ICT can become major force - Tansey
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CALEY Thistle can become a major force in the Scottish Premiership if they keep the current squad together.
Greg Tansey issued the rallying call as he penned a contract extension with the Highland Capital club, keeping him at the club until 2017, and hopes other out-of-contract players follow suit.
Speculation has surrounded the futures of Graeme Shinnie and Billy Mckay, who can leave Inverness for free in the summer, while Marley Watkins and Josh Meekings have also been attracting envious glances from England.
Twenty-six-year-old Tansey is the first of the current crop to commit his future to the club, with an option to extend it for a further year. Inverness have been in discussions over a fresh deal for Meekings but an agreement has not yet been reached.
Great things beckon for the club, said Tansey — if team-mates follow his lead.
"We’ve got a few lads out of contract and I’m hoping the rest follow suit. We’ve got a very good squad here that can compete with anyone in this league. I’m hoping that the squad sticks together and we can just add to it - we can become a bigger force in the league," he said.
"We’re only going to get better as a team the longer we’re together; the longer we buy into what the manager is doing and get used to playing that way. You’ve seen this season we are doing that. If the current group stay together, I can only see the club going forward."
The former Stevenage midfielder has been an ever-present for the club this season, playing every minute of their Premiership campaign which sees them challenging for a European place.
One of John Hughes’ first acts as manager of Caley Thistle was to bring him back to the Highlands 12 months ago and he believes Tansey has grown as a player. He has become the team’s regular penalty-taker and has shown a penchant for a spectacular goal, including the opener in the League Cup semi-final win over Hearts.
Now in his mid-20s, Hughes believes he has a player on his hands that is coming into his prime.
"He’s coming into the years now where he’s turning into a leader and epitomises everything we want to do at the club, in terms of being a right good footballer," he said. "He’s a good role model for the rest of them because, every day, he’s right at it. He trains really well, so much so that if I was giving him advice I’d tell him to take a bit off it.
"I was always aware of him during his first spell in Inverness while I was at Falkirk. We knew he wasn’t too happy down at Stevenage and just making enquiries with people I knew, they all said we wouldn’t get a better player.
"He is coming into those years where he can still benefit from a wee bit of education and then he needs to coach others. That’s what we’re trying to do. There’s definitely another year’s education and learning for Greg at this club for him to be a better player."
Born in Huyton, just outside Liverpool, Tansey admits Inverness is a world away from where he grew up. He has embraced life in the city and does not want to throw away a good thing.
"Cats walk around in twos back home!" he said. "Inverness is a lovely place. You go out into town and everyone is really nice to you - they make you feel welcome. It’s very relaxed, even though people have obviously got work to do.
"There’s just something about living up here that I like. There’s no point wasting that and I wanted to spend my best years playing football up here. If someone send to me six years ago I’d be playing football up here, I’d have laughed at them. It’s funny how life works. I’m really enjoying it up here so long may it continue."
With the transfer window now open, Hughes is able to add to his squad should the right player arise. However, it will not be a rush to the January sales for the 50-year-old, who reinforced the strength-in-depth he currently has.
"I wouldn’t try and jeopardise the club by using money we’ve not got. Especially with what we’ve got on the bench. Against St Mirren we had James Vincent, Danny Devine, Danny Williams and Ross Draper on the bench. As long as we keep everybody injury-free we’re okay," said Hughes.
"We have to be careful in what we’re doing, so we’re not just bringing people in just to make up he numbers. We have to be fair with them as well, so we have to sit down and look at that."
