The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Robertson proud of players despite missing promotion
Caley Thistle manager John Robertson insists he couldn’t be prouder of his players, despite failing to achieve promotion back to the top flight of Scottish football.
Robertson’s side were beaten 3-0 by Dundee United at Tannadice on Friday and 4-0 on aggregate in the Scottish Premiership play-off semi-final.
A third successive season in the Championship awaits next term but Robertson praised his players for their efforts throughout the season.
He said: “Relegation (from the top flight) is devastating to a club like Caley Thistle. We don’t have a big fan base or big benefactors so we had to be prudent and cut costs.
“We had to make the club work as best we can. My job is to bring in good players that fit our system of play.
“Last year we won the Challenge Cup and just missed out on the play-offs.
“We have improved and we finished third, reached the semifinal of the play-offs and the semifinal of the Scottish Cup. We have done really well. I can’t be any prouder of my players.
“I don’t mind losing to good opposition and we lost to good opposition on Friday night, although two massive refereeing calls killed us over the two games.” Robertson’s belief that Caley Jags can work their way back to Scotland’s top tier remains undiminished but the 54-yearold admits that the financial constraints are an added challenge to an already onerous task
He said: “I’m confident all the time. My job is to bring in good players. “I think I have brought in a couple of good ones already in James Keatings and David Carson.
“It is also important we retain our good players and find another two or three gems.
“We can’t get involved with the big money players or big money wages.
“We have to find people like Tom Walsh, Coll Donaldson, Joe Chalmers, Jordan White and Aaron Doran, whose careers had stalled but they wanted to come to a team that plays good football and tries to entertain.
“The big plan next season is to try to improve again. It is going to be tough because this was an excellent season.” REVISED SECOND-ROUND DRAW