Caley Thistle boss Richie Foran urges players to learn from their mistakes - like he did
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RICHIE Foran would have no problem taking a punt on a young version of himself and wants any young player at Caley Thistle to learn from their mistakes.
The Dublin-born manager garnered a reputation for himself as a troublemaker during his early career but said his experiences can be used as teaching tools for players making their way in the game.
When he put pen to paper on a four-year contract to take over from John Hughes at Inverness, Foran called time on a playing career that spanned close to 20 years.
During that time he has experienced promotion, relegation, red cards, administration and off-the-field incidents, all of which he feels gives him the wisdom to pass on to those less experienced players.
The first-team squad returned to training at Charleston yesterday, bar Owain Fon Williams who remains on international duty with Wales. It presented the first opportunity for Foran to run the rule over his old team-mates as well as new players.
“There’s probably lots of players out there like me with a lot more talent who haven’t been given a chance because of off-field issues they’ve had but some lads just need an arm around the shoulder and to be advised right,” he said. “I was a raw lad from the inner city of Dublin and I’ve made my mistakes now. What I’d say to a lad who is like me when I was young is to learn from their mistakes.
“You can’t keep making mistakes and make sure you surround yourself with the right people. Terry Butcher took me under his wing at Motherwell and I screwed the head. I would have no problem taking a chance on someone like Richie Foran. I’ve experienced a lot. I’ve been the first name on team sheets and not been getting on team sheets.
“I’ve sat in stands when I could have been on the bench but clubs tried to drive me out. I’ve enjoyed promotion, suffered relegation, three cup final losses and administration. I’ve had it all and it can help me in managing players to let them know I’ve been there and done that.”
One of the main talking points emerging from Foran’s first press conference on Wednesday was that of the budget, given Hughes frequent complaints that he did not have the resources to succeed. That sentiment is not one shared by Foran, who has no problems with the club’s budget and is targeting a further four players before the season starts.
Foran, who was handed a four-year deal by the Caley Thistle board, has no qualms about the parameters he has to work within. He has added two – Jake Mulraney and Scott Boden – to his playing staff for the season.
However, the aim is to have a squad of 22 for the first game against Partick Thistle on August 6.
“It can be a successful budget and I’m sure I’m going to make that happen as well. For me, management is all about recruitment, You have to bring in the right players. Do that and that’s half your job done,” he said. “We’ve got some offers out there and I’m actually quite excited about those players, so hopefully we get some positive feedback. But I’m going to take my time, so it won’t be done quickly. I’d like them in by the first game of the season and hopefully that will happen.”
Chairman Kenny Cameron also defended the budget allocation and neither he nor the manager will mortgage the future of the club to achieve success.
“I know a lot was made of the budget but every club has a finite amount of cash. As a club we have to try and live within our means,” said Cameron. “We don’t have someone sitting in the background with bucket loads of cash to throw at the club so we have to be sensible in what we do.”
Foran added: “If they’ve got extra cash I trust he’ll come to me and tell me. We work on trust. If there’s a lot more money there then they’ll give me it because it would make their life a lot easier.
We won’t go into debt and take out big bank loans that build up into tens of millions. I’ve seen the books and the accounts because the chairman showed me everything and it’s a well-run club.”
