Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds is looking forward to enjoying a fruitful working relationship with predecessor John Robertson in his new sporting director role.
Dodds has been appointed on a two-year deal to succeed Robertson, who has switched upstairs following a period of compassionate leave last season.
Robertson’s new position will be largely focused on off-field projects, however, he will also be involved in the scouting and recruitment of players.
Although Dodds insists he will have the final say on signing players, he says having the experience Robertson in a behind the scenes capacity will be an invaluable sounding board for him.
Dodds said: “I will have the final say, but I would be absolutely crazy not to go and ask John Robertson for his help.
“He’s a football man and we will be working together to look at and identify targets, we’ll have a discussion and I’ll then choose who is best for us.
“We’re going to be busy, that’s for sure.
“Anybody that knows us knows that John can talk and I can talk, so we’ll be in the office for a wee while discussing pros and cons of players, and then we will make our decision.
“That’s the way it will be, it’ll be a busy time for us, but that’s what’s got to be done if we want to get the right players at this club.
“Even when I was working with the media here, I would meet John outside and straight away we were discussing football, players and the way games have gone, so that’s the way it will be.”
Robertson has stepped away from the dugout following two spells in charge at Caledonian Stadium, over which time he has become one of the most successful managers in the club’s history.
Dodds knows Robertson – along with Neil McCann, who filled in as interim boss last season – will be hard acts to follow, but he is hopeful he can enjoy similar success once he finalises his squad for the new campaign.
Dodds added: “It’s hard shoes to fill, and it’s the same with Neil McCann, but I’m up for it. Hopefully we can get to that level of performance and results.
“All I ask the players every day, and I said it when I came in as a number two, is that ‘this will be intense, this will be demanding, but this will be enjoyable.’
“If they give us that work ethic and we will go places. I know the quality is there and with a wee bit of fine tuning, it will be the same this season.
“Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get players over the line. We’ll be working hard to do that once we identify our targets and then we’ll go to Scot Gardiner and hopefully he’ll do his business.
“That’s the process that takes place when you’re trying to get targets in and it can be hard work. Even when you think you’ve got them, it takes that wee bit longer, but we’ll be striving to get players in.”
Dodds will be adding another new face to his coaching team, although assistant Scott Kellacher has been assured there is still a role for him when he returns from illness.
Former Scotland forward Dodds, who served as McCann’s assistant on a temporary basis last season, is hoping to continue working with coaches Barry Wilson and Ryan Esson.
He added: “Hopefully, I’m sure that’s the way it will be, but there’s another part of it. It’s just a structure process that we’re going to get in place for the long-term benefit of the club. Once we get that structure in place, we’re hoping that Barry and Ryan will remain where they are.
“They’ve been working hard and I loved my time here and those six or seven weeks working with them. They were great and it was a breath of fresh air for me coming back in and working with people like that.”
