Caley Thistle defender Carl Tremarco has given his side a boost ahead of today’s Scottish Cup fifth round tie at Motherwell by signing a new one-year contract that keeps him at Caledonian Stadium until 2017.
Tremarco, who joined Inverness from Macclesfield in 2013, had been one of several players out of contract at the end of the season but the 30-year-old has now joined Gary Warren, Ross Draper and Ryan Esson in extending his stay in the Highlands.
The Englishman was part of the Caley Jags side that lifted the Scottish Cup last season, although he was sent off in the final against Falkirk, and he is determined to move a step closer to replicating the success by defeating the Steelmen this afternoon.
He said: “I’ve been discussing my contract for a little while and it’s good to get it sorted. I can now concentrate on my football and plan a bit more for the future.
“We’ve got a Scottish Cup match this weekend and the first aim is to get through that and try and move closer to another final.”
Manager John Hughes feels the draw could have been kinder to his side but he says Caley Jags must hurdle tricky ties if they are serious about retaining the silverware they won last year.
Hughes said: “Certainly, we were looking forward to a home draw. It was a difficult match in the two ties against Stirling Albion.
“Once we got that we were hoping for a home draw but it wasn’t to be.
“Motherwell is always a very difficult venue to go to. We’re going to have to be at our best to make sure we’re in the hat for the next round.
“We want to try to do what we did last year but it’s going to be very difficult. That was one of those years where everything went for us.
“But if you have aspirations to do that and you’re a winner, it all comes down to character. Being the cup holders brings an expectation level you have to be able to handle.
“The last time we went to Motherwell we beat them 3-1, a good result, but I’d settle for 1-0.”