Billy Dodds has had little time to work with the strikers at Caley Thistle but interim manager Neil McCann still expects the coach to take credit for the club’s revival.
Inverness made it three wins out of three following their 3-2 Scottish Cup second round victory at Buckie Thistle on Tuesday and McCann joked he is not surprised to see Dodds making an immediate impression on the squad.
He said: “Doddsy is infectious, he’s enthusiastic, he’s a great coach. He has made a difference not only to the coaching team, bringing it back up to four.
“He has made an impact on the team as well. He is not slow in telling you he can do certain things.
“What I know he can’t do is go and press well in a five v two. He was horrendous today and I had to get dragged in alongside him so I’m feeling the effects just now.”
It has been a hectic start for McCann, who is in filling in for manager John Robertson, and he says the schedule has meant there has been little time for working on new ideas in training.
But that has not stopped Dodds or the other coaches from sharing their experience.
McCann said: “We’ve hardly had any time on the training pitch because there have been eight games and it’s been about recovery.
“We haven’t done anything specific. I was a wide player, I played through the middle, I played full-back.
“Doddsy played the striker role, Barry Wilson played wide. There’s a good mix of what we’ve done individually and you can speak to boys and give them information.
“We’ve not had time for one v one training. Talking to them just now is as important as taking them physically on the training park.
“But I’m pretty sure he’s been good at passing advice onto the boys up top that’ll hopefully pay off.”
McCann and Dodds have been former team-mates and room-mates but the interim manager has revealed their association goes back even before they played together.
He said: “I was Doddsy’s boot boy at Dundee so I’ve known him longer than most who I know.
“He wasn’t a good tipper but maybe that was down to the fact I wore his boots one day in a game because I fancied them. It was a brand new pair of Nike Airs.
“Then he turned up at the game to my horror so I switched wings. I think he found out though and maybe that’s why I didn’t get the box of chocolates or £20 at Christmas.
“We never discussed working together. We always had that bond knowing him since being his boot boy. We played at Rangers and Scotland.
“I’ve always admired his qualities and he shares a lot of qualities I’ve got myself. He’s hard working, he’s aggressive and enthusiastic.
“I knew what I’d be bringing in and I always felt if there was an opportunity for help with the coaching staff and the club are prepared to offer funds I knew I’d go for him straight away. Plus he’s local which helps.”