Source: Team_Talk
Butcher ready to resume battle
The SPL resumes on Saturday with Caley Thistle a point above bottom club Falkirk and only two points behind opponents St Mirren, with the pressure at the wrong end of the table intensifying.
Butcher was away with the national team for the last 10 days and has not seen his own group of players since they lost 4-0 at the Falkirk Stadium.
But he revealed he has been kept abreast of everything at the club by assistant Maurice Malpas during the international break.
He said: "Maurice was on the phone all the time keeping me up-to-date with everything that was happening at the club.
"He was involved with the under-21s for some time and is in the Hall of Fame and has Scotland close to his heart so he was also keen to find out news from the camp.
"But to come back from the international set-up and learn that everybody is fit and raring to go, plus with a reserve win on Tuesday, pleases me too.
"The two-week break really comes into effect at this point of the season, because the players didn't have a game last weekend but they've kept with the routine they're used to.
"But there's not been that mental and physical pressures that comes with the games and, from a psychological point of view, the break has helped refresh the players minds and got them refocused on what's coming up."
Inverness blew the chance to create a healthy gap between them and Falkirk last time out.
Butcher hopes his troops have learned their lesson in his absence and can reignite their survival bid.
He said: "It was a bad day at the office two weeks ago and we know that; as far as I'm concerned, the game's been consigned to the bin.
"The main thing is just getting onto the park and getting it right, particularly with a home game, and the players have got to go out there and do the business.
"We've got three games to go before the split, two of which are at home, starting with St Mirren on Saturday and we want to get up and running again as well as making up for that defeat to Falkirk."
The Buddies have been dragged down into the relegation scrap in recent weeks, with only one win in 10 league game.
Their only real triumphs this year have come in the Homecoming Scottish Cup with wins over Celtic, Motherwell and Brechin.
Butcher knows the visitors have the potential to pull off big results and have the players that are more than capable of doing so.
He said: "They got a great result in the Scottish Cup beating Celtic and reaching the semi-finals will have given them a real morale boost.
"They've beaten both halves of the Old Firm this season and have big players for the big matches when they come along.
"Craig Dargo will be a real threat without a doubt and we know all about him here at Caley Thistle.
"I worked with him many, many years ago and know what he's like. He's a terrific character and I'd imagine he'll fancy his chances of scoring against his former club.
"We also have to stop the likes of Andy Dorman, Dennis Wyness and Billy Mehmet, who can all cause us problems."
Inverness 11/10, Draw 12/5, St Mirren 12/5
