Ross Tokely insists Caley Thistle’s starlets would not let head coach Billy Dodds down if pitched into Championship action.
The Inverness legend coaches the ICT under-16s and he was proud to see 14 of the now under-18s feature for the club in Saturday’s unique 2-0 SPFL Trust Trophy defeat at Hamilton Accies.
Nine teenagers started against their fellow Championship hosts, who had a blend of youth and experience, as an unlucky early Sam Nixon own goal and Reegan Mimnaugh tap-in earned Hamilton a quarter-final berth.
An injury crisis, with nine senior stars sidelined, led to ICT opting to play the kids, as well as goalkeeper Mark Ridgers and recent signing, defender Ryan Barrett.
The teams do battle back at New Douglas Park this Saturday in the Championship, with mid-table Inverness as desperate for the victory as John Rankin’s basement side.
Fans will roar on ICT youngsters
Prior to the weekend, young defender Matthew Strachan and forward Aaron Nicolson had been used as late substitutes twice this season, with attacker Calum MacKay also making his full debut in the 3-3 SPFL Trust Trophy draw with Brechin City in September.
Tokely, who also stars for Highland League side Nairn County, knows off-form Inverness need a result to rejoin the promotion push, and reckons the talented teens from the weekend’s pool would be capable of coping in a higher-pressure game.
He said: “I’ve coached every one of them, apart from Mark Ridgers and Ryan Barrett and I know how good these boys are individually and I’ve watched them as a team this year.
“On their day, they are very good.
“Individually, they all have their strengths.
“If Inverness were in a better league and had more money, these boys would more or less be full-time.
“The first-team manager should maybe trust them a wee bit more in certain times.
“Of course, I understand it is a results business, but they showed they can mix it with a Hamilton team which had young lads and players with a wee bit more experience.
“Some people might say: ‘throw one or two lads on when you’re winning’, but Inverness are at a stage now where the supporters will get right behind a young lad coming in and giving their all. Young home-grown players are more likely to get support from the Inverness public.
“For Billy (Dodds), he is in a difficult position, because he does need results and he’s got so many players missing.”
Kids played with freedom after goal
Tokely, who played a record 589 times for ICT, was delighted to see the young group he knows so well react so positively to leaking an early goal and asking big questions of Accies.
He said: “Sam’s a confident defender and he recovered from the early goal. The team got stronger after conceding that early goal.
“Young lads have less pressure on them when they lose a goal.
“If a (regular) first-team lost such an early goal, there would be a lot more pressure on them.
“The youngsters played with a bit of freedom and it shows the character they’ve got.”
Starlet MacKay is ‘dangerous’ player
Under-18s coach Ryan Esson, who took the team on Saturday, praised forward Calum MacKay for asking big questions of Hamilton.
And Tokely believes, as his experience grows, the younger brother of Hibs loanee Dan, will flourish with his hometown team.
He said: “Calum is a dangerous player. He played up front for me and he scored a lot of goals – and his set-pieces are very good.
“He plays in fits and starts a bit, but when he does get the ball, he will usually produce an assist or something positive. Not only is he a positive player, he really works his socks off even without the ball.
“Inverness have got a real talent on their books with Calum. He’s an exciting player and, when he bulks up a bit, and his experience grows, he will be one for the Inverness fans to be excited about.”
Mckay return ‘would be big boost’
Tokely, who was part of ICT’s club TV channel last season, hopes main forward Billy Mckay returns from a thigh strain in order to lead the line at Hamilton this weekend, as Caley Thistle target their first league win since mid-October.
He added: “It’s a big game for both sides. I was at their last home game, the 1-0 defeat by Dundee, and it would be great if they could get Billy Mckay back for Saturday.
“Billy is important because he’s got a bit of craft and can sniff a goal out – that’s what they were missing against Dundee and there was not a lot between those teams in terms of the chances created. Getting Billy back would be a big bonus.
“It’s a massive game, because if they win – even a 1-0 victory away from home – it sets them up nicely for a busy Christmas period.”
