Billy Dodds declared Inverness “ready to go” for Saturday’s Scottish Cup final even though they will have had more than four weeks without a match by the time the Hampden showdown with Celtic kicks off.
The Highlanders have not played a competitive game since losing their final cinch Championship fixture at home to Ayr on May 5.
That result cost them a crack at the play-offs and the squad were given nine days off before returning to training to focus on their bid to pull off a ‘miracle’ this weekend.
“It’s not been ideal and it has been a challenge but it’s not been terrible,” said boss Dodds, reflecting on the month-long gap between matches.
“I would have loved to have been in the play-offs having top-notch games going into the final but it wasn’t to be.
“The bonus about it is we got a wee rest, got them back for three weeks, conditioned them – not that they needed it – had a couple of (bounce) games and a practice game (against Dungannon Swifts), so we’re ready to go. It’s not been ideal but it’s not been terrible either.”
While Inverness have been idle, opponents Celtic have continued playing matches, albeit generally not to the same standard that they had set for the bulk of the season.
The Premiership champions – who will land a domestic treble if they secure the Scottish Cup on Saturday – won only two of their closing six league games, although they did finish their campaign with a 5-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday.
Asked if Celtic’s recent form gave him optimism, Dodds said: “Did you watch the Aberdeen game at the weekend?
“We respect every opponent, as we have done throughout this competition. We respected Livingston and Kilmarnock and we had to because they’re Premiership teams but we have to focus on what we can do.
“We’re going to need a bit of luck, top-notch performances from my players, my goalkeeper to have a good day. But when I was at Queen of the South (as a coach) and we played Rangers in the (2008) Scottish Cup final we were 2-0 down at half-time (before coming back to 2-2 and then losing 3-2).
“This competition’s all about miracles and they do happen. We’re going there with the mindset we can win the game.”
Inverness’ best moment in their history came in 2015 when they won the Scottish Cup, and Dodds is hoping to repeat the feat eight years on.
“I think people remember the fairytales,” he said.
“You just have to look downstairs and see all the boys on the wall when Inverness last won the cup.
“I know it was against Falkirk but they beat Celtic in the semi-final. Things like that are always remembered, and rightly so. Any provincial club who wins a trophy, for example Ross County won the League Cup in 2016, it’s got a right to be remembered.”
Dodds has a full-strength squad to choose from with the exception of long-term absentees Shane Sutherland and Tom Walsh, and he already has a good idea what his starting XI will look like.
“Because of the time off we’ve had, I’ve had plenty of time to think about how I’m going to try and nullify Celtic, because they are going to have a lot of the ball, but also try to be a threat as well,” he said.
“I’ve got to try and get that balance. I’ve got an idea of my team but you can never name it until the week’s over in case you pick up an injury or two.”
Al Hilal crowned Saudi Pro League champions after Al Hazm hammering
Al Hilal secured their fourth straight Saudi Pro League title after Aleksandar Mitrovic starred in Saturday's 4-1 thrashing of bottom side Al Hazm.
Faiz Selemani restored parity after Mitrovic's 15th-minute opener at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, only for Jorge Jesus' hosts to roar back and be crowned champions with three games remaining.
Ahmed Al Juwaid's own goal handed the initiative back to the dominant Al Hilal, who led 4-1 at the break after Mitrovic added another to his tally and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was on target.
The second of Mitrovic's strikes took him to a team-leading 26 league goals this term as Al Hilal breezed to another title, moving an unassailable 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr.
Jesus' side are unbeaten through all 31 games this season after securing their record-extending 19th top-flight crown in history, while Al Hazm need to win their last three matches to have any chance of staying up.
Al Hazm's relegation rivals Al Tai boosted their chances of survival in Saturday's earlier clash after a 1-1 draw away against Al Raed.
Al Tai are just a point away from 15th-placed Abha Club in their bid for top-flight safety after Ibrahim Al Nakhli's strike was cancelled out by Al Raed's Mohammed Fouzair in the second half.
Al-Ittihad 0-5 Al-Ettifaq: Ekambi scores hat-trick in five-star display
Karl Toko Ekambi netted a hat-trick as Al-Ettifaq got back to winning ways in style with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
He scored twice in four minutes at the end of the first half to send the visitors into the break 4-0 up before getting his third just 10 minutes after the break.
Seko Fofana had already given Steven Gerrard’s side the lead five minutes into the contest, while Moussa Dembele doubled their advantage from the penalty spot.
Al-Ittihad had the chances, but they could not find the back of the net, as they stayed fifth, but are now just six points above Al-Ettifaq.
Data Debrief: Clinical finishers
Al-Ettifaq had five shots on target against Al-Ittihad, scoring with all of them while creating an xG of 3.62.
With his hat-trick against Al-Ittihad, Ekambi has now scored 11 goals for the season, netting more than once for the first time since joining the club.
Al-Akhdoud 2-3 Al-Nassr: Brozovic stunner delays Al-Hilal coronation
Marcelo Brozovic scored twice – including a fine half-volley in second-half stoppage time – as Al-Nassr beat Al-Akhdoud 3-2 to delay Al-Hilal's Saudi Pro League title coronation on Thursday.
Former Inter midfielder Brozovic fired in a seventh-minute opener from outside the area before Cristiano Ronaldo tapped into an empty net to double the visitors' lead.
Sadio Mane struck the woodwork early in the second half and Al-Nassr relinquished control of the game from there, with goals from Hassan Al Habib and Saviour Godwin making it 2-2.
However, Brozovic blasted a bouncing ball home following a goalmouth scramble in the first of seven minutes of stoppage time to hand Al-Nassr a fifth straight win and keep them within nine points of Al-Hilal, with three games still to play.
They have only delayed the inevitable though as the leaders – who have only dropped four points all season – need just one more point to secure their crown ahead of facing Al-Hazm on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Brozovic upstages Ronaldo
While it's usually Ronaldo writing the headlines for Al-Nassr, he was upstaged by Brozovic on Thursday as the Croatian found the net with both of his shots, also leading all players on the pitch for final-third passes (19) and completing 90.1 per cent of his passes overall (81/95).
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