Highlanders' rising under Butcher puts Mixu on alert

Published on Thursday 19 February 2009 08:47

MIXU PAATELAINEN today warned his players that Inverness will be at their most dangerous this weekend – but believes it's time Hibs finally brought their miserable run against the Highlanders to an end.

The Easter Road side have failed to win in six attempts at the Caledonian Stadium, taking just one point in that period of time and scoring a solitary goal.

And Paatelainen reckons they will make it even more difficult than normal following the recent appointment of new manager Terry Butcher, with players out to impress and force their way into his starting line-up.

Caley are currently rooted to the foot of the SPL table and have just one home win to their name this season but Butcher's arrival has seen something of a turnaround in fortunes.

The Finn conceded: "We've not had the best of results up there in recent times, it's been a difficult place for Hibs to go to and a few other sides have suffered up there as well.

"We know that they are a very spirited side and the fact they have a new manager in place will also make them more dangerous because all the players will be going out to impress him.

"It will be another difficult match for us, there is no doubt about that.

"But we all know that if we play the way that we can then we are capable of coming back down the road with the win.

"I am sure they will be positive and that they will be harrying us but we will go there and do everything that we can.

"We want to do well, we want to leave there with all three points. There is no point in going to a place like Inverness with the wrong attitude."

Steven Fletcher kept the bench warm against Kilmarnock last weekend, Paatelainen reluctant to throw him into the action because of the knee injury which had forced him to pull out of the recent Scotland gathering at St Andrews.

However, the Finn expects the forward to be fit and raring to go for the trip north and added: "Fletch is okay. He is now back training fully with the rest of the boys and will be fit for this weekend. He is a very important player for us but because of the injury he wasn't fit for the 90 minutes at Kilmarnock.

"We created a lot of chances and we only lost a goal because of a mistake so we felt that, if we didn't have to use him, that it would be better to allow him some more time."