LABOUR OF LOVE

Robertson’s passion and drive have helped revitalise Inverness

EVEN on a Scottish Cup weekend when romance will be cited freely and widely, it’s a relationship that stands out. John Robertson and Inverness Caledonian Thistle? True love. Unending passion. And more chemistry than the boffins at Dow could whip up in a decade.

Steadily making ground in the Championship after a decidedly ropey start, Caley Thistle are within one win of a play-off spot and will fancy themselves to have at least an outsider’s chance of bouncing straight back into the Premiership.

Saturday’s visit to Dens Park gives them at least a chance, meanwhile, to reclaim a place on the big stage by taking a top-flight scalp and progress to the fifth round.

It’s fair to say that Robertson’s decision to leave a much less stressful job at Tynecastle — leaping feet-first back into the madness of management — is paying off.

Which is just as well. Because there was never any chance of Robbo rejecting the chance to go back to Inverness 13 years after his first stint at the helm.

Former Jambos team-mate Allan Preston laughed when asked if Robertson had shown any keenness for a return to the mayhem of being a head coach after five years out. ‘Only every day!’ Preston told

Sportsmail. ‘If he wasn’t bending your ear about his 26 derby goals, he was going on about Inverness — and about his desire to return to management.

‘He always had it in mind to get back into that side of the game.

‘Obviously he’d been doing a bit with the academy at Hearts, when he first went back there.

‘But, as soon as the Inverness job came up, we all knew it was one he’d take.

‘You know, he had a really good job at Tynecastle. Ann Budge (Hearts owner) treated him really well, getting him involved in a lot of projects.

‘But nothing compares to management for some people. Even if it’s not as secure a job, it’s what they were born to do.’

While Robertson was working mainly on the commercial side for Budge, learning lessons that he’s carried back into management, he seemed to fall off the radar of chairmen and chief executives.

Sure, since that first spell at Caley Thistle, he’d been boss at Hearts, Ross County, Livingston, Derry City and finally East Fife.

But anyone who steps away from the coaching coalface risks being forgotten, as many can testify.

And, really, no one could have blamed Robertson for staying safely out of the firing line, especially when he got the call from Inverness.

After all, the Highlanders had just been relegated, were facing massive budget cuts — and the new manager would have only weeks to rebuild.

Yet Robertson, who has a farmhouse in rural Nairnshire and an abiding love of the entire region, leapt right in.

He made 13 signings, cleared out a lot of dead wood — and is now reaping the rewards for his swift work.

Preston said: ‘He’s done a wonderful job — and we always knew he would. He’s so passionate about the club and the city.

‘When you look at everything he’s had to deal with, the budget cuts and the rest, it hasn’t been easy.

‘He knew that when he walked into the job. He understood that relegation meant cutting maybe a million or so from the budget.

‘But he was determined to make it work, because he loves the area, loves the people.

‘His passion for the club helps, obviously. As does the fact he knows the club inside out.

‘They were the people who gave him that real chance to cut his teeth.

‘Wherever he went after that, to Hearts and County, Livvy and over to Ireland, he’s always retained a soft spot for Inverness. And it’s fair to say the people there have a soft spot for him.

‘His wife, Sally, still lives up there, his house is there, and he went in absolutely aware of what it meant to the people of the area.

‘He met Sally up there, which means he has good memories of the place.

‘And, in football terms, it’s definitely a marriage made in heaven.’

There is very little to separate the teams placed third through to seventh in the Championship, meaning Caley Thistle — currently in sixth — can’t be ruled out of the play-offs.

‘You look at where they are now, just three points off the play-off places, and realise how good a job he’s done,’ said Preston.

‘Yes, he had to bring in a lot of new signings. And that made it difficult to hit the ground running. But they’re up and going now.

‘I think the board at Inverness have to realise that, having cut costs so drastically, it wasn’t going to be as easy as just turning up and creating a winning team out of nothing.

‘They really pushed the boat out during those years in the top flight, made it possible to do something that will never be done again, like win the Scottish Cup.

‘But John inherited his squad from Richie Foran and immediately had to get to work.

‘Not only did he have guys on big wages who had to go, he also had players feeling the effects of relegation.

‘He had to motivate these guys to go and play at — no disrespect — places like Dumbarton.

‘That’s a far cry from going to Ibrox, Celtic Park and Tynecastle. But he’s getting the best out of them now.’

This weekend’s temporary return to a Premiership venue may yet be no more than a taster of things to come.

As Huey Lewis once put it, that’s the power of love.