Inverness must earn the right to mount title challenge – Robertson

INVERNESS manager John Robertson has warned his players they must earn the right to mount another challenge at the top of the Championship.

Caley Thistle finished third last term to reach the promotion play-offs but their bid to return to the Premiership was ended by a 4-0 aggregate defeat by Dundee United.

A succession of draws last season prevented Caley Jags from running Ross County closer, with Inverness finishing 15 points adrift of their Highland rivals.

Despite starting the new campaign with a 4-1 defeat by United at Tannadice, Robertson hopes his men can pick themselves up for another tilt at promotion.

He said: “Taking it to the wire last season should help but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.

“If you look at clubs that have been in the play-offs, like Queen of the South and Dunfermline, for two or three seasons they were in there but then they seem to fall out of it. That can happen.

“It’s not through bad planning or bad play. Sometimes other teams improve, one or two key decisions go their way. Teams get a bit of luck which can make the difference between reaching the top four and winning the title.

“We have l ooked at ourselves last season and analysed it. Most of the season was OK but what killed us was 14 draws, seven on the bounce.

“It basically halted our progress i n staying up among the likes of Dundee United and Ross County.

“We finished strongly, as we usually do. Perennially, Inverness for some reason have been slow starters. That’s why we’ve taken on harder pre-season games this year.”

Robertson hopes his side can show more firepower when they host promoted Arbroath on Saturday.

Inverness manager John Robertson.