Caley Thistle defender Danny Devine reckons weekend hosts Airdrieonians deserve every respect – because they’re a team packed with capable players.
The 30-year-old will be a key figure at the back for ICT on Saturday as they seek to get their first points on the Championship table at the third time of asking.
Three Viaplay Cup defeats, including a 3-2 loss at home to Airdrie last month, ended Caley Thsitle’s hopes of progression.
League losses against Queen’s Park and Ayr United make it five defeats on the spin and aiming to get off the mark at the Excelsior Stadium will be no mean feat against the newly-promoted Diamonds, who have three points so far.
Last weekend, Airdrie ran Premiership side Ross County close in the Viaplay Cup before being edged out 4-3 in extra-time.
🎥 | The goals from today's Viaplay Cup match against Ross County. Full DiamondsTV highlights will follow tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/GznfXUe0e1
— Airdrieonians FC (@AirdrieoniansFC) August 19, 2023
Under Scottish football’s youngest manager, 31-year-old Rhys McCabe, the Diamonds usually line up in a 4-3-3.
They have a solid defence, a midfield with Adam Frizzell pulling the strings and an attack which includes former Caley Jags star Nikolay Todorov and Josh O’Connor, son of former Hibs and Scotland star Garry, who is on loan from the Hibees.
Diamonds are well-coached – Devine
Devine, who returned from injury for the 1-0 loss at Ayr this month, is in no doubt Airdrie are a Championship team on merit, with danger aplenty.
He said: “Airdrie are a good team. People might look at them and say they are just promoted and look at their name rather than the actual players they have.
“They have been coached really well in terms of wanting to build from the back – that’s their game and style of play.
“It’s up to us to come up with a game plan and stop that at source. Hopefully we can impose our game on them.”
Airdrie cup-tie ‘had pre-season feel’
After finishing runners-up to Celtic in the Scottish Cup final on June 3, boss Billy Dodds allowed the squad just a little bit of an extra break before preparing for their first competitive game this season, which was the 2-1 Viaplay Cup win against Bonnyrigg Rose on July 15.
Devine believes the 3-2 home cup defeat against Airdrie last month was partly to blame with lack of sharpness and insists the players know they must now up the ante.
He said: “The League Cup games still had a pre-season feel, even though they were competitive games and there shouldn’t have been.
“Coming back late I think we were maybe caught up in that pre-season feel.
“We’ve learned our lesson. There have been a few sloppy mistakes and not just at the back.
“All over the park, I don’t think we’ve been good enough.
“I said after the Ayr game, we could have got a draw – both teams were really poor.
“Our performances definitely need to pick up, but it is all about getting points on the board.”
Next Match: Airdrieonians vs Inverness CT. Saturday August 26, 3:00pm at Excelsior Stadium. pic.twitter.com/R2u9rNzH03
— Airdrieonians FC (@AirdrieoniansFC) August 20, 2023
Longer break can help ICT this year
In 2021-2022, Inverness reached the play-off final where they were edged out over two legs by St Johnstone, having beaten Partick Thistle and Arbroath over four games overall.
The late-May finish led to a short break ahead of last season kicking off, with injuries aplenty not helping their cause.
A late improvement in results was not quite enough to take ICT into the play-offs and they finished sixth.
Devine accepts schedules in Scotland can be demanding, but he wouldn’t swap the cut and thrust of the game for anything.
He added: “I think we are asking a lot of players at this level.
“You look at the boys in the English Premier League and they play so many games, but there is the other side of it in terms of the care they’re getting, the facilities they have at their disposal.
“They can look after themselves and people are looking after them.
“Listen, I’m never going to complain about playing games. That’s why I play the game.
“But two weeks at the end of the season, I don’t think is long enough.
“It is what it is, and players will get on with it. This year, we’ve taken a decision in terms of having a longer break.
“Hopefully that will stand us in good stead for the long run.”
