Here's everything the defender had to say ahead of Rangers vs Ross County at today's press conference. 

How much attention to players pay to the chance of going top?

To be honest, not much, the gaffer has drilled in we are going game by game. He has created a bubble and focus which means we just look at the next game. How long a season is it doesn’t matter who is top now, but at the end of the season. Everyone is focused on that.

Did it feel like a big one on Tuesday?

I think it was just a night game against Aberdeen, that alone brings a night atmosphere like that, If we keep performing the atmosphere will be like that more and more. It’s up to us to provide the crowd with that.

Does it feel like you have a spring in your step?

I think we do and we’re in a good place but as I say small steps.

What’s been key to getting the team in that good place?

I don’t know if there has been a key I just think everyone has bought into what the manager is doing, there’s lots of clarity and you see that when boys come in even when he makes changes and rotation. Performances don’t fluctuate much because when you go on everyone knows your role and there is real clarity through the team. That has brought consistency in performances.

How pleased are you with your current run of form?

I’ve enjoyed being in the team you want to be playing every week and then you get a rhythm, everything is more natural and that is where I am now.

Is it tough when there is so much change?

It can be tough coming in and out as a defender but the intensity we train at every day allows us to stay at the top performance and I know there are four good centre-halves here, there will be chopping and changing we just need to adapt to, everyone will have a spell in and out the team. When you’re in you need to do everything you can to stay in.

Is that at the front of your mind because the manager does have those options?

I just try to concentrate on myself, train as hard as I can every day and every game play as well as I can and try to get better every day.

The EUROS is also on your mind?

It’s a long way away, I am concentrating on the day-to-day and everything else will take care of itself, as a Scotland player that is where you want to be. 

The defensive record has been really good?

I don’t know if there has been one or two elements or just the way we are. We’ve tried to cut out transitions a lot and there has been a big focus on that. Also when we are dominating games with possession there will be fewer chances and everyone will be concentrated for 90 minutes, the whole team, not just the back four. The manager has driven that in. He doesn’t want a lot of goals in and the whole team working hard as a unit out of possession and when we are in possession thinking defensively. That comes back to the clarity he gives the whole team, what he wants defensively when we are on the ball and off the ball.

Is that collective effort really important and thinking about how you defend when you have the ball?

Yeah, I think so and it’s also just rhythm. When you’re in the habit of doing something it becomes natural and you get one, two, three clean sheets, everyone buys in and it becomes a real determination to not concede. It also helps when you have Jack in the goals who is top class. All that together, it’s not been one or two elements but a lot of things that have added to that.

How has the manager created this bubble?

When I say a bubble I just mean he is bang right in the now day to day and not thinking about the future. The next game is massive and there is real emphasis on that. It’s not thinking two/three games in front. That keeps everyone on their toes and with our squad you can’t take the foot off the gas, everyone knows you have to be on it.

Oscar Cortes looked good on Saturday, how has he been?

He done well, it’s so early on. I know when someone plays well coming from another country everyone wants to build the hype but I think we just need to let him play football, get used to it. Coming from another country, I’ve never done it but I’ve watched other boys do it and I can see how difficult it is when you can’t speak the language. Look at Ridvan who has himself probably taken a year to adapt and now he is comfortable, he’s joining conversations with the boys and feels like he is part of the dressing room which is no one’s fault, but when you start learning the language and seeing how Scottish people do things it becomes more comfortable on and off the pitch. For Oscar his ability looks really good but I think it is important everyone is patient with him and there’s not too much pressure to perform week-in, and week-out because there will be dips like everyone, but he was really good at the weekend.