The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dodds out to stop Arbroath as Caley target own happy ending
Billy Dodds insists his Caley Thistle stars aim to complete their own fairytale rise to the Premiership as he shuts out the hype around Premiership play-off hosts Arbroath.
The part-timers from Angus have captured the imagination far and wide as they roared all the way to a runners-up berth in the Championship.
They finished just two points away from champions Kilmarnock and, with a big TV audience expected, the nation will watch to see if they or ICT line up a semi-final shot at St Johnstone from next Friday.
Following Tuesday’s 0-0 first leg draw in Inverness, Caley Jags head coach Dodds wants the continuing story to be about his players rather than those doing the business for Dick Campbell.
He said: “It’s a fairytale a part-time getting to where they are. Dick’s team have been fantastic, but I don’t buy into the neutrals thing (wanting Arbroath to win).
“Neutral Highlanders want Inverness in the Premiership and quick as possible. We have to respect the opponent and realise what they have done this season. But we have had a good season and are in a good place.
“We’re positive and looking forward to it. It is a fabulous opportunity for both sides to get a crack at a Premiership outfit.”
Eight wins from their last 11 games overall, including a 3-1 aggregate success against Partick Thistle last week, puts ICT in fine fettle.
They are also the only Championship club to leave Gayfield with a win this season, albeit in July, which was followed by a New Year 0-0 draw in the winds by the North Sea.
Dodds, therefore, is fully prepared for a tie which could go all the way to extra-time and penalties.
He said: “We played earlier in the season and it was a fantastic day with no wind and won 1-0, then we played there with the boomerang ball coming back to you. We handled that and had chances to win it. David Carson hit the post and we have to handle that. It will be a special occasion and our fans will add to that.”
Former Scotland, Aberdeen, Rangers and Dundee United star Dodds is in his first solo management job.
And being three games away from a Premiership return for the first time since 2017 gives Dodds the same rush as he had as a top striker as this prize comes into focus.
He added: “The nerves are always the same, but you have to keep the focus. Same adrenaline, that is what I feel before every match because I know when you are close to that line of where you want to be you can feel it kicking in.
“If you don’t have nerves, you shouldn’t be in the game – good nerves, calm nerves, but they are there. The same when I played. I am desperate to win the game.”
Arbroath started the better of the sides on Tuesday, although the best chances fell the way of ICT.
Dodds hopes the lesson taken from the 90 minutes in Inverness is not to rush it.
He said: “You have to give credit to Arbroath who had a good game plan. They made it difficult for us to go and play.
“We have to look at ourselves though. We forced it too early and tried to do things too quickly.
“Maybe that was down to impatience and thinking we need to win due to home advantage, so we have to be more patient.
“We will go to Gayfield to have a go to try and win the game. We have to do it in the right manner.”
The Inverness manager has been grateful to the club’s supporters amid their promotion push in recent months.
And his message for the hundreds making the trip to Angus who will be roaring on his men is to hit repeat.
He added: “I ask our fans to keep doing what they’ve been doing since when I noticed them most when we last played at Kilmarnock. They were so noisy. If we can get good numbers there and they make a real noise it can give us an extra edge, which we might need.
“The fans, like at Partick in the quarter-final, if they can do that, that’s what I want again.”
Dodds, meanwhile, confirmed winger Tom Walsh is out “long-term” with an injury relating to the structure of his knee, suffered in last week’s away leg at Partick.