Interim Inverness CT boss 'proud' of players against Hearts after 'one and a half sessions'

Neil McCann was 'proud' of Inverness in their 1-1 draw with Hearts. Picture: SNS

The former Hearts winger has taken over with John Robertson on compassionate leave and assistant Scott Kellacher ill.

He led the team to a 1-1 draw with the league leaders on Friday evening and declared himself proud of the team’s performance.

“I’m delighted with the boys,” he told the BBC.

“I’ve only had one and a half sessions. They’ve had a real difficult time, coming through a bit of a rinser of late. Not only losing John but losing Scott. It's difficult for a group when a new guy comes in and asks them to do something that’s a wee bit alien or they’ve not been doing but my goodness they were absolutely brilliant.

"They gave me everything, I asked them to give me everything, the shape and to try and stop what we consider is the best team in the league. Limited them to very little other than the goal in the first half. Second half, they had a few chances but I think we had few chances ourselves today.

"There is a lot of work to be done, we would like to polish up our football and get a wee bit better on the ball but I can’t have any complaints because I think they were brilliant tonight.”

McCann reckoned his side could well have edged the contest and picked up the three points.

“I think overall, yes, I could argue my case,” he said.

"Maybe Lee and Robbie may argue their case but I think in the first half we were really aggressive but for a couple of wee bobbles or deflections that might have fallen for us but we got ourselves in good positions.

"I just thought there was a real willingness to go and try and win the game. It takes a lot of work to do what I asked them to do.

"It’s very different to how people may say I normally play but I had to come in here and try and make an impact on them to be hard to beat.”