Hughes feared worst for Caley .. Foran is facing it

JOHN HUGHES gazed into his crystal ball last summer and predicted he’d be in a relegation battle this season.

Not the one he’s currently involved in with Raith Rovers – but at former club Inverness if he’d stuck around the Highlands.

Hughes led Caley Thistle to a seventh-placed finish just a season after winning their first major trophy with their historic Scottish Cup success and third in the top flight in their best-ever season.

But after two-and-a-half years at the helm he started to fear the worst and losing Miles Storey, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Caley from Swindon, to Aberdeen proved the final straw.

The fact the 23-year-old has been left kicking his heels on the Pittodrie bench this season simply makes matters worse as Inverness head to Fir Park today for a fixture where defeat would almost certainly see them relegated.

Hughes will have his own worries when Raith take on Morton today after accepting a Championship relegation battle at Stark’s Park.

But he could be forgiven for saying “I told you so” to his old employers as they languish at the foot of the table just two years on from their day in the sun at Hampden.

Hughes had also lost Danny Williams and James Vincent who signed pre-contracts at Dundee as he claimed his budget this season would have been in the “bottom two in the league”.

And that was after losing Graeme Shinnie, Marley Watkins, Ryan Christie, Billy Mckay and Edward Ofere – all but one of whom ended up at Premiership rivals.

The exit list prompted Hughes to claim that the fans were being short-changed.

And the lingering tension finally came to a head with Hughes departing – with Caley Thistle chairman Kenny Cameron and the board now reaping what they have sown.

There is no doubt former striker and captain Richie Foran was worthy of a role at the club but handing him the manager’s job was the cheap and easy option.

The Irishman and chairman Cameron defended his budget when the 36-year-old was unveiled, with Foran – who had to replace 10 players – saying: “I’m delighted with the budget. It’s fantastic.”

But it either wasn’t good enough or hasn’t been spent wisely as Foran and the board were this week forced to deny claims his future was in doubt just one year into a four-year contract.

At the time of Foran’s appointment, Hughes said: “He’s probably been flung in at the deep end and I wish him all the best.

“He’s a rookie. I don’t think coaching is his forte, coming up with ideas and being

Defeat would all but end Caley Jags’ four-year stay in the top flight

innovative. But that doesn’t mean you can’t become a good manager if you have other people doing that for you.”

Defeat for Foran on his return to former club Motherwell today would leave the Highlanders seven points adrift at the foot of the Premiership table with just five games left – and all but end their four-year stay in the top flight.

Foran was a fans’ favourite during three years in Lanarkshire due to his fighting qualities and his side will need to show all the characteristics he displayed as a player.

If they don’t pull off something similar to their 3-0 win at Fir Park last October then they can prepare for life in the Championship.

And former boss Hughes can be satisfied he called it right.