Billy Dodds will gladly accept a scrappy victory over Queen of the South if it means his side return to the top of the Championship.
Inverness have won five of their opening six fixtures, and are aiming to preserve their 100% home record when the Doonhamers visit on Saturday.
All but one of their victories have been by a 1-0 scoreline, and Dodds would be willing to take another win by any means, which would restore Caley Jags’ place at the top of the table.
Dodds said: “We’ve been brilliant so far and won important games.
“I’d like to get a performance like Partick Thistle here, the last 45 minutes – if I get that, I’ll be delighted.
“But I’ll take a Raith or Ayr United performance at home where we’re winning 1-0 late on and I’m put through the wringer, so long as we get three points on the board.
“Teams don’t play that well in the Championship that often.
“There are maybe half a dozen games in a season where you play really well and we showed that against Partick in the second half.
“Most of them are close, hard-fought, right to the 90th minute.
“As long as I get three points on the board and my team gives me that work ethic and determination, I’ll be happy.
“It isn’t going to be straightforward every week. I have to realise that as a manager.
“If the players give that hard work, we’ll win some where we play well and we’ll win some where it is just making sure we finish the job properly.”
Dodds reflects fondly on his two stints on Queens’ coaching team, adding: “I was there twice, once with Gordon Chisholm when Barry Wilson was with us. We had a great team that got to the Scottish Cup final and were beaten 3-2 by Rangers.
“I was there with Jim McIntyre as well when we made the play-offs.
“I’ve got a lot of people down there I still keep in touch with. It was a great club for me and filled the void between me finishing as a player and being out of work.
“It gave me coaching during the day when I was doing media work. It was great experience for me and I think I did them a turn as well.”
Dodds is wary of Allan Johnston’s Doonhamers, who are seventh but only three points adrift of the play-offs.
He added: “They have a great track record for the size of the club.
“They’ve had a lot of new signings this year and obviously lost Stephen Dobbie, but they’re still a dangerous team.
“They have had two wins this year against decent opposition. If we’re not at it, they’re another team that will cause us problems.
“We’re at home, top of the league, and they’ll be desperate to get something off us, but if my boys are at it we have every chance of winning the game.
“I really mean it when I say this league’s a minefield. When you think it is going along swimmingly, someone will turn you over.”
