Caley Thistle will bolster their injury-ravaged squad with the return of five players who have been on loan within the Highland League and at League Two side Elgin City.
The Championship club have eight senior stars still sidelined with injuries and desperately need reinforcements from January 1 when the transfer window opens.
Getting five talented youngsters back, fresh from their experience gained elsewhere this season, is a shot in the arm for head coach Billy Dodds.
Left-back Lewis Nicolson, 18, has made 14 appearances while on loan at Elgin, helping the side to third-place going into the New Year and the former ICT under-18s skipper returns on Sunday when his loan agreement terminates.
He will be joined by goalkeeper Lewis Munro, 17, from Nairn County, defender Aly Riddle, 18, and midfielder Robbie Thompson, 18, from Clach, 17-year-old midfielder Harry Hennem from Wick Academy, and 18-year-old striker Ethan Cairns, who has been at Forres Mechanics.
In November, ICT failed in their bid to get these loanees back on emergency deals after appeals to the SPFL, but when the window opens, the clutch of youngsters will not be staying away.
Manager Dodds, whose side host Cove Rangers in a crunch league clash on Monday, needs more options as he bids to arrest an eight-game winless slide in the league.
Club ‘needs’ loan players to return
Inverness have not won in the Championship since beating Cove 1-0 in mid-October and Friday’s 5-1 battering at Partick Thistle was their worst display so far.
When asked about all five loan players, Dodds confirmed it’s a case of needs must as they aim to boost their numbers with fit players.
He said: “They will be coming back. They have to and give us all options.
“I’m not saying they will all play, or it’s the right thing for their development, but it is the right thing for the club. They will all be coming back.”
🔜 The match info for our home game against Cove Rangers on Monday 2nd January is available now
👉 https://t.co/Eu7XysuI6I pic.twitter.com/8iEA2yAFIO
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) December 27, 2022
New players in mind for boss Dodds
Dodds has been given the green light to add to the squad in the New Year, but he insists new players will only come in after careful consideration with some crocked stars lined up for tentative late-January comebacks.
He said: “It is a balancing act in the transfer window. We’ve just been trying recently to get a result to stay within touching distance (of the top four). That’s not happened.
“We don’t want to bring players in just for the sake of it. They have got to be better than what we’ve got.
“We also have boys coming back, but it will take a while to get them ready, so we’re trying to get results until we get those players back from injury, but it’s hard.”
‘We didn’t bring anything to game’
Dodds hit out at his players after their lame display against Partick and he admits the nature of the rout was the toughest aspect,
It was a loss which leaves them seven points outside the top four and only two points ahead of Monday’s visitors Cove.
He said: “They didn’t show the fight or battle we were looking for. That’s the first time I can say that.
“We’ve spoken in the past about the 4-1 defeat at Partick and the 4-0 defeat at Morton this season, but there were times in those games where, yes we made individual errors, but we also passed and kept the ball well.
“On Friday night, we didn’t bring anything to the game. It has been a sore six days. When you’re not playing well, you roll up your sleeves and maybe only lose by a couple of goals, not by four goals.
“This is the most I’ve been hurt since I’ve been the manager. But I’m dogged and I hope my players are as well. I can see it in them.”
ICT won’t appeal Duffy’s red card
Inverness, meanwhile, will not be appealing the red card shown to defender Wallace Duffy, who was sent off at Partick last week for what was deemed a last-man challenge.
Dodds, who welcomes back experienced defender Danny Devine from a groin injury, assessed the moment and opted not to lodge an appeal, meaning the 23-year-old won’t face Cove.
He said: “We lost Wallace. He gave the ball away, was sent off and we lose him for the next game. I thought it was harsh, but not enough of a case to overturn it.
“It wasn’t enough of a goalscoring opportunity. Max Ram was 10 yards deeper, but not enough of a case to appeal.”
Conversation