Caley Thistle coach Barry Wilson is pleased to see the back of non-Scottish teams in the SPFL Trust Trophy but still has questions over the impact of colts teams.
Inverness enter this season’s tournament at the second round stage when they host Highland League side Buckie Thistle today.
Caley Jags are the joint holders of the competition from the last time it was staged in 2020, with their final against Raith Rovers having never gone ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
That was Inverness’ third triumph in the tournament, with Wilson part of a side which lifted the trophy in 2003 when it was contested between the 30 lower league clubs.
While Wilson welcomes the removal of English, Irish and Welsh clubs who have been involved in recent years, he feels the continued inclusion of Premiership B teams detracts from the competition he remembers from his own playing days.
Wilson said: “It’s great they are sticking to Scottish teams. I didn’t like that at all – I thought it was so poor inviting English, Irish and Welsh teams in.
“In this economic time it was financially a nightmare for teams to get to these places, when they were getting very little help.
“It’s good it’s sticking to Scotland, but I have yet to see the real benefits of the colts teams.
“I know Rangers got to the semi-final and they gave us a great game to be fair.
“Outwith that, they probably haven’t had the impact they were hoping for.”
Wilson will come up against a previous team-mate in the shape of former Caley Jags midfielder Graeme Stewart, who is now in charge of Buckie.
With Stewart having steered Buckie to the Highland League title in 2017, Wilson is wary of the threat posed by today’s opponents.
Wilson added: “Graeme is a character. He always was even as a young lad, he wasn’t shy.
“I have come up against him a couple of times in friendlies, and obviously last season’s Scottish Cup game.
“He’s very vocal on the touchline. I know him and the manager had a wee bit going on at the end of the last game, so we have been winding up Billy Dodds that Graeme is after him again.
“He has done really well at Buckie. I’m sure they saying we might be taking it lightly and it’s a big game for them, but our guys need to be up for it.
“They are free-scoring and on a good run of form. We have to take it seriously and we will – we will have the players mentally prepared properly. We will do everything the same as we would for a league game.
“We have got limited coverage of Buckie’s games we will try and use. We will have them watched and we will take it very seriously.”
A third round draw away to Wilson’s former club Elgin City will await the winners of today’s tie after their opponents Dunfermline forfeited this weekend’s tie, which the 49-year-old considers a strong incentive.
The @SPFL board has awarded a 3-0 win to @ElginCityFC in this weekend’s SPFL Trust Trophy R2 tie against @officialdafc.
The Pars have informed the SPFL that they will not fulfil the fixture, due to the number of players either self-isolating, injured, or on international duty. pic.twitter.com/we5oT2r8Za
— SPFL Trust (@SPFLTrust) September 2, 2021
He added: “We heard the news when we came in from training that the winners will be away to Elgin.
“Buckie will be seeing that as the carrot of a nice Moray derby.
“We are obviously looking at setting up a derby as well. It’s a great chance for a north club to try and get into the quarter-finals.
“It’s exciting, but we have to look forward to Buckie first and try to manage that game.”
