Inverness Caley Thistle boss Billy Dodds left 'disgusted and upset' over comments made by Queen's Park manager Owen Coyle
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss Billy Dodds says he was left upset and disgusted by comments made by Queen’s Park manager Owen Coyle after their 0–0 draw in the Championship last weekend.
Dodds says he heard Coyle on an interview accusing Inverness of only playing behind the ball and on the counter attack, when the two teams shared the points at the Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.
With the two teams set to meet in Inverness again on Saturday, this time in the Scottish Cup fourth round, Dodds did not hold back his views on Coyle’s comments at Thursday morning's press conference.
He said: “After the game, I was really complimentary about Owen Coyle’s team, but when I listened to Owen’s comments, I thought he was really disrespectful to be honest.
“He was so disrespectful to our team, saying we played on the counter-attack and we had men behind the ball all the time.
“I watched the game back, I didn’t have to watch it back, but I was upset and disgusted by his comments. I understand we see our own team at times, but he was totally disrespectful to us.
“We mixed our game up well, didn’t put men behind the ball. They forced us back on a couple of occasions at the end of the first half and a bit towards the end of the game, but that was down to Owen having a good team, which is what I said last week. That’s why they are where they are.
“We pressed high, we got the ball back, we created some great opportunities. He said we only had one he could remember, which Calum Ferrie saved. I could tell him four or five. We also built from the back at times. It was really good play, while there were times when they pinned us back.
“We had to counter-attack then, because they were pressing.
“I was not happy with some of Owen’s comments, I have to say. “
Dodds also felt Coyle’s comments towards individual players in his team were uncalled for.
“His comments were disrespectful to us as a group, but individually when he said Billy Mckay is a good striker at this level, does that mean he’s poor at Premiership level ?
“Sometimes you have to think before you speak.”
Reacting to Dodds’ comments, Coyle was adamant his views had been misinterpreted and were not meant to cause upset.
He said this afternoon: “We have nothing but the highest regard and utmost respect for Inverness as a club, team, their players as well as Doddsy as a manager.
“I spoke to the press after Saturday’s game and I was fully complimentary about Caley Thistle.
“If anything has been said or been misinterpreted, I would certainly never disrespect anybody.“
Coyle added: “If there is anything Doddsy has picked up wrong, I can only apologise for that.
“There was never, ever, any intention to upset anybody or show any slight. We had to come off the game and there were times Inverness had to come off the game.
“We hold Inverness, Doddsy and his staff and players in the highest regard and that will never change.
“If something I’ve said has been taken the wrong way, I can only apologise, there was certainly no intention for that to happen.”
