Spaniard Dani Sanchez played around the world – but he will be forever grateful for his two memorable years with Caley Thistle.
The affable attacker was signed by Terry Butcher in 2009 as the Highlanders targeted (and succeeded in securing) a return to the Scottish Premier League (SPL) after relegation.
At 24, Sanchez had a growing desire to leave the game in his homeland and try football in the UK.
But he initially seemed on course to be joining Jags of another kind – before fate led him to Inverness.
Sanchez said: “I was playing for Real Murcia in Spain. I had the opportunity to come to Scotland.
“I had I think about a 10-day trial with Partick Thistle and did very well.
“However, the manager (Ian McCall) told me: ‘I can only sign one player, and I don’t need a player like you right now. I’m looking for a number nine striker, not a number 10’.
“I was about to come back to Spain – but my agent Mark Holmes (former Caley Thistle, Ross County, Falkirk, and founder of the Mark Holmes International Football Academy and current Forres Mechanics first-team coach) told me not to go back and go and have a trial with Inverness.
“They spoke to Terry Butcher and the next day I took the bus up to Inverness.
“I had a trial for 10-14 days, I did well and signed for the club.”
Sanchez adapted to Scottish game
Scottish football – including ICT’s intense training sessions and the unpredictable weather – took some getting used to for Sanchez.
He said: “Because I’m from Spain, I like more playing with the ball, keep the possession more – like tiki-taka football.
“I had to adapt to the football in Scotland, be sharp to try to catch the second ball. From there, I try to be creative and have a good last pass and everything.
“I realised I have this quality – the adaptation to different kinds of football, different kinds of culture, of weather.
“I’m sure, now looking back, I learned a lot.
“Playing in Inverness made me stronger, made me rougher.
“You have to train and deal with (strong defenders) Ross Tokely, Lionel Djebi-Zadi, Grant Munro every day in training. So you had to be stronger.
“I am so grateful for those two years at Inverness. Training in the Highland weather and in that environment made me a tougher, better player, I think.
“I loved playing in front of the Inverness supporters. I had a great relationship with them. I really felt the support from them.
“I spent two awesome years with Inverness and was really happy – I played more than 50 games and scored 10 goals.”
Missed brother’s wedding for debut
Sanchez has a personal reason to recall his ICT debut – which included a goal in a 4-0 League Cup win over Annan Athletic, alongside counters from Adam Rooney, Robert Eagle and Dougie Imrie.
He said: “I had to miss my brother Jose Maria’s wedding that day.
“I asked Terry for permission to go back to Spain for the wedding, but he said unfortunately one of the strikers was injured and I had to play.
“He said I could go after the game, but that was physically impossible to get to Malaga in time.
“But it was a great debut, I scored, my brother had a great day – it was a little bit emotional, but I was happy, and my brother was happy.
“I will never forget August 1, 2009, that’s for sure!”
‘Felt like a team from the beginning’
At the end of a great 2009-10 season – which also included winning the Challenge Cup – Sanchez was delighted to play his part in a brilliant First Division title win.
Caley Thistle did not lose a game from December onwards, securing the league by 12 points ahead of Dundee.
Few who saw the celebrations as the trophy was lifted after a 7-0 rout of Ayr United at Somerset Park will forget it.
Sanchez said: “It was a challenging season because we have the target to come back to SPL.
“From the beginning, from the first day, we were strong. We were like a team, like a family from the beginning. I really enjoyed it. It was a great season.
“It was a wonderful two years – winning the Division One title and going back to playing in the SPL.
“I remember celebrating the title win in a 7-0 win at Ayr and Terry Butcher celebrating with the fans.
“Terry is a character. He’s a big personality. He was always there to support us.
“That was another great memory from that year.”
Ibrox experience was a highlight
It really should have been better for Sanchez in 2010-11 in the SPL.
But luck was not on his side, with a broken hand seeing him sidelined.
It means Sanchez has only a handful of memories from competing in the top-flight.
He said: “Unfortunately, you cannot control the injuries. I broke the three metacarpals in my right hand – I had to be out for about three months in the middle of the season.
“But, in the short time I was able to, I played around 12 games in the SPL, and I really enjoyed it.
“I remember playing against Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox. I started the game there. With that atmosphere, with that crowd, with that pitch, it was awesome.
“Although we lost 1-0, it was still unbelievable, and a great experience.
“I was also at Celtic Park, but I was on the bench and never came on.
“I really enjoyed it. Those were great times for the club to be playing at that level, playing at stadiums like Ibrox and Celtic Park. It was absolutely brilliant.
“I put my heart on the history of the club. I’m proud of it. It will always be there.
“We got promoted and won the Challenge Cup. We did good things for the club.
“I was always happy to see the faces of the supporters enjoying that time.
“Also, the people who work in the club enjoying it all – it made me happy.”
From SPL to Australia’s A League…
After being released in the summer of 2011, Sanchez considered options in Sweden, Cyprus and Spain – but then an opportunity a fair distance further arose.
He ended up in New Zealand, playing for Wellington Phoenix, the only team from New Zealand who play in the 10-club A-League.
Sanchez’s early days in the Southern Hemisphere were hampered by a right quad injury, and he said: “I went on trial to New Zealand and signed – they needed a player like me.
“The weather was certainly different to Scotland!
“I spent two years there and really enjoyed that league and played around 42 games and scored 10 goals.
“But then I suffered another injury, like my situation in Inverness.
“In the middle of my second season, I injured my knee and had to have surgery, so was out for three months. That made it more difficult to extend my contract.
“I think everything happens for a reason. I ended up in another club, another city, another country, another kind of football.
“These kinds of situations and experiences made me a better player and a better person.”
Sanchez’s highest goal rate came in Finland
After those two years in New Zealand, Sanchez made the move to Hong Kong side Tuen Mun Sports Association until 2013 and then he tried Thailand club Bang Pa-in Ayatthaya.
While the attacker enjoyed these times, a limit of just five foreign players and a change of coach led to Sanchez looking to the United States for his next footballing experience.
In 2015, the year Inverness lifted the Scottish Cup, Sanchez signed for North American Soccer League (NASL) side Fort Lauderdale Strikers for a season.
He rounded off his foreign experiences one year later, playing 23 games and scored nine goals with FC Jazz in Finland.
Sanchez is now sports psychologist
Now aged 40, Sanchez remains passionate about football, but it is the mental aspect of sport and well-being of players and their families which is central to his second career.
He explained: “I’m involved in soccer as a sports psychologist with a few clubs here in Malaga. Also, I’m working with some players, coaches and families.
“When I was still playing, I started to study for my psychology degree. Then, I took a master’s degree in sports.
“I’m really enjoying my position now as a sports psychologist.
“With my experience as a player, and my experience as a coach in America, and with all the information in sports psychology, it’s a great mix to give me the opportunity and the knowledge to help a lot of players now.
“It’s about how to manage a lot of different situations, about motivation, manage your stress, manage your emotions, the focus.
“I knew the psychology and the mental welfare of footballers was important when I was playing. Now, I have a lot more information.
“You can be good physically, you can be really good technically, but if you are not mentally good, you will never reach your best performance – your decision-making will not be enough (for you) to play at a high level.”
‘Nobody better’ than Kellacher to manage Caley Thistle today
Sanchez keeps tabs on what is happening at Caley Thistle.
Scott Kellacher, who has been the head coach since October, is guiding his League One team closer to eighth place, despite a 15-point punishment for the club entering administration earlier in the campaign.
The hope is Inverness will avoid a disastrous drop to League Two, a new buyer or buyers are found, and the club can have a real go at getting back to the Championship in 2026.
Sanchez is keeping his fingers crossed, saying: “I hope the club comes back sooner rather than later to the Championship.
“Hopefully the financial situation is resolved, and the club will fight back from this.
“Given the history of the club, now 30 years old, it is like a Premiership club for me – it’s not even a Championship club.
“I am happy for Scott, who coached the reserves when I was there. He was also involved with us every day.
“He’s a good guy – right now, I think nobody is better than him to manage the team. I’m really happy he’s there.”
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