Danny Devine insists Caley Thistle’s sidelined stars cannot wait to get back on the pitch to help the Highlanders turn their form around.
The experienced defender made a shock return to the team last week and helped ICT hold Championship leaders Ayr United 2-2 during a 76-minute appearance from the start.
The 30-year-old had been out for six weeks with a knee injury and, afterwards, head coach Billy Dodds confirmed Devine and captain Sean Welsh played through pain, with eight senior team-mates sidelined with injury.
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Caley Thistle have not posted a win since mid-October and, despite holding Ayr, are six points off the pace and behind five rivals in the Championship.
Players will compete with niggles
Centre half Devine explained all the players who are working their way back, such as midfielders Roddy MacGregor and Scott Allardice and forwards Shane Sutherland and Austin Samuels, want to be having an influence as soon as they can.
He said: “Coming back early isn’t ideal, but with our situation right now, we have boys who are out are eager to get back and help the team.
“That’s always the case, but especially when the results haven’t been what we’ve hoped for.
“There’s a real eagerness from the boys in the gym, who are injured, to get back as soon as possible.
“We wanted to come back. That was down to us as players. Sean Welsh also had a wee niggle at the weekend.
“Hopefully we can get through it. I got through the game fine and coming off early was just down to a bit of lack of fitness, but I feel good.
“The boys on the pitch have been knocking their pans in and working so hard.
“We’ve been low in numbers, but we’re slowly starting to get boys back and hopefully we can keep helping the lads.”
Devine – Stirling will have a real go
ICT can forget about the chase for Championship points this Saturday, but fix their focus on getting past in-form, second-placed League Two visitors Stirling Albion in the third round of the Scottish Cup.
The Binos have only lost one of their last 10 matches and are three points behind League Two leaders Dumbarton.
Devine, who won the Scottish Cup with ICT in 2015, said Inverness must be on their guard to ensure the visitors cannot get a sniff of an upset.
He said: “It’s going to be a tough game. Stirling will come here and give it a right go. If we want to take anything from it, we will need to be right at it.
“Any game has the potential to be a banana skin if we were to treat it lightly or are already looking past Stirling Albion. That’s not the case.
“We need to be right at it on Saturday. Our form has not been great in the league, so this is a chance to go out and put down a good marker and make a real statement.
“It won’t be easy – Stirling Albion will give it a right go.”
Championship sides can reach finals
Devine is proud of being one of the Hampden heroes who lifted the national cup for the Highlanders seven years ago.
He added: “The Scottish Cup win will always be with me. Any time I play in the Scottish Cup, I look forward to another good run in it.
“Some things have changed and we’re a league below, we’re a Championship team.
“If you look back, it was a Championship side we played in the final – Falkirk. It’s not impossible.
“But, right now, we’re not looking too far ahead. We’re just looking at Stirling Albion and making sure we get through this tie.”
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