The chance to help Caley Thistle go for promotion was a big reason Scotland under-21 defender Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen moved from Leeds United.
The 19-year-old was one of manager Duncan Ferguson’s seven transfer window signings and, following his loan move until the end of the season, he’s been pitched in for two Championship starts so far.
He helped ICT defeat title-chasing Raith Rovers 3-2 on his debut but was part of a side which lost 1-0 to Queen’s Park at the weekend.
The former Liverpool youth player’s career is on the rise, having played for Scotland at under-16, under-19s and under-21 level.
He’s been capped eight times for the 21s and scored in the 2-0 win in Belgium in November.
At English Championship club Leeds United, he’s been impressing for their under-23 team in Premier League Two Division One.
However, it is senior competitive action Chilokoa-Mullen wants, and Ferguson gave him his first chance at Raith.
Ferguson’s son Cameron was a Scotland age-group team-mate of Chilokoa-Mullen and he told the defender his dad would keep him right at Inverness.
Promotion goal was lure for defender
And the centre-half explained why the Highlands seemed like the best place to develop over the next few months.
He said: “I spoke to the gaffer, and I liked what he said about the style of play here.
“He told me the club is looking to push for the promotion play-offs, so that appealed to me.
“I just need to keep my head down and look to improve every day.
“Hopefully I can learn from the more experienced players around me.
“I needed to experience first-team football and I’ve been given that chance here. I need to get games under my belt to try and improve.
“Players like Danny Devine and Mark Ridgers are always talking to me on the park, which is good.”
Caley Jags aim to bounce back in cup
Inverness are seventh in the Championship after their slip-up against Queen’s Park, which leaves them eight points below fourth-placed Morton and only one point in front of Queen’s.
They can forget about their need for league points this Saturday when they take on Premiership Hibs in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup, with the Leith side seventh in the top-flight after their shock 3-0 loss against St Mirren.
Chilokoa-Mullen is determined to ensure they up the ante against Hibs and give themselves a chance of causing an upset in the cup, having reached the final last season when they lost 3-1 to Celtic.
He said: “Last week was a good win against Raith Rovers, but I felt we were unlucky on Saturday not to get anything from the game.
“Hopefully we can bounce back on Saturday.
“In the first half, we had lots of opportunities to score. We just couldn’t find that final pass to break them down.
“We were unlucky with the goal, but we just need to push on this weekend.
“We’re looking forward to Saturday. Hopefully we can try to replicate what the club achieved last season. “
