Inverness Caley Thistle head coach living the dream after guiding club to League One safety – but acknowledges battle awaits to keep hold of star players
Scott Kellacher says he is living the dream after guiding Inverness Caledonian Thistle to League One safety.
A 3-0 win over Arbroath on Saturday, coupled with Annan Athletic’s 3-1 defeat at Dumbarton, guaranteed ICT’s spot in the division for next season, despite a 15-point penalty for entering administration.
Having progressed from player to community coach, working his way through the youth ranks into the senior set-up, becoming head coach at the Caledonian Stadium was a big moment in itself for Kellacher.
However, steering them to League One safety, and being able to celebrate on home turf with his family beside him, meant the world to the 44-year-old.
“It was a very special moment, to be honest,” Kellacher reflected.
“My family haven’t seen much of me, Audrey, Karson and Sienna. My wife just let me get on with it because she knows how important it is to me.
“She knows what it means to me and to share the moment with the wee man, the wife and my mother down there – I’m living the dream.
“I’m a local boy and nobody wants it more, than to get this club where I think it should be. I can’t thank everyone enough – the fans, everybody. I can’t describe how happy I am.”
Adding to the drama at the weekend was the fact that Dumbarton and Annan’s match was delayed by around 20 minutes due to a fire alarm sounding in the stands.
That meant that when the final whistle was blown there, confirming that Inverness were safe, Caley Thistle’s players and coaching staff were huddled together on the pitch waiting for the good news.
“We all wanted to be together, ourselves, the fans, everybody,” Kellacher reasoned.
“I always said right from the start we had to concentrate on what we did. Early on, probably two or three months ago, we gave ourselves a target we had to get to, and we got to that today, so it was quite fitting.”
The scenes after full time in the Highland capital showed the team spirit in the Inverness changing room, but Kellacher will soon have to face up to a new challenge - keeping the squad together for next season.
“It won’t be for the want of trying, but these boys have probably put themselves in the shop window,” he added.
“Their performances have been brilliant, but if they leave it won’t be for the want of trying to keep as many as we possibly can, because I think we’ve got a right good side there we can build on.”
