Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds admits Covid has added new dimensions to the way he prepares for matches on a daily basis.
The Inverness job is Dodds’ first crack at being a boss in his own right, but he has coached for 16 years and the impact of the virus which is sweeping the country and beyond has changed sport near and far.
Looking solely at Scottish football, ICT are returning to Championship action on Wednesday after positive Covid cases and close contacts left Dodds with too few players to face Partick Thistle on Boxing Day.
That match was postponed by the SPFL at Inverness’ request and the Highlanders have players literally turning up without training to tackle Dunfermline Athletic in a second-bottom v second-top encounter.
Players return late for Pars clash
Dodds explained the situation ahead of the midweek showdown at East End Park.
He said: “We’re going to get a few players back late from isolation, which is not ideal.
“We are going to have numbers and enough to field a team. It all depends how the boys are, but we’ve given them training programmes away with them, so hopefully they’re all good and the wee break will mean they are coming back with a bit of freshness.
“We’ve got good numbers, so I’m looking forward to it.”
All angles of Covid and recovery from it needs covered
Dealing with the complexities of Covid and the latest Omicron strain, which has forced a 500-fan limit to be put on attendances in Scotland, means managers have to be up to speed, aided by their medical teams, on how the virus can affect individuals.
Dodds said: “I’ve been coaching for 16 years and you would never had thought you would be preparing like this.
“You have to – you’re not doing your job properly if you don’t get it in your mindset where you’re ready for every kind of angle with Covid.
“Some of them might not have any symptoms or feel anything at all, some of them might be laid low and you have to take your time with them.
“Some of them might feel great when they come back, so you have to prepare for every eventuality. That’s what we’ve done as well as we can.
“It’s not ideal, we’ll be putting players on the pitch who haven’t trained a lot, which isn’t great, but it’s needs-must in a really important game for us after Arbroath beat Dunfermline at the weekend.
“That also puts it on to Dunfermline to respond, so they will be right up for it, too. We know how big a game it is, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Dodds explained every player is treated individually as Covid affects everyone differently.
He added: “You’d be mad if you didn’t go to your medical team. You’d be mad if you didn’t use your head of performance, who is Ross Hughes.
“I’m lucky, I’ve got one of the best with us up here and I consult with him all the time about individual players to see where they’re at.
“That’s the correct way to handle it, because everyone is different.”
Reacting to virus once more
This was the second time this year Covid affected Caley Thistle and Dodds reckons going through it before stood them in good stead for their Boxing Day blow.
He said: “We had a few out in pre-season as well, and we had to shut the place down for four or five days to get rid of it before cracking on again.
“You have to top up people who were isolating, so I think you plan for it these days. Most managers will, because you’re going to suffer from it at some point.
🎁🎄 Our Updated Festive Hours following our game on Boxing Day against Partick Thistle being postponed
The Club Shop is open until 12pm today and we're then back open on Thursday 30th December, 10am – 2pm
💻Online Orders also available from https://t.co/wUa0foGGKc pic.twitter.com/nQrPQyQ1GX
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) December 24, 2021
“You have to make sure you’re not giving them too much too quickly when they come back – you have to see how badly affected they’ve been by it.
“There are loads of different scenarios, so we’re cagey with it, but we hope they’re fresh.
“A few of them were close contacts anyway, they haven’t actually had it, which will help.”
Caley Thistle kick off on Wednesday three points behind leaders Arbroath, who they tackle at Gayfield this Sunday.