburgh for a few days in preparation for the season resuming on January 18.
Mackay says due to the current restrictions imposed by the government, the club felt it was not right to travel to the continent.
“We were supposed to go to Spain for a week and had a training camp lined up there,” said Mackay.
“Obviously this happened and we cancelled it all and other SPFL chairman cancelled most of the trips.
“Also players who had time off and were going away had to cancel their plans, soon as they said the games that wouldn’t happen.
“We will give them a week off with their families then the next week we’ll do something.
“ I spoke to people at Oriam and we will go there for three to four days, a few days kicking about Edinburgh and 10 days before the game.”
Mackay also said he will look to bolster the squad before their return to league action when they take on Motherwell on Tuesday, January 18.
He confirmed as well that they will look to move on some players who have struggled to break into the first team squad.
“There might be one or two of the fringe squad that want to get their career going so they might move on,” said Mackay.
“We might try to see if we can strengthen a couple of positions, if we are going to add we need to add with quality that is just as good if not better than we’ve got.
“There is no point bringing in squad fillers.”
Mackay hopes restrictions on fans being allowed back into stadiums will be lifted when the season resumes and that is why clubs agreed to bringing the winter break forward in the Premiership.
But he says stadiums remaining empty after the winter break and government restrictions remaining in place is a real possibility, which all clubs will have to be prepared for happening.
“Coming back from the break there isn’t a free midweek,” said Mackay.
“It will test everyone again and throw in this new strain it will be interesting for everyone.”
He added: “We are in uncharted territory with this disease and we are looking at empty stadiums which is a blow.
“I’m not sure in three weeks time people will be allowed in stadiums again.
“It is staring us in the face, there are no free spots for games to go into and that is why clubs have gone for it.”
