Inverness Caley Thistle manager lifted by players’ reaction to first day defeat
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BILLY Dodds feels confident Caley Thistle will give one of their Championship opponents a battering once they cut out “crazy” mistakes.
After a poor League Cup campaign fed into Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Queen’s Park, the ICT manager left the players in no doubt about where they must improve.
But Dodds has seen enough positives in attacking play to know it can swing quickly.
“We’ve got to stop making silly mistakes and give ourselves a base, a foundation in games,” he said. “In previous games we played really well, but not on Saturday.
“I’m searching for the right kind of performance and that means not giving away crazy goals.
“It isn’t a case of our shape being all over the place. It is us getting caught on the ball.
“We now have a tough one away to Ayr and it is two teams who need to kick-start their season.
“It puts that wee bit of added pressure on us as a group, but I’m hopeful my boys will handle that.
“We’re going to get it right soon and I really feel as if we’re going to give somebody a right good going over at some point.
“We’re showing plenty going forward and we’ve missed plenty of chances and we’re giving away daft goals. If we can stop that, I feel we’re going to give someone a hard time of it soon.”
Dodds spent the weekend pondering how to lift his players. In the end, they lifted him.
The Caley Thistle squad might have been downbeat when they reported to training on Monday, but came back in with the bit between their teeth.
Dodds made no apology for slating last Saturday’s display, but praised the reaction evident.
“I don’t usually say as much about this group of players as I did on Saturday evening, but I stand by it,” he said.
“I waited to see how they would be on Monday, thinking they might feel a bit sorry for themselves, but the boys have given me a lift. They were right at it. That’s what I needed – for myself and the team.”
Danny Devine is fully fit for the Ayr trip, but skipper Sean Welsh remains out.
