Duncan Ferguson says rising Caley Thistle must not lose sight of teams below them in Championship

Duncan Ferguson insists Caley Thistle cannot lose sight of what is beneath them in their efforts to climb the Championship table.

Inverness moved out of the relegation zone into eighth spot courtesy of their 3-1 win over Ayr United last week.

It has shifted Caley Jags closer to a cluster of teams occupying mid-table positions, and a victory away to Dunfermline on Saturday would move them up to fifth place.

Inverness currently sit above Arbroath on goal difference, with Morton four points adrift in bottom spot.

Ferguson is playing down any talk of moving into play-off contention – insisting they must continue to focus on keeping the sides below them at arm’s length.

He said: “You always look and think, don’t you?

“It is ifs, and could bes.

“I tend to look at what’s beneath.

“When I first came in, we had one point and were cut adrift a little bit. Now we’re closing the gap.

“We’re still only goal difference outside the relegation place, so we really need to keep winning, picking up points and putting pressure on teams above us.

“It is too early to talk about play-offs, because the play-offs are next year.

“First and foremost, let’s try and get away from the bottom of the league and see where that takes us.”

Caley Jags boss praises buy-in from squad

Ferguson remains undefeated since replacing Billy Dodds as manager in September, with three wins and two draws.

He insists strong results are helping him to get his demands across to the Caley Jags’ players.

Ferguson added: “People buy into it when you’re winning. Their work ethic has been there and they are getting results.

“That’s what I’ve been impressed by.

“They really are working 100% and that’s all you can ask for.

“Yes, we’ve got ideas and tactics and the players buy into it when you’re getting results.

“It’s good that they are enjoying it, but it is the results, isn’t it?

“We just have to keep working as hard as we can, keep putting our ideas over to the players.

“Hopefully, then, the results will keep coming.”

Ferguson is continuing to play down the credit he is due for overseeing Caley Jags’ turnaround, insisting it is up to his players to deliver the goods.

He added: “I’ll say it again – football players win football matches.

“It is the players who have done it. They’ve done really well.

“I set them up and I train them, but they’re the ones who cross the white line.”