Queen of the South’s Iain Russell was one of seven players to agree extended deals with the Doonhamers in the past week and the club’s top goalscorer reckons that enjoying their football is key to players sticking around.
Jim Atkinson, Mark Durnan, Kevin Holt, Stephen McKenna, Pat Slattery and Paul Burns have all also agreed to remain as part of Manager Jim McIntyre’s squad with Russell saying: “It was an easy decision for me to make, in fact it was very easy. Just as soon as I was offered the chance to stay at the club I agreed to remain.”
“I am really enjoying it here and the manager has been great with me as has his assistant Gerry McCabe and our coach Billy Dodds.”
The Palmerston Park club sit eighth in the Championship 7 points off a relegation Play-Off place but just 5 away from a promotion Play-Off one and Russell added: “We are doing okay in the Championship and that together with enjoying my football all added up to making it an easy decision.”
Russell is of course no stranger to Palmerston Park and the surrounding area as he explained: “It has been a roundabout route for me to get home to Dumfries but I am staying for longer now. I grew up here and I played my football in nearby Annan but moved up to Glasgow when I was quite young, just 16.”
“I am finally back home and I am happy with that.”
Whilst his new deal runs until the summer of 2015 Russell is only thinking of this campaign as he explained; “The deal runs until the end of next season but I am only really looking at this season. We want to stabilise and grow next year but I am not thinking too far ahead.”
“Of course you start reading things suggesting that Rangers and Hearts will be in the league next season and that sits at the back of your mind. It could be a really high profile league but you cannot think too far ahead or you will take your eye off the ball for this season.”
Targets have still to be hit in this campaign with Russell advising: “There is a lot still to be done this year in a very tight league. You have very little space between the top 4 clubs and little between the bottom 2 and four teams in-between.”
“We want to get involved in that top group but at this stage no-one can be sure where any team will end up. It is important not to think about next year and concentrate only on this one. Everyone would like to get into the Play-Offs, well the top four one as opposed to the bottom two one.”
“We beat Alloa 3-1 last weekend and we are looking to push on and up in the table as we are under achieving a bit in the league. It is a hard league and there are no easy games but we would like a few more wins and points on board.”
Russell also has an added incentive to do well this season as every second game sees him come up against a former team as he explained: “I have been at Dumbarton, Morton, Alloa and Livingston as well as Queen of the South so I am seeing a lot of familiar faces. I am not sure whether being at them all is a good thing or a bad thing as fans usually have a special welcome for old players.”
The 31-year-old is enjoying the experience of being settled at Queen’s as he explained: “I am a bit older now and have been around football for a long time and I can honestly say that the last few years have been the happiest in my football career.”
“Playing at both Livingston and then Queen of the South has been fantastic and I am really enjoying myself just now.”
Priorities have changed to some extent with Russell saying: “I have been over 10 years in the game and enjoyment has become more important the longer I have been in it. The money side is important as it is your job but at our level the money that you make is not that great so you have to enjoy playing. “
“Winning games is a big factor in enjoying things as well. You have to want to come in every day and to be fair to the manager here he has created an environment that allows that to happen. There is a good atmosphere at this club and the three guys involved in leading the coaching help make that happen.”
“The set-up we have with the physio and the sports science guys in and around all the time make it a very professional atmosphere but a happy one as well. The Manager wants us to be happy here but no-one is happy when we lose a game.”
“However we have a positive outlook and come a Monday morning the manager and all the players are focussed on the next game. It is a new week and you have to go into it positively. We still work hard but you look forward to the next game.”
Having a training base is also working for the players with Russell adding: “We have good facilities at Broadwood. The pitch is great, the gym is great as are the facilities for the players after training. It is good to have a good set up there as well.”
The positive approach is bringing dividends as Russell added: “I am doing okay goals wise this season as I am up to 11. I have slipped back down the pitch recently as the manager is playing me in a new role. I am not playing up front as much as I am in a midfield role.”
“The gaffer sold it to me and it has suited me so far and I feel I am more involved. I am trying to set up goals now but I am sure Derek Lyle will tell you I can improve on that. It is all about wanting to do your best for the team.”
After signing up on a deal that will take him until he is 32 Russell was asked if he had thought about life after playing and he said: “I am not looking at coaching or anything like that just now. I am not looking beyond my playing days at the moment.”
“I still feel young and all I am interested in is playing. I have not thought about when I will finish at all yet or saying I will be doing this or doing that in 5 or 10 years time.”
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