Billy Dodds insists players won’t be thrown in at the deep end at Caley Thistle as they return to fitness.
The Inverness head coach resisted the temptation to use defender Robbie Deas as he made the bench at the weekend for ICT’s stunning 3-0 Scottish Cup fifth-round victory at top-table Livingston.
The centre-half returned well ahead of schedule after breaking a leg last October, but Dodds felt another week of training was the best option rather than sending Deas on for a few minutes of action.
Deas is the latest senior player to return to the Caley Thistle fold, with Cammy Harper and Scott Allardice back from injury and playing, and midfielder Roddy MacGregor closing in on a return.
On Saturday, ICT, who are two points outside the top-four, host basement opponents Hamilton in the Championship, before again facing Accies at New Douglas Park in a rearranged league game on Tuesday.
Since New Year, Inverness have gone five league games without a loss and Dodds explained there’s pressure not only to win games, but also to manage players’ recoveries in the right manner.
He said: “We’re managing expectations we should be winning every game. We’re also managing personnel as they come back.
“That’s what I’m trying to be mindful of with Cammy and Scott, and it will be the same with Robbie, Austin Samuels and Roddy MacGregor when they come back.
“I can’t just give them 90 minutes and expect them to take off after that.
“You get ups and downs, and little setbacks as you push them. I’ve got to gauge where they’re at and that’s what I’ve done.
“The lads are coming along nicely.”
Deas return boosts defensive options
Speaking specifically about Deas, manager Dodds says the big defender will add vital competition to his backline for these closing months.
He said: “Robbie’s had a full week’s training going into Saturday, conditioning him, making sure he is back and giving the boys a lift as one of the regulars is back.
“They must up their game to keep their place.”
Inverness relish cup date with Killie
Inverness took the most of their second chance in the Scottish Cup by beating Livi last week.
They took the place of Championship rivals Queen’s Park, who were kicked out for fielding an ineligible player in their fourth-round 2-0 win in Inverness last month.
The stunning victory in West Lothian lined up a crack at Derek McInnes’ Killie on Friday, March 10, in a tie to be screened live on BBC Scotland.
And Dodds will seek a repeat performance next month with a place in a Hampden semi on the line.
He said: “It could have been better, and it could have been worse – that’s the way Kilmarnock will view it as well.
“I’m just glad we’re in it. After the Queen’s Park situation, everyone just thought we’d got through by default and would just stand aside for Livingston.
📅🏆 Our Scottish Cup Quarter Final against Kilmarnock will take place on Friday 10th March, 19:45pm KO at the Caledonian Stadium. The Match will be shown live on BBC Scotland.
Ticket Info TBC pic.twitter.com/AEvFUQkM9f
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) February 16, 2023
“No chance – we showed by that performance we mean business.
“I’ve always said that if we get our standards right, our habits, we’re a match for most teams. We proved that on Saturday, but we must keep that going.”
Sole focus is on home Accies clash
With back-to-back fixtures against the 10th team in the Championship, Hamilton, Dodds knows fans will be after two wins.
However, the boss says he cannot afford to look beyond this weekend’s first encounter against a side who were six games unbeaten in all competitions before losing 2-0 to Hearts in the Scottish Cup last week.
Dodds said: “I would do anything to get the maximum points. I’d bite your hand off.
“But if you start looking too far ahead you can get bitten in this league.
“We can’t look beyond Saturday, or we’ll get ourselves in trouble.
“It is a tough fixture. You can look at it and say they are bottom and we should be beating them, but when are people going to realise that it doesn’t work that way in this league?
“Cove Rangers (in eighth place) beat Partick Thistle earlier this month.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re focused on this game only. If we can get three points, then we’ll look forward to Tuesday.”
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