Caley Thistle skipper Sean Welsh has revealed the players held an urgent meeting prior to the Raith Rovers game to help save their season.
A worrying run of form has seen Inverness slip down the Championship table, to the point where they were sitting ninth heading into Friday night’s game.
The 0-0 draw against Raith means they still have won just once in 13 games and are yet to taste victory under interim boss Neil McCann.
However, there were signs of improvement, particularly in the second half, in a game Caley Thistle arguably should have won. Welsh himself hit the post, Roddy MacGregor missed from point-blank range and Shane Sutherland had a one-on-one chance saved.
🗣️ Interim Manager Neil McCann gives his thoughts following tonight's draw against Raith Rovers pic.twitter.com/9UIxinB0GT
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) March 12, 2021
Welsh disclosed that prior to the game, he had gathered the players together in a bid to keep them positive and focused on righting their stuttering season.
He said: “I had a word with the lads to try reiterate the position we’re in and how quickly we need to start getting wins on the board.
“We need to stick together as a group. We’ve got a good group of lads and you can’t fault their effort but we need to start getting wins.
“I think it’s important to have those discussions. The lads give their all but I had to reiterate we find ourselves in a position we don’t want to be in. I had to make sure everyone knew how serious it was.
“We were leaking bad goals and shape-wise, we were a bit out of sorts. We weren’t scoring goals either so it wasn’t a great recipe. We looked a lot more solid on Friday and created a few more chances.”
Caley Thistle’s gruelling run of games continues tomorrow night, when they face Raith Rovers for the second time in four days. This time the game is at Stark’s Park, the fixture which was rearranged after a Covid-19 outbreak at Rovers in January.
McCann said after Friday’s game the run of fixtures was taking its toll on the players but Welsh insists they have no option but to keep going.
He added: “It’s been difficult with these games and we are down to the bare bones. A few lads are having to dig deep but that’s football.”
Meanwhile, Inverness have added to their coaching staff over the weekend with the addition of former Ross County and Queen of the South assistant manager Billy Dodds.
The ex-Aberdeen and Rangers forward, who is based in the Highlands, supplements McCann, Barry Wilson and Ryan Esson as Caley Thistle continue to cope without manager John Robertson and his assistant Scott Kellacher.
Chief executive Scot Gardiner said: “Billy knows manager John Robertson and assistant manager Scott Kellacher personally and professionally. We thank him for stepping up to help us through this period while John and Kell are absent.
“I know he has a great relationship with Neil McCann, Barry Wilson and Ryan Esson and he will do everything he can to assist our team and our coaches in the run in to the end of the season.
“He is an enormously positive character and his knowledge and love of the game shines through whenever you speak to him. The fact that Billy lives in the Highlands was obviously a help in practical terms and his desire to join us and help the guys, gives us all a boost.”
