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Caley Thistle are always in danger of losing stars as long as they stay in the Championship, says John Robertson


By Will Clark

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MANAGER John Robertson says he doesn't want Inverness Caledonian Thistle to be known as a breeding ground for Premiership clubs to take his players.

Coll Donaldson signed for Ross County after three years at Caley Thistle. Picture: Callum Mackay
Coll Donaldson signed for Ross County after three years at Caley Thistle. Picture: Callum Mackay

But he says as long as the club remain in the second tier of Scottish football, they have to accept his squad will always be a target for top flight clubs.

Defender Coll Donaldson was the latest player to leave the Caledonian Stadium after signing for Ross County on Wednesday.

It follows Joe Chalmers who signed for the Dingwall club and midfielder Liam Polworth moving to Motherwell during the Summer.

Striker George Oakley moved to Hamilton Academical during the January transfer window last season with St Johnstone reportedly on the trail of Jamie McCart and Shaun Rooney.

Robertson says they want to bring in players who they can help develop Inverness into a team capable of reaching the Premiership.

But he says each season they fail to achieve promotion, they have to accept they face losing their stars.

"We don’t want to be a breeding club for anyone," he said.

"We don’t want to develop players that we lose.

"We want to keep them, but all the time they remain in the Championship and there is Premiership teams sniffing about, then that is the danger we’ve got.

"We targeted four players that have a big say in our team that we wanted to build around.

"They turned them down because they want to see what is available.

"When I get players here I know I have got honesty, commitment and talent.

"If we can’t get into the Championship then Premiership teams will eye them up."

Robertson says the talent at Caley Thistle was put on the radar last season after making the play-off semi final and the last four of the Scottish Cup.

But he said if players are going to leave the club early, it is vital they receive a financial benefit.

"If you look at what we did last year, we finished third and got to the Scottish Cup semi final," he said.

"Teams take notice and a consequence of the position we’re in. Teams look at us and try to pick off our best players.

"We need to get some kind of reward for it."

Robertson has brought in defender Lewis Toshney from Falkirk and agreed terms with Elgin City striker Shane Sutherland on a pre-contract to bring him in during the summer.

The manager says the club have a one in one out transfer policy and will continue to look at bringing in new talent when required.

"Our job is to find people who feel who can do a job for us and get them on pre-contracts."


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