Duncan Ferguson admits administrators will likely hold the key as to whether he is the Caley Thistle boss beyond next week.
With the League One club preparing to visit Championship side Livingston in the SPFL Trust Trophy this weekend, matters off the park dominate discussions at the Caledonian Stadium.
It’s now known that ICT will go into administration from next Wednesday if a suitable, credible buyer is not found.
That news emerged from an emergency meeting hosted by the board and consultant Alan Savage for fans and shareholders on Monday night.
With up to £1.6 million needed to survive until the end of the season, and £200,000 needed this month alone, the future looks bleak.
The club’s Save ICT Fund has raised around £75,000 which would be used to tackle immediate bills if administration goes ahead.
‘A big cloud hanging over the club’
Administration would almost certainly lead to job losses and Ferguson, who has given up his wage for the time being to help cut costs, said: “I hope we’re all still here next week. It’s never been about me.
“We know there is a big cloud hanging over us. If the club doesn’t come up with the money, it is inevitable we go into administration. Then jobs will be lost.
“Whether I am here might be down to the administrator. It is down to what they decide, it would not be down to me.
“I have to get on with it until someone tells me differently. I will be the same as every other employee at this club.
“It has been tough, but we’re all in the same position.
“Everyone at the club is finding it tough at the moment.
“It has not been easy for me, but you have to get on with it.
“You just try to deliver. That’s what I try to do.”
Players’ futures on the line says boss
Ferguson revealed interim chief executive Charlie Christie spoke to the coaching staff and players on the eve of Saturday’s 1-0 league loss at Arbroath.
He said: “The CEO filled them in on the severity of the situation. That was a bit of a shock to some of them, to be honest.
“I don’t know too much about administration and exactly what’s going to happen.
“While we focus on the football, it is hard not to listen to what’s going on.
“There is a lot of noise surrounding the club and the players are worried, as we all are as staff of this club.
“Hopefully it won’t come to administration, but that seems the direction the club is going in.
“We were in a bit of a bad place last Friday. We picked them up within 24 hours, so they were ready.
“You have to focus and try and get out there to win some games. If you get wins, things will look a bit better.
“It’s also for their futures. If players play well, people will look at them, in terms of having the chance to move on to other clubs.
“If administration comes, we’d maybe lose some of the players. Footballers want to be motivated and win games of football.”
Training ground offers ‘sanctuary’
Ferguson underlined the escape felt by him and his players when they hit the training ground, away from the tension and stress.
When asked about how hard it is to focus on football, he added: “That’s our job and we like being on the training ground. The players love playing football, so it gets you away from the noise off the field.
“The training ground offers a bit of a sanctuary.
“I have a young squad, and these are incredibly worrying times.”
Ferguson, meanwhile, revealed the club have been dealt an additional blow ahead of this weekend’s match at Livingston.
That’s because on-loan Dundee forward Charlie Reilly, who made his ICT debut last week, is set for a scan following a hamstring injury.
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