Caley Thistle assistant manager Scott Kellacher insists he has no fears about Liam Polworth’s commitment to the club as the midfielder mulls over his future.
Polworth, a product of the club’s youth system, is out of contract in the summer and is attracting interest from Premiership clubs including St Johnstone.
Kellacher hopes manager John Robertson can convince Polworth his future lies at Caledonian Stadium but if the 24-year-old does decide to move on for pastures new the Caley Jags assistant boss has no fears about his player’s commitment to the cause.
He said: “The gaffer has been working behind the scenes regarding Liam’s future and we’ll see what comes of that but at this moment in time he is a Caley Thistle player so we expect him to give everything he has towards the club.
“He has done that for a number of years since come through the ranks.
“As a local boy there is a temptation to look beyond the area and rightfully so.
“We say that to all our players when they come here but it’s unfortunate Liam’s contract is up at the end of the season when we’ve put so much into the boy.
“We don’t know what the future will hold, but we’ll wait and see.”
While Polworth deliberates his future Caley Jags boss Robertson is focused on adding to his squad before the transfer window closes on January 31 and Kettlewell says talks aimed an acquiring striking reinforcements before the end of the month are ongoing.
He said: “The manager is speaking to a couple of players just now and hopefully we can get a couple over the line in the next week or so. It is important we add fresh faces to help the boys out and with some injured lads coming back it will help for the run-in.
“We’re looking at one or two to strengthen the final third but until we get them over the line there is no point in saying who, but it is important we add to the squad as competition for places would be good.”
Caley Jags are focused on tomorrow’s Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Lowland League outfit East Kilbride but the main priority this season is promotion back to the Premiership.
Mark Ogren, chairman and new owner of Dundee United, one of Caley Thistle’s promotion rivals, insists he will do what it takes to lead the club back to the top-flight of Scottish football but Kellacher is confident his club can compete with an improving Tangerines in the second half of the campaign.
He said: “Dundee United are a massive club and we know where they want to get back to. It’s clear they are going to throw a lot of money at it and if they get there then good luck to them but money does not always answer all of the questions.
“They’ve got a good manager who has won this league before with Hearts but they know how hard it is to get out of this league. We’re doing our best to be in and around it as well.”