REGARDLESS of whether this match marked Ryan Christie’s final appearance for Inverness before he signs for Celtic, it is highly unlikely to have been his swansong in an Inverness Caledonian Thistle jersey.
John Hughes confirmed after this 1-1 draw with Dundee that his club have received a bid from the champions for the player but refused to be drawn on the likely outcome of the approach.
“Don’t ask me how much it is for or what the board’s view on it is though,” he said. “I am trying to keep away from that side of things as much as I can.”
The Highlanders’ manager also intimated that, regardless of where the 20-year-old is plying his trade when the transfer window slams shut at midnight on Tuesday, it is vital for his development that he is playing “regular first-team games”. Hughes, however, declined to confirm that the Highland club hope to have the player back on a season-long loan if he signs for Ronny Deila’s side.
“Ryan did OK out there, and it is not easy when there is a lot of focus on you. He tired towards the end but he was OK,” Hughes said.
“I can see why Celtic want him, he has the talent to play for Celtic and do well in the game. But any deal has to be right for Inverness first and foremost.”
The youngster’s precocious talents burst like shafts of sunlight on a grey Dundee afternoon and he began in the lively and inventive fashion which first brought him to the attention of Celtic. His 25-yard effort after eight minutes called Scott Bain into early action, albeit the shot was fielded comfortably by the home goalkeeper.
The opening period’s best chance arrived at its midway point and was of the gilt-edged variety .
David Raven burst into the Dundee box and his cutback found Iain Vigurs unmarked 10 yards from goal. The midfielder, spurned the chance to open his account by sclaffing his effort well wide. Andrea Mutombo almost gave the visitors a dream start to the second period but Paul McGinn stepped across smartly to block after the Belgian pulled the trigger from 10 yards.
Inverness broke the deadlock on the hour-mark, Mutombo and Christie playing a part in the build-up and, when the ball broke to Raven on the edge of the box, his effort flew past Bain.
Dundee were awarded a penalty seven minutes from time when Danny Devine punched a floated cross clear. Greg Stewart, however, saw his driven spot-kick brilliantly saved by Owain Fon-Williams diving low to his left. The equaliser was merely delayed however and, two minutes after Paul McGowan had somehow missed from three yards, Kane Hemmings latched on to a bouncing long ball inside the box and fired past Fon-Williams.
The disappointment of missing out on Inverness’s first league win of the campaign proved too much for Motumbo, whose shocking late, in every sense, tackle on Nick Ross in injury time saw him receive a straight red card from referee Andrew Dallas, 26-year-old son of former top grade-one official Hugh Dallas and recently fast-tracked to the top tier.
“I had no problem with the penalty decision, and the challenge from Motumbo was a definite sending-off, but I thought the referee was poor and his decision-making was poor all day,” explained a clearly frustrated Hughes.
“He brought an edginess and a nervousness to the match. In my opinion, he isn’t ready to referee top-flight football.”
Dundee counterpart Paul Hartley was more charitable, although he too admitted to being baffled by some decisions: “I thought our penalty should also have been a red card for their defender. You don’t like to see players sent off
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