Caley Thistle legend David Raven reckons the Championship club were right to ignore Duncan Ferguson’s Forest Green nightmare in order to make him their new manager.
The ex-Scotland, Rangers and Everton striker, 51, recently signed a three-year contract with the Highlanders, who axed Billy Dodds and assistant Barry Wilson after a dreadful start to the season.
Ferguson was available after leaving the “world’s greenest club” in the summer after less than six months in charge, following their relegation to England’s League Two.
He won just one of his 18 games in charge, but a differing of opinions between the former Everton caretaker manager and long-time coach at the English Premier League Toffees and the FGR board led to a parting of ways.
A blocked attempt to bring Forfar Athletic boss Ray McKinnon in as his assistant was reportedly the final straw.
Ferguson worked with elite managers
Inverness overlooked his results in charge of the Forest Green Rovers, preferring to look at his standing elsewhere, particularly at Goodison Park where he served as a player and coach for more than a decade.
He worked under high-profile managers such as Roberto Martinez, Carlo Ancelotti, Ronald Koeman and Rafael Benitez.
Raven, a Scottish Cup winner with Inverness in 2015, is assistant boss at National League North side Warrington Town.
‘Hopefully move pays off’ for board
The former Liverpool youth player praised the three-man selection team of chairman Ross Morrison, chief executive Scot Gardiner and director Graeme Bennett for making him their shock top pick.
He said: “I know a few people who have worked with Duncan down here.
“Managers have good times and bad times and fair play to the Inverness board for saying they are not really considering what happened at Forest Green.
“So many factors affect how a team performs, and there may well have been a lot going on away from the pitch that people didn’t know about, who knows?
“At some point, you do get the sack and someone else will give you the chance. Inverness have clearly looked at what he can do and made their move. Hopefully it pays off.
“Duncan has certainly earned his stripes at Everton. That’s something that some lads coming out of playing can take for granted – it takes hours and hours on the training pitch, coaching the lads, over a long period, and you find out what works for you.
“You then discover the best way to coach and to teach, because that’s what it is, teaching. Hopefully it will work for him up in Scotland.”
Big-name manager has huge appeal
Not since former England captain Terry Butcher has been in charge have Inverness had a manager with such potential influence in attracting players to the north of Scotland.
Raven, who played for Butcher during the early part of his six-year spell from 2012, believes that players will want to work under such a big-name, even in Scotland’s second-tier.
He said: “Hopefully, he will have that clout, where players say ‘I’ll come and work for big Dunc’, and he’ll attract some decent players, as Terry Butcher did for the club. He was obviously a big name as well.
“Duncan can build a reputation of his own at Inverness. Although he is relatively new to management, he’s been coaching for many years.
“He has got plenty of impetus and drive to go and do well for himself as well as the club. It looks like a good match and a good partnership.”
Talent in south can shine up north
Ferguson has brought in his former Dundee United team-mate, ex-Livingston boss Gary Bollan, as his right-hand man, someone with a scouting remit.
Raven, who scored a dramatic winner against Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final eight years ago, explained the lower levels in England might well be worth a look, because there is capable talent, who could cope in the Highlands.
He added: “I see Inverness as a great opportunity for players.
“They are one of the bigger clubs in the Championship. If you go in and do well, you can move on to big clubs in Scotland, while clubs in England also take notice.
“There is a history of lads at Inverness who have kicked on after being successful there.
“Duncan will have the pull, but it is also about selling the opportunities. Players can kick on with their careers from there – it’s perfectly viable that you can do that.
“The coverage of the game in Scotland is brilliant and players down here should consider that.
“That was one of the main things I noticed when I moved to Caley Thistle.
“I would always recommend players go and play in Scotland, including the lower leagues down here, or even non-league.
“I don’t know what Duncan’s scouting reach will be, but I have lads working here who would quite easily cope with the levels demanded with Inverness in the Championship, in that full-time environment.
“If he looks at those types of players, that would be a way forward.”
Morton is main focus for Ferguson
Under Ferguson, a 3-2 victory at Arbroath and a goalless draw with Partick Thistle lifted Inverness from bottom spot in the Championship.
This Saturday, they aim to move away from hosts Morton, who they are ahead of only by virtue of goal difference.
Raven says short-team targets are a must to kick the team away from trouble.
He said: “Duncan will be looking at it one game at a time. It really does come down to that right now.
“He’s got four points from two games and he’ll be only focused on Morton this weekend.
“He’ll be getting the lads performing, building their confidence, and he’s got a big job on.”
