Anthony McDonald hopes familiar surroundings can help him to get his career back on track after returning to Caley Thistle.
Midfielder McDonald has signed a deal until the end of the season at Caledonian Stadium, where he previously spent a six-month stint on loan from Hearts two years ago.
McDonald came through the youth ranks with the Jambos, where he made 25 appearances after making his breakthrough at the age of 16.
The Kirkcaldy-born player made another loan switch to Dunfermline last season before making a permanent move to Spanish third tier side Cordoba at the beginning of this term.
Now 19, McDonald is looking to put a frustrating spell of his career behind him, having struggled with a back injury during his stint with the Pars.
McDonald said: “This is a crucial point in my career now.
“Over the past few years, it hasn’t gone the way I would have hoped, but I can’t change that.
“There’s nothing I can do about that, so it’s just about concentrating now on this club and getting them up the league and doing well myself.
“Hopefully something will come if I keep playing well.
“It’s always a little bit nervy going into a new club where you don’t know anyone and you don’t know the style of play.
“For myself, being back here and knowing most of the boys, and knowing the way the club plays and their ambitions, it’s good for me.
“Hopefully we can push for what we deserve this season.”
McDonald concedes his switch to Spain did not work out as planned, having only played one bounce match during his short stint.
He is hoping to build on the experience under a trusted manager in John Robertson, and he added: “It’s something that I’m going to learn from I think.
ℹ️ Anthony McDonald, nuevo jugador del #CCFB.
➡️ https://t.co/0r2FJiASbq pic.twitter.com/rJR4Ft9MX6
— Córdoba CF (@CordobaCF_ofi) October 5, 2020
“It was an opportunity, but sadly it just didn’t work out. It’s just something that I need to take in my stride.
“It’s done now, I can’t change it, so I’m just focused on my future and getting back playing and doing well again.
“Hopefully I can do well here, that’s the main aim.
“My agent asked me what I thought about Inverness, and my first thought was ‘yeah, definitely’.
“I wanted to come back, so it was an easy decision for me because I know the place, I know the club, the boys and the manager.
“I’ve been here before, so it was an easy decision to make. I loved it up here.
“I knew a lot of the boys, so coming back is good – they’re mostly still the same.
“I’ve known the manager for years, ever since he was at Hearts.
“It’s good of him to have the faith in me to give me the opportunity to come up and play here.”
Although he has only signed until the end of the season, McDonald hopes helping the Highlanders in their efforts to reach the play-offs in a busy upcoming catch-up schedule can earn him a longer stay with Caley Jags.
McDonald added: “I know the place, I enjoy it here, so if I can get back playing and doing well hopefully something will come out of that.
“I’ve not played in a long time, but I’ve kept my training up, and I was in training with Raith Rovers for a bit as well, just because they’re in Kirkcaldy.
“I’m probably as fit as I can be without playing games at the moment, and more will come with game time as well.
“The main aim is to get myself back to full fitness, and then kick on. That’s what I’ve missed, playing game after game after game.
“When I played before when I was younger, it was always a game here, then I’d miss a couple, then I’d come on and then start another one.
“I never really had a run of games, but that could be because of my age.
“Now, it’s all about playing game after game after game, and hopefully all the games are on now until the end of the season.”
