Kenny van der Weg, the Ross County defender, is determined to use what he insists were malicious claims of his unhappiness at the club as extra motivation for today’s crucial trip to face Partick Thistle.

The Dutchman shook with anger as he reacted to reports earlier in the week alleging he was bored with life in the Highlands and unwilling to sign a contract extension beyond the summer.

Van der Weg claims the original interview in Dutch magazine Voetbal International was balanced and light-hearted, but labelled the translation stoking controversial headlines in Scotland as a gross misrepresentation of his feelings.

Now the Dutch left-back, who arrived from NAC Breda in the summer, believes he and his County colleagues will have extra fuel for the fire against Partick Thistle.

The 26-year-old from Rotterdam, who stressed nothing was decided on his Dingwall future, said: “On Wednesday, I got the text to say there was a story written.

“I thought ‘okay, it will be a good story’ but when I read it, it was a really bad story.

“From what we said in the Dutch magazine, they took the words and changed everything to the wrong side. It makes me look not good.

“I think they maybe do it before the games to make a problem here for myself, and for Alex, but everybody believes us.

“I believe myself and Alex believes himself. We know what we said and what we didn’t say. It is not in my head and I will focus on football.

“The games coming up are what is important at the moment.

“Down at Partick Thistle, I think we can get a good result. We have a good team and I think now we have extra power to show everybody.”

Van der Weg had supposedly said in the offending article he spoke excellent English, but has never made any secret of his struggles with the language.

He also pointed to the fact the piece spoke of him being bored in Dingwall when, in reality, he has always stayed in Inverness since moving to Scotland last June.

“The Dutch magazine piece was a story about when Alex Schalk and I met each other in the youth team and progressed up to the top team and how we then when we came together here at Ross County," he stressed.

“Just about every year, we had a little anecdote to tell and I think it was more for the fun, in Holland.

“When you saw the headline on the Dutch magazine, it was ‘Kenny and Alex in Wonderland’. That hardly says we are unhappy.

“But when I saw the headlines here I thought nobody would believe it. I put everything on the internet and most of the people reacting to it in Scotland [were supportive].

“I’ve never lived in Dingwall. My English is bad, but not so bad that I would want to go home. I don’t want to go home.

“There were a couple of other things, like saying I would drive to Edinburgh to get away.

“When I have a day off I like to see the Highlands – I want to see everything. That’s what I said, but they said I drive every time to Edinburgh.

“Yes, I went last week, but I went to Skye as well. Maybe they need to write that as well.

“When I get a day off I go somewhere to see things. It’s not that it’s boring here. I’m happy here, I want to go everywhere and when I live here I want to see everything. That is what I do.

“I told the manager the same as I’m saying now – you can read the Dutch magazine, when you read it, you’ll think it is funny – it’s a good story.

“I got a lot of compliments in Holland about the story. It’s a beautiful life to live here and play here. We like the club.

“They asked the difference between our old club and Ross County and I said it was more professional here.”