Ross County manager Don Cowie backs former boss Stuart Kettlewell to find new club soon ahead of trip to Motherwell in Scottish Premiership
Ross County manager Don Cowie says he fully expects former colleague Stuart Kettlewell to be back in football management soon ahead of the Staggies’ trip to his former club Motherwell this weekend.
The County legend resigned from his post as Motherwell manager on January 27, citing abuse from the club’s fans directed towards him and his family as the major reason for his departure, and he still has not been replaced in the Fir Park dugout.
Cowie had worked under Kettlewell as both a player and coach between 2018 and 2020, building up a close relationship with the former Steelmen boss.
Having witnessed Kettlewell’s passion for the game first hand, then, Cowie has no doubts that his former mentor will find another role soon enough.
"From a personal point of view, I see Stuart as a friend,” Cowie said.
“I worked under him as a coach when he was manager, and I still keep in contact with him.
"I believe he is an excellent manager who did an excellent job at Motherwell. For him to make that decision means that it became too much.
"Working closely with him, I seen the passion he has got for football, as well as the work ethic he's got in terms of what he puts into it.
"So, for it to reach that point, is disappointing, but you respect his decision.
"I have no doubt in the near future that Stuart will be manager of another club, because he did an excellent job.”
From the outside, Kettlewell’s departure from Fir Park could have been quite surprising given Motherwell were sitting fifth in the Premiership table at the time.
Form had been slipping, but the reasoning being given for his exit as abuse from supporters is a rare moment of humanity from a prominent figure in what is increasingly a business-focused industry.
Another former County manager, Malky Mackay, once referred to football stadiums as a “safe space for abuse”, but current Staggies boss Cowie says he tried to block out all the noise on a matchday to focus on what is happening on the pitch.
"When you are the manager, which I am at this football club, you are so engrossed in the game, you're unaware of what's happening,” he added.
“I am certainly focused on what's going on, which means you maybe don't realise the impact on members of your family when people are giving their opinions within a stadium.
"I don't think I will ever be able to grasp that. You're, as the manager, looking towards the pitch, you're not aware of what's going on behind you.
"You just have to respect what your family members are going through at that moment and that's obviously what's happened with regards to Stuart's family.
"It's really disappointing. We all love football and we're passionate about it, that's why we're here.
"We have our opinions and that's why we love football. We all see it differently, but when it crosses the line and becomes abusive, then no one needs to tolerate that.”