Robertson likely to miss quarter-final with sick bug

ICT: Wilson on standby as illness strikes down boss and assistant

Caley Thistle boss John Robertson and assistant manager Scott Kellacher face a race to be fit for tomorrow’s Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup tie against Clyde after becoming the latest to be hit by a mystery sickness bug.

Inverness’s preparations for Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Arbroath were hampered by the illness which swept through the squad last week and although the bulk of the first team are now on the mend, the bug has spread to the management team in recent days.

With Robertson and Kellacher recovering from the bug, coach Barry Wilson is overseeing the build up to tomorrow’s last-eight tie against the Bully Wee at Caledonian Stadium. Wilson said: “The sickness bug and illness hit the team last week with two or three boys unable to train at all.

“It hit the management staff over the weekend and a few more players this week. The club has been a little bit under the weather, but hopefully we had enough boys out there to be ready for Saturday. “There’s only two first team players who didn’t train on Thursday. James Keatings is still feeling the effects of the illness and there’s one other. We are just hoping a couple of boys shake off the illness and we can get them back training.” Wilson hopes Caley

Jags can put last week’s shock loss to the Red Lichties behind them with a victory over their League 1 opponents tomorrow, with a place in the last four of the competition at stake.

He said: “The Arbroath game was a poor performance. I think every one of us accepts that - coaching staff and players.

“We need to move on, put it right by getting a good result against Clyde and then take that into the league in following weeks.

“We’ve seen it before where the club was struggling a bit in the league and used the Challenge Cup to gain some momentum.

“At the minute, we’ve lost a bit of momentum and we’re hoping we can replicate that, get a performance and victory and then take that into the league.

“We have Dundee at home next, so it’s another big one after that.”

Race against time: For Inverness boss John Robertson