Ryan Esson cannot wait to see how his under-18 starlets handle the spotlight of playing first-team football for Caley Thistle this weekend.
The youngsters have been thrust into the spotlight after ICT announced the younger group, consisting of schoolkids, will take on Championship foes Hamilton in Saturday’s SPFL Trust trophy tie at New Douglas Park.
With nine players sidelined through injury, Caley Thistle have made the decision not to risk any additional injuries, just a week before returning to Hamilton on league business.
Caley Thistle are without a win in the league since October 15 and a 3-2 Scottish Cup victory over Stirling Albion has been their only success during a spell which has seen the side slip to sixth in the table.
Hamilton and Inverness are two and three-times winners of the Challenge Cup respectively.
And with a place in the quarter-finals at stake, there’s a decent prize on offer at the end of a game where fans will be charged just £3 per ticket.
🚌 The ICT Supporters Travel Club is running a bus to Hamilton this weekend
Seats are £10 for this game to encourage support for the young players that will feature.
Book via 07462218717 or via the Travel Club's Facebook page https://t.co/g9krododyC pic.twitter.com/X35EiWwnWL
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) December 8, 2022
Esson eager to see his side flourish
Under-18s coach Esson will prepare his side as best he can, but knows when the whistle blows, it is show-time for the young players.
He said: “It will be a real learning curve for the boys. As a coach, this game is brilliant for me because this is something I can’t coach or pass on to them. This is a real first-team match environment.
“They will see the magnitude of it and what it involves or prepare for this game. From a development point of view, it’s brilliant.
“I hope they go and embrace it and feel they want more of this. I hope that comes across on Saturday.
“They will see the higher they go, the standard needs to always get higher. That’s what I tell them.”
All tickets for this Saturday's SPFL Trust Trophy match against Hamilton Accies will now cost £3
Ticket Info & Club Statement regarding the match 👉 https://t.co/rADtXcepEY pic.twitter.com/803FGpeVGn
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) December 6, 2022
Any support will be valued – Esson
And Esson, the club’s Scottish Cup-winning goalkeeper seven years ago, knows the costs for some fans will be a challenge, but he stresses any backing from away supporters will boost the young guns.
He said: “Everyone understands the impact of the cost of living where everything has gone up in price.
“We’re going into three away games and we know how far a trek it is to places such as Hamilton.
“It’s good our supporters were told on Monday this was happening, but it will also be good for us to get some support behind us on Saturday.”
Team have remained competitive
Esson explained the same group of players who have been trying to stay with the pack in the Championship deserve credit, because it has been a tough slog with so many team-mates on the treatment table.
He added: “The boys playing right now have the opportunity to be regulars.
“But when you look at the experience of the injured boys, you’d think a lot of them would be starters.
“The boys who have played have done exceptionally well. Not to have played as a team and to find the rhythm is a big thing.
“Then someone is out then someone else and that rhythm is broken constantly. The boys who have come in and played competitively, some with knocks and niggles.
“They know they have to get through it, while we’re also trying to protect the younger boys.”
One moment led to defeat by Dundee
Although ICT lost 1-0 to Dundee at the weekend thanks to a Paul McMullan strike, Esson believes there’s not much of a difference between the Inverness team and those at the top end of the table.
He said: “Look at the defeat to Dundee on Saturday. They scored the winner with a goal which came from one moment where we gave the ball away.
Subscribers can watch a full match replay, highlights and post match interviews with Gary Bowyer and Adam Legzdins on DeeTV #thedee
➡️ https://t.co/Gamin21gZR pic.twitter.com/3JhN2T9rnc
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) December 4, 2022
“We’ve been punished by a wonder strike. Should we do better and try and get him on his left foot? Probably, but it’s difficult when a player of that quality can shift the ball inside and hit it like that.
“It was one bit of quality and we hope someone produces that for us.
“However, we played so well in that game for Dundee to change their shape. That speaks volumes for the boys that were playing. We were causing them problems in the second half.
“It’s not all downbeat and all the boys know we need to get a couple of wins behind us now. We’re more than capable of doing that.”
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