Former Celtic defender Robbie Deas looking for promotion with Inverness Caley Thistle
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ROBBIE Deas says he turned down other offers to move to Inverness Caledonian Thistle due to the confidence he has in them challenging for promotion to the Premiership.
The 20-year-old signed for Caley Thistle ahead of interest from rival Championship clubs Dunfermline, Dundee and Raith Rovers, joining on a three-year deal from Celtic.
Deas was on loan at Alloa Athletic last season and impressed for the Wasps in the 2019/20 Championship campaign.
He said it was important for him to join a club in the Championship that was capable of moving up a level next season.
“It was in my head last season with Alloa, we were always going to be seen as the underdog and look like getting relegated, but we did well,” he said.
“I feel here like there is an opportunity and challenging for the league will be a different experience for me.”
Deas follows in the footsteps of former ICT defender Jamie McCart, who also joined the club from Celtic in 2018 after previously being on loan at Alloa.
McCart is now playing in the Premiership with St Johnstone and while also having top flight ambitions, Deas believes he can achieve that with Caley Thistle.
“I knew Jamie was here before and he kicked on and has done really well,” he said.
“But we’ve got a chance to challenge for the league and get back to the Premiership – that is the goal.
“I am looking to develop and kick on as a player and get the club promoted to get it back where it belongs.”
Deas, who has represented Scotland at under-17 and under-19 level, was also on loan at Cowdenbeath during the 2018/19 season.
He is Caley Thistle’s second signing of the transfer window after striker Shane Sutherland made the switch from Elgin City.
Deas says the club also showed interest in his services at the start of the year and after playing against them and speaking to manager John Robertson, he was eager to find out more.
“I heard they were interested in me in January,” he said.
“It is a big club and it took my eye coming up here looking to get away and fully focus on my football. When I spoke to the manager there was no looking back from there. The way he spoke about how the club play and Inverness as a city, it was hard to say no to.”
Despite being a defender, Deas is a fan of the passing, attacking style of Caley Thistle and believes he will fit in well with the squad.
“I’m a winner, I hate losing,” he said.
“I’m loud, I talk and I am an old school defender. I like to get and pass the ball, and I hope to help the team this season.”
Caley Thistle finished second in the Championship last season. On paper, they face a big challenge from Hearts to win the league and gain automatic promotion to the top flight.
But Deas thinks the league will be more open than people predict and is looking forward to the challenge of proving the critics wrong.
“I loved playing in the Championship last season, it is going to be difficult, but it will be a free-for-all the whole way through,” he said.
“Games like Hearts are the ones you look forward to, they are the ones you look for when the fixtures come out.”
n Former Caley Thistle winger Tom Walsh has agreed a one-year deal to join Ayr United.
