Ross County 'not actively seeking' permanent manager as Don Cowie eyes probation period
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Don Cowie is now pointing the way forward and is being assisted by first-team coach Carl Tremarco
Don Cowie says Ross County "are not actively looking for" a permanent manager after the former midfielder's appointment as interim boss.
The 40-year-old, capped 10 times for Scotland, has stepped up from his role as assistant following Derek Adams' resignation.
Cowie is effectively viewing it as a probation period.
"It's something I'd love to do, but I'm just going to take each game as it comes," he told BBC Scotland.
"It's something I've aspired to be - manager of this club - and it's a club I know well and I've had a long association with, so it's a proud moment for me and my family."
Asked how long he might be in interim charge, Cowie said "there is no timescale" with the Dingwall club not advertising for a permanent boss after their former player was "given the privilege of taking the reins to steady the ship and bring a calmness to the club".
His first test comes on Wednesday as his side travel to Ibrox to face second-top Rangers in their first game since a 5-0 thrashing in Motherwell.
That left County five points adrift of St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership's relegation play-off spot and led to the departure of their second manager within three months.
"It's a massive game," Inverness-born Cowie said. "Rangers are in great form and the boys have gone through a lot over the last week, but it was good we had no game at the weekend - it's allowed everyone just to reset."
Having come through the County youth ranks and, following his return to the club after spells with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Watford, Cardiff City, Wigan Athletic and Heart of Midlothian, Cowie returned to Victoria Park in 2018 before becoming assistant to Malky Mackay on ending his playing career two years later.
He believes the fact "I know the players really well" will help rebuild the "togetherness" lost after Adams' scathing criticism - not only of his own players but the standard of Scottish football in general - before the 48-year-old's third stint as County manager ended after only 79 days.
"We were all disappointed with the way we played and the manner of the defeat against Motherwell," Cowie said. "Obviously the comments that were made hit a nerve, but it's now up to the players to respond to that.
"Derek made the comments that he made. On the other hand, Derek's done so much for this football club and he's been part of a lot of the success that's been here.
"I've got an awful lot of respect for him and I'm sure, for him looking back, it's comments that he would maybe change if he could, but now it's about us looking forward. I want to see a team that the fans can relate to, the community can relate to, and is giving everything for the badge."
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