Robertson urges players to stick with Cally

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Robertson today backed his players to move on up to the Premier League – by staying put.

Top-flight clubs are continuing to track the likes of Dennis Wyness after their impressive run to the Tennent’s Scottish Cup final.

But Robertson is encouraging them to stay at Thistle and has promised them promotion if they can recapture their form next season.

“Inverness have got a good cup reputation as it is,” said Robertson. “I don’t think if any Premier League team draws us home or away it is a tie they are particularly looking forward to.

“But we have got to battle out of our own league and the players are there. Hopefully we can keep the squad together.

“Dundee were the form team, but some of our players, Dennis Wyness etc, were outstanding.

“There are three, four, five guys who could easily step up and as a team they could step up to the Premier League. They have shown that.

“They need now to play at that level every week to see how far they can go.

“It’s a very difficult league we have got to try to get out of, but the thing we have taken from this match is that we want to play in big stadiums.

“We want to play against the best sides and the best players week-in, week-out and we are going to have to try to do that through our league position.

“If we continue to perform like we did, and in the previous round, then there’s no reason why we can’t do that next year.”

Promotion would help ease the disappointment of missing out on a final place against Rangers and Europe next season.

But while the former Hearts star congratulated Jim Duffy’s men, he feels his players have proved that they can match the top sides.

“Good luck to Dundee,” added Robertson. “Jim Duffy has been great for the club and I think everybody out there realised there was nothing between the two sides at all.

“In semi-finals, and I’m sure Jim would agree, the first goal is vital and the longer the game went on the more it looked that only one goal was going to win it.

“Getting to the semi-final was a great achievement, but the players and myself are disappointed because that was a game we could have won.

“It was a tight match and we could have nicked a goal and gone in front.

“We were in it to win it and we were trying hard to get to the final. But it wasn’t to be.

“It was Dundee’s day and our congratulations from everybody at the club go to Dundee.

“We got our tactics spot on. We went about our business in the right way and my players can go away with absolutely no regrets.

“They gave it their best shot and on the day we didn’t get that wee piece of luck that you need.”