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Ross County manager Neale Cooper underlined his commitment to the Dingwall club's cause last night as he prepared his side for tonight's CIS League Cup clash with Dundee at Victoria Park.
Cooper was linked with the St Johnstone vacancy last week before it went to his former Pittodrie teammate Billy Stark.
But Cooper insisted his energies have always been focused on his own job and his planning for what he hopes will be another Victoria Park glory night.
He said: "I was really upset when I read in the press last week that I had supposedly applied for the St Johnstone job.
"I haven't applied for any other job and I'm very happy here. I've got a big job to do and, with my kids at the local school here, talk like that causes unrest.
"I can assure everybody that I've never applied for another job since I came to County and if I was going to, my chairman would be the first to know.
"I'm fully focused on the game against Dundee. It will be a difficult game against a quality side. They have quality everywhere."
Cooper expressed his delight for 'keeper Tony Bullock, who has picked up the CIS player-of-the round award, courtesy of two vital penalty saves and converted spot kick in the second-round shoot-out which ousted Hearts.
Midfield trio Mark McCormack, Steve Ferguson and John Fraser come back into Cooper's selection plans tonight, along with teenage defender Sean Webb, who played a full 90 minutes with the Northern Ireland under-19 side against Denmark last week.
Highly-rated Webb will face Dundee before joining up with his international colleagues for a trip to Lithuania which will keep him out of Saturday's Division 1 match against Arbroath at Gayfield.
Meanwhile, County defender Hugh Robertson is looking forward to locking horns with his former Dens Park teammates.
He said: "They'll come out and attack us but, hopefully, we will be able to counterattack in what should be a good game.
"I'm really enjoying my time with Ross County because I'm playing regular first-team football again. I left Dens at the start of last season just after Ivano Bonetti took over and although I played a bit, he was always going to take his own players."
Dundee's Scotland under-21 keeper Jamie Langfield recognises the threat County will pose to the his side's chances of progressing.
He said: "Dingwall has always been a very difficult place for Premier League teams.
"Ross County have had some great results over the last couple of years but that shouldn't matter because we've got a good enough squad to go a long way in this competition and it is up to us to prove that."
Dundee trained in Dingwall yesterday and player-manager Bonetti warned his players against complacency.
He is determined not to see his multi-national side become the victims of another County giant-killing act. He warned: "Ross County have proved that they are a good side by beating Hearts in the last round."
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Hartlepool Uunited are set to win the race to secure the services of Ross County's record signing Derek Holmes.
Holmes, who joined the Dingwall side from Hearts in a £50,000 deal in 1999, is weighing up an offer made by the English club.
The Third Division outfit is believed to have agreed a fee with County, but the Teessiders could face competition from Second Division Bournemouth, where Holmes is currently on loan.
The 23-year-old has scored twice for the Cherries and played the full 90 minutes when they beat Notts County 4-2 last Saturday.
Bournemouth are reported to be keen to hold on to the player, but manager Sean O'Driscoll has yet to match Hartlepool's bid, which is believed to be in the region of £20,000.
County snapped up the strapping striker after he caught manager Neale Cooper's eye in a CIS League Cup quarter-final tie against the Tynecastle club in Edinburgh three seasons ago.
Holmes, trying to impress then Hearts manager Jim Jefferies, came off the bench to hit the Tynecastle club's equaliser to send the tie into extra time.
County lost on penalties, but Cooper signed Holmes who, despite showing promise, never managed to command a regular first-team place at Victoria Park.
And last night, it looked like County were ready to write off £30,000 of their investment in Holmes to move on the unhappy striker.
Meanwhile, John McQuade could soon join Holmes on the way out of Victoria Park.
Glasgow-born McQuade joined County in August last year from Stirling Albion.
Last season McQuade scored one goal in 17 league starts, but has been on the fringes this term.
Dingwall manager Cooper is stepping up his bid to secure a loan deal for the 31-year-old winger.
Cooper said: "John feels he needs games and we're willing to let him go out on loan.
"There was interest from a few clubs, but John has been suffering from a cold, so that had to go on the back burner.
"He's not part of the first-team squad at the moment and a loan deal would help him to get match fit."
Dumbarton and Stranraer have previously shown an interest in McQuade. But Forfar, who were also linked with a loan bid for the player, are understood to be pursuing other options.
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Eterprising Ross County last night re-signed their own record outgoing transfer – £225,000 Neil Tarrant – for nothing.
Scotland under-21 striker Tarrant put pen to paper yesterday afternoon after very brief talks with County manager Neale Cooper and club officials.
Tarrant, who was sold to English Premiership giants Aston Villa three years ago, negotiated his own release in talks with Villa manager John Gregory on Monday.
The player and his agent immediately contacted Cooper and headed for Dingwall to conclude a fairytale return to Victoria Park.
Speaking last night, a delighted Tarrant said: "It's all happened so quickly and I'm delighted to be joining up again with County.
"I just couldn't see me getting a chance at Villa and I've always known County were ambitious.
"It's great to be back in Dingwall, playing for the club and the manager who gave me the chance to kick-start my career last time around."
County boss Cooper originally offered Tarrant a contract in November 1997 after he turned up in Dingwall and impressed in an early season trial.
The then 18-year-old had been freed by his home-town club, Darlington, and had been trailing around Europe looking for a full-time break.
His finest moment in a County shirt, arguably, came when Cooper's Third Division side knocked out Dundee United in a CIS League Cup clash in Dingwall, handing the Tannadice club a 2-1 defeat which heralded the end of Jim McLean's reign as Tangerines manager.
From there, Tarrant helped County ride a cup roller-coaster into the quarter-finals, where they lost on penalties to Hearts at Tynecastle after a tense battle ended 1-1 after extra time.
But he never made the big breakthrough at Villa Park, spending much of last season on loan at Ayr United. He started this term on loan at Motherwell, an arrangement which ended when Eric Black took charge at Fir Park.
Last night, a delighted Cooper welcomed back Tarrant like a long lost son.
He said: "Neil's return to Victoria Park came right out of the blue, although we knew he wasn't happy at Villa Park.
"He's still only 22 and desperate to start playing regularly again and I'm delighted to have him back in the squad here.
"I can't guarantee anybody first-team football, but his return has come at an important time for us, with our home CIS League Cup quarter-final tie against Rangers coming up soon."
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