Inverness hit out at Dundee over Robertson approach
● Championship side make their position clear ● Dens Park club eye Strachan role
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have confirmed John Robertson was approached by Dundee regarding their vacant managerial position, a move they say was “entirely unso - licited and... entirely unwelcome.”
The Championship club released a statement yesterday confirming that an approach had been made to Robertson as a potential replacement for Jim Mcintyre who left the Dens Park club after relegation from the Premiership, but that he had “no desire or intention to speak to Dundee FC”.
The statement said :“The club can confirm that manager John Robertson was directly approached by Dundee FC on Saturday evening.
“Within minutes of this approach, John notified the club and confirmed to our CEO that he had no desire or intention to speak to Dundee FC about their vacant managerial position.
“He did not reply to, nor acknowledge this approach. To be 100 per cent clear, this approach from DundeeFC was entirely unsolicited and given that it was less than 24 hours after a draining Premiership play- off semi-final defeat, entirely unwelcome.
“The club itself was not formally contacted by Dundee FC until late Sunday afternoon, when a senior member of our club staff was spoken to by the DFC club secretary.
“Following this phone call, he received an email formally asking for permission to speak to John with regards the vacant managerial position at Dens Park. The member of staff contacted our CEO immediately, at which point and with knowledge of the previous day’s direct approach, he immediately contacted and de ni edDFC permission to have any further contact with our manager.”
Robertson led Caley Thistle to third spot in the Championship before they lost to Dundee United in the Premiership promotion play-off semi-final. Robertson is contracted to the Highland club until the end of season 2020-21.
Meanwhile, it is believed Dundee have made an approach to bring former Scotland manager Gordon Strachan to the club as a new technical director.
Managing director John Nelms is reviewing the current structure at the club and is keen to bring in an experienced head following the Dens Park outfit’s relegation to the Championship. Str ac han’ s last job was as manager of the Scotland national team, where he was in charge for four years between 2013 and 2017. The former Manchester United player resigned after failing to lead Scotland to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
The 62-year-old, who started his playing career with the Dark Blues, has distanced himself from ma na gerial posts since severing ties with Scotland but did spend an evening watching Dundee’ s youngsters train with the club’ s head of academy Stephen Wright recently.
When linked with the Hibs job in January, Strachan said: “Management isn’ t on my agenda right now. I can still coach and run about, no problem. I want to take a job I love.”
INVERNESS STATEMENT
“To be 100 per cent clear, this approach from Dundee was entirely unsolicited and given that it was less than 24 hours after a draining Premiership play-off defeat, entirely unwelcome”