Robertson poised for Inverness return

JOHN Robertson is today set to complete a shock return to Inverness Caley Thistle as manager. The Hearts goalscoring legend will be handed a dream ‘homecoming’ 13 years after making history with the Highlanders by guiding them into the top flight for the first time.

Robertson, who has been working as the Tynecastle Under-17s coach, was meeting Hearts owner Ann Budge last night with a view to sealing the move north.

He will be charged with leading last season’s relegated side to Championship success after winning favour from new chairman Willie Finlayson and his board.

Earlier, Aberdeen youth coach Paul Sheerin and ex-St Mirren manager Danny Lennon had emerged as frontrunners to succeed the sacked Richie Foran.

But 52-year-old Robertson, who won the old First Division title in 2003-04 before leaving to manage his Hearts under Vladimir Romanov the following November, looks set to retain the already-contracted Brian Rice as assistant manager.

And the move was being warmly welcomed in the Highlands last night.

Former Caley skipper Grant Munro will always rank Steve Paterson as a legend who built a wonderful Caley Thistle team, but he rates Robertson (right) as the manager who perfected his predecessors’ handiwork.

The retired defender said: ‘It is important to remember it was a squad assembled by Steve Paterson.

‘But John inherited it and changed things professionally — a lot of little things behind the scenes — and stepped everything up on the park as well. It added up to a lot for the players and gave us a bit of a boost.

‘Robbo had a good team around him, especially with Donald Park, who was a very good coach. They worked together very well and the boys responded to it fantastically.

‘He knows his stuff, Robbo. He’s passionate about football and he’s passionate about Inverness as well.

‘He will look back on his time up here fondly, so he will be wanting to replicate that as well and he feels he can.’

There will be some shock at Robertson’s return to the frontline after five years out of mainstream management.

Munro added: ‘A bit of time has passed, but I wouldn’t say it’s a concern.

‘Yes, John has been out of the game a few years now, but he’s still active in football. With Hearts, he was doing his youth work, so he has watched a lot of games, including a lot of first-team games as well.

‘People forget. They think people just drift off the face of the earth, but they don’t.

‘Robbo loves football. He’s passionate and he’s not daft. He knows the market and knows the players out there, so that wouldn’t be a concern in my eyes. ‘There is no doubt for me he is a top, top manager.’ Robertson will inherit a greatly reduced squad at Caley Thistle.