Manager Billy Dodds is urging his Caley Thistle players to shut out financial fears hanging over the Championship club and focus on getting back to winning ways at Ayr United on Saturday.
A reported loss of £835,751 in the last financial year set alarm bells ringing this week.
However, chairman Ross Morrison moved to allay concerns on Wednesday, insisting there will be more positive news about income streams to follow at the annual general meeting at the end of this month.
While Dodds insists he’s available to chat to any of his squad who want to discuss the balance book numbers, he stressed their attention must be on trying to move his team up from seventh spot in the league.
He said: “The news (of the club’s finances) does show how difficult it is to run a club outwith the Premiership, and it’s nice to hear the chairman be positive.
“We can’t get fixated on it. Yes, you think ‘wow’, but it was nice to get positives at the end of the message.
“I’ve got to block it out, and the players have to block it out.
“If they don’t, it’s just going to hinder us on the pitch. It’s as simple as that.
“If we get worried about the business side of the club, then it’s going to affect us, and we’ve got our own problems just now in trying to get points on the board.
“Whether they think about it or not, it has to be blocked out to make sure it doesn’t transfer on to the pitch.”
🎟️🏆ICTFC Season Ticket holders will have up until 5pm on Thursday 9th March to secure their reserved Season Ticket Seat for our Scottish Cup Quarter Final against Kilmarnock, after which all seats will be released for general sale.
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— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) March 1, 2023
‘Dangerous’ to listen to ‘chatter’
Dodds is aware supporters have worries over the future of the club.
But he stressed the importance for his players to simply keep their eyes on how to get back to form with what would be their first league win since January 7.
He said: “There will be noise and chatter, but you’ve got to make sure you focus on your job because that’s how you get your best performance levels.
“If you get that, you’ll get results, and that’s what we have to concentrate on.
“Getting caught up in all that chatter would be a dangerous game, but I’m sure the boys won’t do that.
“They’ll look at it, they might have a chat about it with their families, but I don’t think it will affect them.”
Players can talk about financial fears
When asked whether he’s spoken to the squad about the club’s hefty losses, Dodds added: “If anyone wants to ask me about it, I will.
“It was a positive message from the chairman, and that helps.
“If the players want to chat to me about it, we can, and I might have a word.
“I don’t think that will be needed with this bunch of boys, because they just want to do well and focus on the next game.”
🎟️🏆ICTFC Season Ticket holders will have up until 5pm on Thursday 9th March to secure their reserved Season Ticket Seat for our Scottish Cup Quarter Final against Kilmarnock, after which all seats will be released for general sale.
Full Ticket Info👉https://t.co/6oaxQj229K pic.twitter.com/woBYpHo54X
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) March 1, 2023
ICT winning creates ‘snowball effect’
Caley Thistle are seven points away from Saturday’s third-placed hosts Ayr United, Morton and Partick Thistle, and they need a win to keep alive their chances of pulling back into play-off contention.
And winning at Somerset Park for the second time this season would, in turn, give boost ICT’s hopes of success on and off the park come the last kick of the ball.
Dodds said: “It’s a big snowball effect.
“I can do my bit on the football side financially – and since I’ve come here it hasn’t been too bad.
“I’m focusing now on trying to get the team up the table to get the club more money.”
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