Dylan Smith committed to Ross County long-term, insists manager Malky Mackay amid speculation linking teenager with transfer to English Premier League side Everton
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Malky Mackay has no doubts over Dylan Smith's long-term commitment to Ross County, despite speculation linking the 16-year-old with English Premier League outfit Everton.
Scouts were in attendance at last Friday's Premiership defeat to Aberdeen, in which Smith played the full 90 minutes.
In part because of Jack Baldwin and Alex Iacovitti's absences, it has been a run in the starting 11 for the former Culloden Academy pupil, who has now featured in eight matches for the Staggies this season.
Mackay, though, believes Smith is planning to stay in Dingwall for the foreseeable future – but he is not surprised that the youngster has already started attracting interest.
"The starting point is it's not his decision," Mackay explained.
"Dylan and his mum decided that they want to have a long-term future here, so he signed a long contract at the start of the season.
"Good players will always bring speculation. You've got a lot of things to weigh up as and when, and I'm not surprised there are teams looking at him because he's a 16-year-old playing at this standard, live on TV, playing against the likes of Duk, Kyogo Furuhashi and Stevie May.
"That should attract attention, if it doesn't the scouts aren't doing their job.
"For us, it's about him staying level-headed and keeping working on the things that are deficits that can make him even better.
"That consistency of playing for a first team, whether it's over a few months or the next two years can lead to putting on the captain's armband, and then eventually getting a big move.
"There are lots of factors in all that, but if he does all the right things, he can push on into the Scotland under-19s and under-21s, and even beyond that.
"We're not getting ahead of ourselves here. He's one of our players with potential, that has come in and played to a standard I'm delighted with. It's great for the good of the club, and longer term anything beyond that is white noise as far as I'm concerned.
"If he keeps doing the right things, good things will come from that – whether that's staying here and being our captain for a number of years, or going somewhere else and furthering his career."
A well-worn trail
There are plenty of examples from recent years of young players who have burst on to the scene in Scotland's top flight and earned moves south of the border – including former Staggies full back Josh Reid.
Mackay certainly believes Smith has the potential to follow in their footsteps, and is realistic that a decision could have to be made this summer.
"There have been plenty of off-the-record conversations asking about him, but nobody has made a bid at the moment," he added.
"I've been in football for a number of years, so I'd expect there to be bids. That's not because I know anything, that's just what I think.
"Again, that will go down to Roy (MacGregor) and Steven (Ferguson), and the extent of what's coming in just now and what he could end up doing if he stays here.
"There are plenty of adverts that show a track record of young players going down there. Look at Aberdeen with Calvin Ramsay and Scott McKenna – both boys I had in my Scotland squads. Nathan Patterson at Rangers was the same.
"David Turnbull stayed, and if you can go in and make an impact on first teams that makes a big difference compared to going somewhere and sitting in an under-23 team somewhere. That's a route you can go down, but it's not the route I would take.
"We've got bags of time on this, so what's important for Dylan is to keep his head focused on the next five minutes in front of his face.
"I'll keep working with him, and so will the staff, and he's got to keep showing hard work and consistency to keep being able to be selected for our first team. Without any of that, potential goes nowhere. Hard work is the fundamental starting point for all the young boys."
