The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Hughes hopes he can justify new signings to ease injury crisis
Caley Thistle manager John Hughes hopes the club’s directors can come up with the money to sign more players, despite confirming his budget has been spent.
Inverness are suffering an injury crisis, with Richie Foran, Carl Tremarco, James Vincent, Aaron Doran, Jordan Roberts and Dean Brill sidelined for last week’s 1-0 defeat against Motherwell, allowing Hughes to name only four outfield substitutes.
Captain Gary Warren suffered a broken leg which is likely to keep him out for several months, while Josh Meekings was withdrawn at half-time with a knee injury.
Hughes has already made five summer signings but is hopeful he can justify further additions.
Hughes said: “In terms of spending budget, we’re done. That was us, ready to go and if we’d kept everyone injury-free the numbers weren’t too bad, maybe just one or two short.
“There is an understanding we cannot just keep spending money. I have a part to play as manager to protect the club financially.
“In any business, there’s always something saved for a rainy day and we hope we never have to use it. It’s raining now.
“I’m hoping there may be a little bit of money available, under the circumstances, to go and get players in given the bad luck we’ve been suffering from. I don’t want to just bring players in to make up numbers. That’s a waste of time.
“With all the bad luck coming in one go, I want to bring two or three players into the club if I possibly can.
“It might cost us a bit and I don’t know if that money is there. But we are working very hard to see if anyone will do us a favour, but if my mate is a car salesman, does he give me a car for nothing?”
Hughes will be cautious and not rush any of his injured players back.
He added: “I’m starting to see Aaron Doran, James Vincent and Carl Tremarco back on the training pitch. I’m hoping they’ll be back in the next few days.
“Josh Meekings took studs to the knee against Motherwell and came off but his real trouble is a hip problem.”
Hughes might go down the loan route but is keen to bring in proven players.
“We’ve brought a lot of trialists in and a lot of them have done well,” he said.
“But I’m not a daftie, the players have had success and they are looking at the quality of trialists. It can give them a lift or it can knock them down and I just feel the quality of trialists has not been good enough to give the players a lift.
“There’s no point bringing players to the club to make up the numbers.”