What Malky Mackay said after defeat to Rangers that crushed Ross County's European dreams

Ross County manager Malky Mackay insists missing out on the chance to secure European football for the first time in the club’s history cannot diminish his pride in the progress of his squad this season.

Ross County manager Malky Mackay saw his team's hopes of European football next season ended by defeat at Ibrox. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

County’s hopes of a top five Premiership finish – and a place in next season’s Europa Conference League qualifiers – were ended by their 4-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night. They are now certain to be sixth in the table, regardless of their last game of the campaign against Dundee United on Sunday.

“There is an immediate disappointment in that we couldn’t take it to the last game of the season,” said Mackay.

“After that, I spoke to them and told them how proud I am of them this season.

“When you think of the budget of the club, and where we budget for in the league.

“The team consistently showed this season we can go toe-to-toe with most teams in the league.

“We can score goals against most teams, and have a real go. That’s the proudest achievement I’ve got of that group of players, that there was a consistency to them.

“By the time the split happened, they were the fifth best team in the country. We have certainly not disgraced ourselves in these last few games.

“I have a belief that it doesn’t matter the name is Ross County. I think we are as good as any team inside this division, outside the top-three. There’s a confidence that comes with that, and we’ve just got to make sure we build on that.”