As unfortunate as it may seem, a season of success such as enjoyed by Inverness Caledonian Thistle immediately triggers thoughts of how the club can possibly improve. Their manager, John Hughes, admitted as much after Saturday’s Scottish Cup triumph.
An 86th-minute James Vincent goal secured the first piece of major silverware for the Highland side, 21 years after their formation. Falkirk were unfortunate to lose by the odd goal in three. Inverness had already taken third place in the Scottish top flight, earning them a place in Europe. On Sunday Inverness hosted an open-top bus parade in recognition of the efforts of Hughes and his players.
“To be honest, I don’t think we will go and achieve what we have done this year – it has been a remarkable season,” Hughes said. “I asked everyone to sign up for it at the start of the season: ‘What are you going to do to be a winner?’ And they have really taken it on board.
“What you have to do is dampen down the expectation and just keep going. That is a test of your character and will – if you can keep going, keep together and dig it out. That’s what we do in Inverness. Always underdogs and always a siege mentality.”
Hughes’s task will inevitably be made tougher by the loss of key players. The Inverness captain, Graeme Shinnie, has signed for Aberdeen. Marley Watkins, who scored the first goal against Falkirk, is out of contract and likely to depart, as is the striker Edward Ofere.
“We are going to lose a few,” Hughes added. “Shinnie’s away, Marley might go, big Edward will probably go. We just have to rebuild and start again. We still have the nucleus of the backbone of the team and if we can keep everyone injury free we are not a bad team. I think that shows up in the league. We are still hopeful that big Ofere and Marley will stay here. I have enjoyed working with them but they are in freedom of contract; any suitors that are after them, seeing Marley in the cup final, someone will take a chance on him and, if so, he goes with our best wishes.”
For Hughes this represents a career highlight. He had previously endured a patchy managerial record, including a sacking by Hartlepool United.
“I have always been a dreamer,” he said. “I have always had great belief in what we do and the style of football we play.
“I do not have a big ego, I just love being involved in football, winning Scottish Cups and doing what we do, with the style of football. Through it all is the style of football we play; these players have taken that on and implemented it. That’s my biggest buzz.”
