Austin Samuels feels he can only benefit from working under Billy Dodds at Caley Thistle.
Samuels showed a clinical touch in front of goal in the 4-1 win over Cove Rangers on Saturday, netting twice and being a menace for the visiting defence.
The 21-year-old has been a player reborn since his move to Inverness last season. He started the campaign on loan at Aberdeen from Wolves but struggled to make an impact, before making a permanent switch to the Highland capital at the start of 2022.
Dodds spoke glowingly about him after the game and Samuels says he enjoys working under the Caley Thistle head coach.
“He definitely sets me some targets and does put me pressure on me, to make sure I’m on it every day in training and games,” said Samuels. “Certain players react differently to certain things but it’s good for me to get that feedback from him.
“I know the last few games I’ve been hugging the byline and it wasn’t really working for me. Especially when you’re playing against a full-back who’s as quick as you, it’s not always one-v-one that is going to work out. Sometimes you have to make movements off the ball. I did more of that today and thankfully it paid off.”
Samuels continues to highlight his versatility in a Caley Thistle shirt.
His impact in the play-offs last season came from making runs in behind the defence and against Cove, he was impactful in both wide areas and through the middle.
“There’s still a lot for me to improve on,” said Samuels. “I’m not a built winger like when I was younger. I played on the wing at Aberdeen but it was a different type of winger – I was hugging the byline and I’m still getting used to the position.
“I’m still trying to work on my defensive game. Sometimes you need information from either on the side or the full-back behind me, as there are times in the game where I may switch off due to tiredness.
“It’s good for me to be able to play two positions. It gives me more opportunities to play and I can be more versatile. As time goes on in my career, I’ll have to switch between going through the middle and playing out wide.”
