Caley Thistle defender Josh Meekings believes the John Hughes regime is beginning to take shape at Inverness.
The Highlanders have endured an inconsistent run since Hughes succeeded Terry Butcher as manager at Caledonian Stadium but Caley Jags ended a hectic run of 15 games in eight weeks with a win against Ross County in the final game before the split.
The performance in the final Highland derby of the season on April 4 was especially pleasing for Hughes, whose methods were called into question by a section of frustrated supporters in the 2-1 defeat by Motherwell three days earlier.
Meekings believes the criticism of his manager is unfair and claims the performance in the derby shows the positive effect Hughes is having at the club.
He said: “The style of football the manager wants to play is something we work very hard on in training.
“It was just a matter of time before it showed on the pitch. It was there for the supporters to see that when we do get it right then it looks very good.
“Obviously, it makes it that much better when you get the result as well. It was always going to be a difficult one because we were flying high when he came in but then we had a few injuries and suspensions, while it has been tough with the busy schedule we’ve had lately.
“Credit to the manager. He’s kept going and he has kept working with us. He has kept the faith in us in terms of carrying out what he wants to do and I think we’re showing that on the pitch now.”
After a two-week break Caley Thistle return to action on Friday against League Cup holders Aberdeen at Caledonian Stadium.
Meekings insists the Caley Jags confidence is high as they prepare to face Derek McInnes’s Reds, who beat his club on penalty kicks to win the trophy in March. He said: “We feel that we’ve been playing reasonably well. Results just haven’t been coming.
“We’ve perhaps been trying to play a little bit too much and not getting the goals we deserve, while we’ve been leaking a few as well from mistakes we’ve been making ourselves.
“It’s something we have been working on during the break and the mood in the dressing-room is good.”