Inverness goalie Mark Ridgers insists he isn’t worried about making mistakes – and says over-thinking only makes matters worse.
The 32-year-old Caley Thistle keeper had a well-covered disagreement with head coach Billy Dodds when he was taken off at half-time against Morton in November when ICT trailed 3-0.
The finger of blame was pointed at Ridgers for at least one goal in the Championship fixture, which ended 4-0.
Apart from featuring in a 2-0 defeat at Hamilton in the SPFL Trust Trophy along with under-18s last month, Ridgers then sat on the bench for a period and his fellow stopper Cammy Mackay got his shot in the side.
However, experienced former Hearts and Partick Thistle goalie Ridgers returned to the Caley Thistle team for the new year, and has since helped ICT defeat Cove Rangers and Arbroath 6-1 and 4-1, and draw 0-0 and 2-2 against Queen’s Park and Raith Rovers.
The weekend’s draw at Raith pushed Inverness up into fifth spot in the league, leaving them just two points outside the top four.
Ridgers is relishing his return to the starting 11 and will be aiming to play his part against league-leaders Queen’s Park in Tuesday’s rearranged Scottish Cup fourth-round tie, which was postponed due to wintry weather 10 days ago.
Keeper focused on organising team-mates, not proving himself
Ridgers said keeping a cool head and watching what’s happening in front of him is half the battle.
He said: “For many years, I never put pressure on myself. Once you make a mistake or have a bad pass, it can play in your head. I have not been like that for a few years now.
“In the position I play, nine times out of 10 when you make a mistake, it costs a goal. As a goalkeeper, you can’t think too much about that.
“Some goalkeepers go out to prove themselves, but the best games for me are when I do nothing, because the others side of the game is organising (the team).
“If the people in front are doing their jobs right, you won’t have a lot to do and that’s key for me.
“It’s not about worrying about making mistakes – I will make another mistake by the time I retire, but it’s about trying to limit the errors.
“The other part of it is to try and help the team where I can and make important saves at important times in the games.
“It might not even be saves, but could be take the pressure off by taking cross balls for example.
“It’s not about putting pressure on myself.
“I don’t feel, since I’ve been here, I have much to prove. I just want to go out and enjoy playing the game and give 110 per cent every time. The majority of the time it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Spiders ‘stung’ by defeat at Dundee
Table-topping Queen’s Park have earned plenty of plaudits as they sit in first place in the Championship.
However, Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Dundee was a sore one and Ridgers knows they will fire their opponents up for their trip north, as both teams eye a fifth-round crack at Premiership Livingston on February 11.
Ridgers said: “We’re up against a team from our league, so we know what to expect. We played Queen’s Park recently and they’re a tough team.
“They will be hurting after the weekend. That result would have stung them.
“We have to keep playing the way we’ve been playing since the turn of the year. Although it’s a cup game, we want to build up wins and keep the momentum going.
“The league games, which are up and coming, will be really important as well for us. This tie is just as important as the league for us.”
Ridgers dreams of Hampden return
Ridgers reached the last four of the Scottish Cup in 2019 when they lost 3-0 to eventual runners-up Hearts at Hampden.
Inverness famously lifted the cup under John Hughes in 2015, and Ridgers explained a run all the way to the National Stadium again would be special for the squad – but they must get the job done on Tuesday to line up a tie away in Livingston.
He added: “It was brilliant to be part of a cup semi-final.
“We’ve never really had a big draw against Celtic or Rangers recently – it’s always been draws against teams from our league or a lower division.
“Celtic especially are the team to beat right now.
“I was watching the Hearts v Hibs game last week and they said Hearts have been in three of the last four finals and never won it. That shows how hard it is.
“For a club like ourselves, to get the opportunity for our fans and ourselves to reach a Hampden semi-final would be great.
“I’m lucky. I’ve done it a couple of times, once with Caley Thistle and previously with Hearts – it’s a great occasion for everyone.
“But, it’s one game at a time in the cup and that continues on Tuesday, here against Queen’s Park. We want to get the result, which will put us in the fifth round against Livingston.”
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