Inverness boss John Hughes pledges to ease up on team
Frustrated Inverness boss John Hughes says he will have to lay off his players after admitting his groans are affecting Caley Thistle on the pitch.
The William Hill Scottish Cup winners have failed to hit the same heights they managed last term in the opening weeks of the new season.
The Highlanders have mustered just one Ladbrokes Premiership win so far and sit ninth in the table.
While Hughes cannot fault his troops' commitment to the cause, he admits he has been vexed by their sloppy mistakes.
However, instead of issuing a verbal blast to his team, Hughes confessed it is he who needs to learn to bite his tongue on the touchline.
He said: "I think the boys have been outstanding and maybe I have to sit back and reflect on exactly what they've done for me.
"They've had to deal with a lot - the injuries, players moving on, all that stuff.
"We've not quite found our rhythm this season like we did last year and yet we're digging it out and we're not too far away.
"That's credit to the boys but I'm finding my frustration starting to spill over on to the pitch and maybe affecting them and their ball retention.
"So I'll have to lay off them and let them get on with it. I'll have to apologise to them in fact because they are giving me everything that they've got."
Hughes has seen little respite to his injury problems ahead of the visit of Ladbrokes Premiership leaders Aberdeen.
Striker Tobi Sho-Silva is closest to a comeback after picking up a knock and missing the midweek win at Livingston.
But Iain Vigurs (Achilles), Aaron Doran (knee), Jordan Roberts (groin), Gary Warren (broken leg) and Dean Brill (knee) are definitely out.
Aberdeen will be forced to do without both Willo Flood (ankle) and Graeme Shinnie (heel) when they take on Inverness in the Highlands on Saturday.
Shinnie has been ruled out of a return trip to his former club after picking up a heel injury in Wednesday's League Cup defeat to Hibernian. Flood also limped off at Easter Road and could now miss the next six weeks after boss Derek McInnes admitted he needs time to let an ankle issue settle.
Defender Mark Reynolds (shoulder) also remains out but Irish winger Jonny Hayes will be back in action for the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders after completing a two-match ban.
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes admits he would not be surprised to see full-back Shinnie's name in Gordon Strachan's next Scotland squad.
The former Inverness man has made an impressive start to his Pittodrie career since moving in the summer, helping the Dons to the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership after eight games.
As comfortable and classy in defence as he is when asked to step up into midfield, the 24-year-old is now being tipped for a Dark Blues call-ups according to reports in Friday morning's newspapers.
The Scots face two crucial Euro 2016 qualifiers with Poland and Gibraltar next month which will decide whether their dreams of making it to France next summer remain intact.
And McInnes says his player deserves the chance to play his part.
The one stumbling block is a heel injury sustained in the shock League Cup defeat to Championship side Hibernian but McInnes is hopeful he will have recovered in time to meet up with Strachan's group, if required.
Asked about the call-up rumours, he told RedTV: "I heard something similar to that yesterday suggesting he was going to be involved in the next Scotland squad but I haven't spoken to Gordon, so time will tell.
"But if he was included I'm pretty sure he would be fit enough to meet up with the squad and hopefully that is the case.
"I'm reluctant to talk too much about that until the squad is named but it would be a real boost for him if he was included. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if that turns out to be the case."
Source: PAR
