Butcher cuts it fine as the big kick-off approaches
manager ‘several players short’ as caley thistle step up player search
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Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher still has plenty to do to bolster his squad for the Highland club’s First Division campaign.
Inverness have made just one new addition to their ranks – Leicester City midfielder Lee Cox – but have persuaded Roy McBain, David Proctor, Lionel Djebi-Zadi, Eric Odhiambo and Richie Foran to sign on for another year at Caledonian Stadium.
Inverness play city neighbours and Highland League outfit Clachnacuddin in their first pre-season friendly tonight and Butcher is actively looking to bring new players north.
He said: “We are still several players short of what we would like to be as a squad.
“We have areas of the pitch we want to strengthen and we are looking to do that.
“We are working hard to get people up.
“There were three Dutch players due to come over for a trial with us but only one did.
“The other two are waiting on phone calls from Dutch clubs and we are still working on getting players up from England as well.
“Ross Tokely is suspended for the first four league games and Richie Foran is suspended for the first game, so we are already two players down.
“If we can get a squad of 20 with two or three young kids, we will be happy with that, last year it was up at 27 but that was in the SPL.
“We will see what we can afford and what is available.
“You are looking at other players coming in on loans or short-term deals maybe as other clubs look at players in pre-season and discard one or two.
“It is still a work in progress, but we have a core of a squad which I am very pleased about – we just need to add to that.
“Former Aberdeen goalkeeper Greg Kelly is a player we have looked at and there are a lot of players out of work and a lot who still haven’t got pre-season lined up.
“Even if the season starts we will still be able to add players in August.”
Butcher will use his full squad in tonight’s game against Clach which kicks-off at 7pm at Grant Street Park.
He added: “It is nine days since we came back and the players have worked really hard.
“They have only had one day off and they are not really ready for a game yet.
“We are just getting into fitness work and the legs are not really sharp enough so Clach will be a bit more prepared than us for a game.
“We are taking about 19 players along, but we don’t really want everybody to play 90 minutes and they won’t. They will get some game time which will be important.”
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