If Scotland's football clubs had the marketing nous of Tommy Gilmour or Frank Warren, two of Britain's top boxing promoters, the game between Aberdeen and Ross County at Pittodrie tonight would be touted as the seasoned pro against the young contender.

The recent comment from George Yule, Aberdeen's executive vice-chairman, that he would like to retain the services of the current team manager, though not necessarily at trackside, and recruit a "dynamic young coach", would have been hyped to high heaven by the fight game's great publicists as "Craig Brown versus Derek Adams".

Football's administrators, however, are more cautious in their approach.

Adams – is he the coach of whom Yule spoke? – has guided his team of journeymen to fifth place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a seven-game unbeaten run while Brown, who has rolled with the punches for much of the season as his side, assembled with a significantly larger budget, have huffed and puffed their way from one week to the next.

Despite that, he hinted yesterday that the draw at Kilmarnock on Saturday in what was a satisfactory performance, will bring change to his line-up to accommodate the dark horses from Dingwall.

"You like to stick to the same team," he said, "but it's also good to freshen up. Ross County have been different. Derek has stuck to largely the same side, and it has worked.

"They are the form team in the league right now so it will be a difficult match, but we are looking forward to it. We have got five fixtures to the split and there are 15 points up for grabs. We need everyone behind the team and a win would set up us nicely."

Adams declared himself unmoved by speculation linking him with the Aberdeen job. Instead, the 37-year-old spoke of his enjoyment at being part of a twin Highland uprising he feels is shaking up the SPL's established order.

"I enjoy working here and working with these players. It is just great to go to Pittodrie as a manager of Ross County," said Adams.

Like his Inverness counterpart Terry Butcher, Adams is riled by what he perceives as a lack of respect shown to the so-called minnows in the north and there is obvious pleasure in the way both Highland sides have been confounding expectations.

"Both Inverness and ourselves are doing well. Caley Thistle are second and, as it stands, we are three points behind them.I think it's great for the Highlands," he said.

If Scotland's football clubs had the marketing nous of Tommy Gilmour or Frank Warren, two of Britain's top boxing promoters, the game between Aberdeen and Ross County at Pittodrie tonight would be touted as the seasoned pro against the young contender.

The recent comment from George Yule, Aberdeen's executive vice-chairman, that he would like to retain the services of the current team manager, though not necessarily at trackside, and recruit a "dynamic young coach", would have been hyped to high heaven by the fight game's great publicists as "Craig Brown versus Derek Adams".

Football's administrators, however, are more cautious in their approach.

Adams – is he the coach of whom Yule spoke? – has guided his team of journeymen to fifth place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a seven-game unbeaten run while Brown, who has rolled with the punches for much of the season as his side, assembled with a significantly larger budget, have huffed and puffed their way from one week to the next.

Despite that, he hinted yesterday that the draw at Kilmarnock on Saturday in what was a satisfactory performance, will bring change to his line-up to accommodate the dark horses from Dingwall.

"You like to stick to the same team," he said, "but it's also good to freshen up. Ross County have been different. Derek has stuck to largely the same side, and it has worked.

"They are the form team in the league right now so it will be a difficult match, but we are looking forward to it. We have got five fixtures to the split and there are 15 points up for grabs. We need everyone behind the team and a win would set up us nicely."

Adams declared himself unmoved by speculation linking him with the Aberdeen job. Instead, the 37-year-old spoke of his enjoyment at being part of a twin Highland uprising he feels is shaking up the SPL's established order.

"I enjoy working here and working with these players. It is just great to go to Pittodrie as a manager of Ross County," said Adams.

Like his Inverness counterpart Terry Butcher, Adams is riled by what he perceives as a lack of respect shown to the so-called minnows in the north and there is obvious pleasure in the way both Highland sides have been confounding expectations.

"Both Inverness and ourselves are doing well. Caley Thistle are second and, as it stands, we are three points behind them.I think it's great for the Highlands," he said.