Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds took his team to the rugby pitch in order to shape up on artificial turf for this afternoon’s Championship visit to Hamilton.
The Highlanders, who are three points clear of Kilmarnock at the top after six wins and a draw so far, are seeking to stay in pole position against an Accies side with just one win on the board.
Stuart Taylor left his coaching role with Ross County in August to replace ex-Inverness number two Brian Rice, who handed in a shock resignation at Hamilton.
New Douglas Park is one of the many plastic pitches in Scotland now and, like they did for their winning trip to Killie, the squad nipped across town to Highland Rugby Club’s first-class facilities to put the finishing touches to their preparation.
Dodds hopes the specific work on plastic will help produce another winning display.
He said: “We were up at Highland Rugby Club on Thursday with the artificial pitch. We did the same before we played Kilmarnock.
“It is the only tweak we do, train there on the Thursday and the Friday.
“We make sure the boys are used to the surface and it’s exactly the same preparation as we had going to Rugby Park. Let’s hope we get the same result.”
Canal Park praised by Dodds
The former Aberdeen and Rangers striker admits he’d take a lush grass pitch any day of the week, but says his players are ready to roll.
He added: “Like most managers, I would rather a good grass pitch, but it has to be a good one.
“If you go back to some of the pitches we played on in my day, in frost and all rutted without any grass, that’s different.
🗣️ ICTFC Head Coach Billy Dodds has the following message for the Caley Jags fans following our great start to the season!
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— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) September 29, 2021
“I’d take an astroturf over that, but in this day and age, modern football, good grass pitches is my preference.
“We had them outdoors and indoors at Ross County and it helps in the winter when the grass is frozen.
“Maybe if we get in the Premiership, we can look at that. But the rugby pitch at the Bught is one of the best I’ve been on.”
Hosts Accies in a ‘false position’
Although Hamilton have failed to fire yet, a couple of draws and a win show they are not far away from doing so, according to Dodds.
He added: “Hamilton are a team in a false position, changed their manager some of our playing staff know Stuart Taylor well and the way he operates. They are picking up the odd point and with it will come confidence.
“This is a tough one and like Dunfermline (0-0 draw) if we are not at it, we will drop points, if we are can win the game.
“The performance and the mentality have to be there, if the performance isn’t there, the mentality can sometimes get you through. But if both are missing then we are in trouble. I am always guarded in away games like this.”
Aaron Doran and Shane Sutherland, who sustained knocks a fortnight ago against Dunfermline, are in contention for starts at Hamilton after being on the bench for last week’s 2-1 win over Queen of the South.
