Caley Thistle boss Billy Dodds praised his prize-winning striker Billy Mckay as he continues to play a vital scoring role at the Championship club.
Dodds this week won the league’s manager-of-the-month prize for January, while Mckay netted the player gong after five goals in the opening four weeks of the year.
Two wins and two draws have put ICT on the brink of the promotion play-off spots and they also have Saturday’s Scottish Cup fifth-round trip to Premiership Livingston to relish.
Mckay, who is now just nine goals shy of the club record of 101 goals scored by Dennis Wyness, is looking razor-sharp and former international striker Dodds is thrilled to see the frontman bang in the goals.
Mckay has been ‘exceptional’ – Dodds
He’s up to 12 goals for the season now, although playing him against Raith Rovers, Queen’s Park and Morton was not plan A, according to Dodds.
He said: “Billy is in a great place and I’m sure the Inverness fans like watching them.
“I don’t want him to get a goal and that’s enough.
“He has been exceptional.
“In the three games in a week I would like to give him a rest as it takes the edge off somebody his age and as a striker.
“He is still dangerous and got a good equaliser against Morton and was even dangerous against Queen’s Park.
“It is not fair on players like Billy to churn him out. But I love watching him.”
Inverness must ‘be at our very best’ for Livi
Playing an ineligible player in their 2-0 win at Inverness in the last round cost Queen’s Park their place in the Scottish Cup, as they were expelled by the Scottish FA and ICT have been shaping up for a shot at Livi, who are fourth in the top-flight.
Dodds was impressed by the manner of the Lions’ 3-1 league win over Killie last week and knows his team must be ready for the test.
He said: “Livingston are doing well and playing with a confidence.
“I watched their win against Kilmarnock and the game was over before half-time because of their sheer intensity and movement.
“They have got quality as well, so we’re going to have to be at our very best to give them a right good cup-tie.
“That’s what we aim to do. We beat them earlier in the season, but they are in a different place.
“However, on our day, we can give teams like Livingston a game if we’re at our very best. We have nothing but positivity going into this one.
“David Martindale has done brilliantly at Livingston. At times when they have faltered, he keeps turning it around.
“That’s always your hardest job as a manager.
“They are in good confident form.
“But, if people ask whether we could beat Livingston, I’d say absolutely, but only if we are at our very best and we cut out the mistakes we had against Queen’s Park and Morton.
“That’s why I want energy, tempo and a real freshness. We need an upbeat performance back into the side because the mistakes we’ve made have cost us confidence. We can’t have that against Livingston.”
‘Shocks can happen’ in cup football
And Dodds says the magic of cup football opens up the chance for his team to surprise people and advance to the quarter-finals.
He added: “I have experienced the exceptional highs and lows of cup football.
“I know what this cup is all about – just look at Darvel beating Aberdeen.
“Shocks can happen and I want us to be at our very best – energetic, exciting and play with an energy and a pace.
“This is an opportunity we thought we wouldn’t get, so we don’t want to go out meekly – no chance. Bring it on.”
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