Scott Kellacher is aiming to revive Caley Thistle’s trend of finishing the season with a strong run-in.
In seven years in the Championship, Inverness twice rallied to make the promotion play-offs under John Robertson and Billy Dodds, and were firmly on course to do the same in 2020 when the Covid pandemic struck.
Late-season surges under Robertson, in 2018, Neil McCann in 2021, and Dodds two years ago also led to narrow misses in Caley Jags’ efforts to clinch a top-four place.
Kellacher was a constant presence among the coaching staff throughout – aside from during McCann’s brief interim reign when he was on leave due to serious illness.
The trend of finishing strongly was bucked last season however, when Duncan Ferguson was unable to avert a slide into the third-tier following a play-off defeat to Hamilton Accies.
The remit this season is altogether different. Having incurred a 15-point penalty when they entered administration in October, Inverness currently sit in the relegation play-off spot on 22 points.
With 12 matches to go, starting with Saturday’s trip to Kelty Hearts, the Highlanders currently trail eighth-placed Annan Athletic by five points.
Now in place as head coach, Kellacher insists he will lean on all his experience in order to help navigate Caley Jags away from the prospect of a second successive demotion.
He said: “It’s something the club has done in previous years. We have always had a good run-in, and finished quite strong.
“I was thinking about it over the last week, and that’s exactly what we will be trying to do.
“We will be trying to finish the season as strongly as we can. We have a really good group of players that are hungry for it.
“Hopefully we can get on a run, which would be ideal for everybody at the club.”
Kellacher’s focus goes no further than catching Annan
Should Inverness accomplish the imminent task of clawing back Annan, a number of other teams could come into focus in a tightly-contested table.
Caley Jags, in second bottom, currently sit 12 points behind fourth-placed Alloa Athletic with a game in hand.
Kellacher insists the immediate target will not stretch any further than trying to escape the relegation zone however.
The Caley Jags boss added: “I have tried to keep our main focus on catching Annan, and not get carried away.
“You can easily get carried away in football, and before you know it you get knocked down pretty quickly in this game.
“I appreciate it would be great if we could get up there towards the play-offs, but myself, the players and the staff are not looking any further than trying to catch Annan and stay in this league.
“That’s our main priority.”
Brannan joins Caley Jags on loan from Killie
Kellacher has bolstered his squad ahead of Saturday’s trip to Fife by bringing in Kilmarnock teenager Ben Brannan on loan from Kilmarnock until the end of the season.
Scotland under-17 international Brannan, who recently turned 18, can play at both full back and in central midfield, and has captained Killie’s under-18s and reserve teams.
Although he has yet to make a first team appearance, Brannan was on the bench for Killie’s first team in their 3-2 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle last month.
Kellacher added: “I’m absolutely delighted to get Ben in, we’ve been looking at him for quite some time now. To have him at the club and for him to be a part of it will be great.
“I can’t thank Derek McInnes, Paul Sheerin and Kilmarnock FC enough for their assistance with this.
“Ben has a lot to offer us, he’s got good qualities, he’s hungry and he’s desperate to impress.”
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