Inverness Caley Thistle player/assistant manager Billy Mckay challenges squad to bounce back from Hamilton loss and secure KDM Evolution Trophy seeding
Billy Mckay is backing Inverness Caledonian Thistle to bounce back from defeat to Hamilton at the first time of asking - and has challenged players to stake their claim as ICT look to secure a seeded spot in the next round of the competition.
The Caley Jags suffered a rare setback in the 2025/26 season last time out, losing 3-1 to the Accies to cede top spot in League One.
However, the only other time so far in the current campaign Caley Thistle lost a league match, they immediately went on a run of eight consecutive wins in all competitions – scoring 22 goals and conceding just three.
Mckay is confident that Inverness are capable of responding similarly this time around, and if they can pick up three points on Saturday it will come with an added prize.
Having won every single one of their KDM Evolution Trophy group stage matches so far, ICT can guarantee themselves a seeded spot for the first knockout round with a win at Forfar Athletic.
Everyone involved, then, should be chomping at the bit with a big prize on offer, as well as a chance for some players to challenge for a more regular starting spot in the aftermath of a rare loss.
“We've done all the right things and learned from last weekend,” Mckay stressed.
"We've looked at things we can do better as well as the things we done well in the game. We're confident that we can go on another run again, and that's what you've got to do if you want to be right at the top at the end of the season.
"You can have a setback now and again. As long as it doesn't go to two or three games then you will be alright.
"You want to dodge one of the Championship teams in the next round, which would give us a chance to go further in the cup.
"We have won four out of four and scored lots of goals, so we've approached it the right way, so it has given the boys really good confidence.
"It has probably been hard for some of the players, but to this point they have not really had an argument because the team has been playing so well.
"After the Hamilton game, some of these players will be pushing to start in the next league game and rightly so, so the boys have to make sure they play well on Saturday.
"We wanted that competition in the summer and that's why we recruited the way we did. That's what drives a good team to the top.”
Caley Thistle will have Chanka Zimba back available from the head knock he suffered against East Fife two weeks ago, adding to the striking options for Mckay to contend with at the top end of the pitch.
Having admitted towards the end of last season that he was playing more than he possibly should have, Mckay has certainly not had that issue this season.
He started the campaign strongly, but has seen the likes of Zimba and Alfie Bavidge grow in prominence, and the 36-year-old believes that can only be a good thing for the club overall – even if it does mean he may be on the pitch less.
"I've got to be as objective as I can be, and all I want is for the team to win,” Mckay reasoned.
"I'm in two roles now. Of course I want to be playing and scoring every week, but if I feel it is right for the team (not to be involved) then the manager and I will speak about it.
"The manager always has the final say, but he always asks my opinion. Most of the time we're on the same page.
"I played six games and we won five, so we had a chat about it, and I came out of the team, and we won our next two games, so it proved to be right.
"You can see it's been brilliant in terms of the spread of goals, with five boys on five goals and Alfie Bavidge on six.
"Every successful team needs a spread of scorers like that. They don't rely on one or two people, so that has been a major plus point for me.
"Coming out of the team at times is something I'll have to do to help the team as well.
"Whenever the manager decides that I will play then, even coming off the bench, I will be ready. I have shown that already this season.”