Ross County boss Don Cowie hopes troubled Highland neighbours Caley Thistle, who he also played for, recover fully from administration.
The financially-embattled League One side have called in the administrators and are miles away from their peak as a Premiership club, when they were fighting it out for points with the Staggies.
Chance to ‘draw a line in the sand’ for Caley Thistle – Cowie
Former midfielder Cowie, who starred for ICT from 2007 to 2009, hopes any pain now will lead to a fresh start for all at the Caledonian Stadium.
He said: “It is disappointing, mainly because I’m an ex-player. It is a club that played a huge part in my playing career, so it is not nice to see.
“You just hope that whatever happens allows them the opportunity to draw a line in the sand, move forward and get back to where they used to be.
“For us as a club in the Highlands, you want both teams to be thriving – and that may take time now.
“Maybe whatever comes in the next couple of days will allow that to happen.”
‘A lot of transfers between the clubs’
Cowie has enjoyed being on both sides off the Kessock Bridge footballing rivalry – one which he thinks brought out the best in each club.
He added: “The clubs have pushed each other on in the past.
“There’s also been a lot of transfers between the two clubs over the years.
“Naturally you want to see them both do well.
“If the team 10 miles away has a really good player it gives you the opportunity to maybe sign him to make your team better.
“When there is such a gulf as we’re seeing now, that falls away a little bit.
“Hopefully now, in the next couple of days, the outcome will lead to a positive new beginning for Inverness.”
Reid could get nod to step up – boss
County, meanwhile, will be looking to hit back from Saturday’s painful 3-0 league loss at St Johnstone this weekend.
Their chances of a result were hampered by red cards for defender Eli Campbell and Charlie Telfer, and defeat left the Dingwall team are 10th in the Premiership table, two points above Hearts and Hibs.
This Saturday they host a Kilmarnock side who beat Rangers 1-0 on Sunday, before Hibs head to the Global Energy Stadium next Wednesday.
Homegrown defender Josh Reid came off the bench for the second half against Saints, having last played when he came on late in the 6-0 defeat at Rangers in late August.
With injuries biting and Campbell suspended, Cowie could turn to the 22-year-old to step into the back-line from the start against Derek McInnes’ Killie.
The County boss said: “Josh has been back training for probably three or four weeks. Maybe on Saturday he was a little bit under-cooked in terms of not having had first-team football for quite a while since his initial injury.
“But it is a real opportunity for him. He’s had to be patient at times when George was playing and it just happened that when George (Harmon) got injured so did he.
“It meant playing Eli slightly out of position and he has done really well – despite the sending off at the weekend.
“So it is a real opportunity for Josh to grab that chance.”
Brophy in frame again for Killie test
Striker Eamonn Brophy made his first start in Perth since facing Aberdeen on August 31.
However, Campbell’s first half sending off meant Cowie took the former St Mirren and Killie forward off at the break as part of a tactical shake-up to try to recover the 2-0 deficit.
Cowie is confident 28-year-old Brophy will not let anyone down if he gets a chance to shine this weekend.
He said: “I don’t judge Eamonn on Saturday’s game. As a forward player, when you go down to 10 men with 30 minutes on the clock, it is difficult.
“At half-time, we were losing 2-0 and down to 10 men. We needed to show discipline and stay in the game.
“We needed to keep it at 2-0 for as long as possible and maybe in those last 15 minutes have a go to try and get a goal to get us back in the game.
“When we went down to nine men, it made it almost impossible.
“I was disappointed for Eamonn. It was a poor team performance. but it wasn’t anything relating to Eamonn being in the team.
“It is about him putting that behind him and getting ready for this week.”
Conversation