One more in, one more out at Caley Thistle
BILLY McKay is the latest Caley Thistle player to sign a new two-year contract but it appears Thomas Piermayr will be leaving the SPL club.
Manager Terry Butcher has also given Kenny Gillet, Ross Tokely and Owain Tudur Jones more time to decide whether to accept new deals.
Contracts for all these players expired last night and they were initially given until yesterday to respond to Caley Thistle’s offers to keep them.
Striker McKay (23) joined Inverness last summer and scored three goals in 24 appearances last season.
"We’re delighted he has pledged his future to us," Butcher said. "He showed good promise in his first SPL season and we think his best is yet to come."
He follows goalkeeper Ryan Esson in agreeing terms to keep him at the club until summer 2014.
Former Austrian under-21 international defender Piermayr also joined the Highland Capital club last season. The 22-year-old made 23 appearances last season.
"Thomas has indicated that he wants to play his football in Germany so we wish him all the best," Butcher commented.
Jonny Hayes, Gregory Tade and Greg Tansey also rejected new deals prior to Piermayr.
"We made these players the best offers we could in our financial situation," Butcher said.
"But other teams have been able to give these men a huge financial incentive to leave the Highlands and ply their trade elsewhere.
"It’s extremely disappointing to lose such great professionals and characters from our dressing room, but we extend our best wishes to them.
"Their progress, however, is a boost to the standing of Caley Thistle. Players and agents increasingly see us as a club that can promote and improve players’ chances of resurrecting careers which had fallen off track.
"These players have given a great deal to Caley Thistle. Their ability and help from this club has earned them moves to bigger clubs and bigger contracts.
"This is what we do at Caley Thistle. Players like Adam Rooney, now at Birmingham City and David Davis, who has won a new three-year deal at Wolves following his six-month loan spell at Inverness, are illustrations of the positive environment we nurture here.
"It hurts to say goodbye but there is a welcome to be given to the next replacement. We’ve targeted several players but details of these potential signings cannot be divulged at this stage because of contractual privacy."
> More on Caley Thistle in Friday’s Courier.
