Blame me, says Richie Foran as ICT fans round on chairman

Inverness Caledonian Thistle fans surrounded chairman Kenny Cameron's car in protest as he tried to leave the ground last night but manager Richie Foran insisted that he and the players are to blame for the club's fall from grace and pointed the finger at individuals he described as 'bad apples'.

He conceded the supporters’ mood was “understandable” and admitted “they could have turned a long time ago” but saidblaming the chairman or the board was unfair. “They mentioned the board but it’s nothing to do with them. It’s all about me and the players. We got the club relegated and we’ll get them promoted next season.”

His team claimed only their seventh league win of the campaign – but it was not enough to avoid automatic relegation, just two years after the club finished third in the top flight and won the Scottish Cup.

“It’s disappointing but we finished the season very strongly. We go and rebuild again – set new foundations,” said Foran. “I’ll speak to the board on Monday or Tuesday. I was a big part of the problem in getting us relegated but I want to be part of the solution.

“The 11 out there – obviously we lose Greg Tansey but I hope to keep the other ten. I’m looking forward to getting rid of a few bad apples, who I should have got rid of in January. That was a mistake. I’ve learned a heck of a lot this season.

“Over the last three or four games I’ve played players I trusted – I probably didn’t do that often enough over the season. Too many let me down. There’s a few that haven’t given 100 per cent or cared enough. I stayed loyal to them but I’ve learned I should have changed them.”

He said he now needed to surround himself with brave people. “Some jump ship around the club and can’t handle it – they’re weak.”

Foran was on the playing staff the last time the club was relegated, in 2009, and he said the reason they bounced straight back was due to the unity in the squad.

“There was a real togetherness,” he said. “I was part of that; I could have jumped ship but I would have regretted it. I felt guilty – I was part of the problem back then in getting us relegated, and I wanted to be part of the solution.

“I take it personally. I love the club and I love the city. It’s given me my best times of my life, my wife and two kids. It was my best decision not to jump ship last time and I want to be part of getting us up next season.”