Duncan Ferguson has acknowledged that the fate of his tenure as manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle hinges on the decisions of the club's administrators in the coming week.
As the Scottish League One side prepares for their upcoming clash with Championship Livingston in the SPFL Trust Trophy, the atmosphere at the Caledonian Stadium is overshadowed by significant off-field concerns.
Recent developments indicate that the Highland club is on the brink of entering administration next Wednesday if a suitable buyer does not emerge.
This alarming news was revealed during an emergency meeting attended by fans and shareholders on Monday evening, where the board and consultant Alan Savage outlined the pressing financial crisis.
Caley Thistle is facing a daunting financial challenge, requiring up to £1.6million to sustain operations through to the end of the 2024/25 season.
Of this amount, £200,000 is needed urgently within the month, raising serious concerns about the club's viability.
The 'Save Caley Thistle' fundraiser is currently sitting at around £75,000, with six days to go to reach a £200,000 target. ICT youth graduate and former Celtic star Ryan Christie donated £20,000 alone. While Ferguson revealed last week that he isn't even taking a wage from his employer.
“I hope we’re all still here next week," the Everton legend told reporters on Thursday.
"It’s never been about me. We know there is a big cloud hanging over us. If the club doesn’t come up with the money, it is inevitable we go into administration. Then jobs will be lost.
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“Whether I am here might be down to the administrator. It is down to what they decide, it would not be down to me.
“I have to get on with it until someone tells me differently. I will be the same as every other employee at this club.
“It has been tough, but we’re all in the same position. Everyone at the club is finding it tough at the moment.
“It has not been easy for me, but you have to get on with it. You just try to deliver. That’s what I try to do.”
Inverness' league form has plummeted further this season following relegation from the Scottish Championship.
Last Saturday's 1-0 defeat against Arbroath was only their second loss from their nine games, but six draws have left them occupying ninth spot.
It could get worse before it gets better on the pitch, with Ferguson admitting administration will also likely see many of his players move on - should the opportunity arise.
"The CEO [interim Charlie Christie] filled them in on the severity of the situation," he explained. "That was a bit of a shock to some of them, to be honest.
“I don’t know too much about administration and exactly what’s going to happen.
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“While we focus on the football, it is hard not to listen to what’s going on.
“There is a lot of noise surrounding the club and the players are worried, as we all are as staff of this club.
“Hopefully it won’t come to administration, but that seems the direction the club is going in.
“We were in a bit of a bad place last Friday. We picked them up within 24 hours, so they were ready.
“You have to focus and try and get out there to win some games. If you get wins, things will look a bit better.
“It’s also for their futures. If players play well, people will look at them, in terms of having the chance to move on to other clubs.
“If administration comes, we’d maybe lose some of the players. Footballers want to be motivated and win games of football.”
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