JOHN Hughes' reputation arrived at the Caledonian Stadium before he did.
Whether it was head-butting walls, or locking young players in cupboards, Ryan Christie had heard the stories and wondered how all of this augured for him. The way things have panned out so far, he needn't have worried. The way Hughes has toughened this willowy 20-year-old up for the rigours of SPFL football has been something to behold.
Christie's flawless technique saw him this week named on the four-man shortlist for the PFA Scotland young player of the year award, but his team-mates also deserve a generous share of the credit. Not only does Hughes encourage them to be overtly physical with him in training matches, where free-kicks against Christie are virtually outlawed, come matchday he finds this same bunch of hardened Highland pros putting their bodies on the line to protect him. Sadly, there have been surprisingly few young players battle hardened and reliable enough to be first team Premiership regulars this season but Christie must be the exception which proves the rule.
"The manager has been brilliant since he came in," said Christie. "Before he came in, I was hearing stories of him headbutting walls so I didn't know what to expect. But the way he wants to play and the way he has had us playing over the last 12 months has been brilliant, obviously for me, but I think all the players have enjoyed learning his style of football. It is showing now - we are playing games and being successful.
"I have yet to see him completely explode," added the 20-year-old. "Maybe with age he is calming down a little bit. But in training, he will never give fouls against me, he just tells me to get up all the time. I think I am pretty level-headed in that way - if he thinks it is going to improve my game and my attitude then why not.
"I guess it was a wee bit frustrating at first, but I can't really go against him. He has my best interests at heart and I feel the benefits of that. Even though boys might kick me in training and stuff, when it comes to a Saturday the players around me always protect me. Going into games I always know I have a good squad of players with me."
Whether or not he lifts this award next Sunday - Celtic defender Jason Denayer and Hearts' duo Jamie Walker and Sam Nicholson are the competition - it already seems legitimate to question how long Christie's talents will be showcased in Scotland. That very same Hughes suggested last week that the ultimate destination of the player, who is under contract until the summer of 2016, will be the Barclays Premier League but while Christie would love to follow the likes of Andy Robertson down there he feels he isn't ready to go just yet. Inverness have achieved many things in their 20 years of existence, but securing a significant transfer fee for a local lad and homespun product of their youth system would be a pleasing first for their club.
"It definitely would be satisfying," said Christie, whose father Charlie has a development role at the club. "That is the way not just Inverness, but every team in Scotland, are going just now. They are turning towards youth and that is the way they make money - by selling them on. If they want to do that with me - and I am looking to go further, maybe later on in my career - it would be nice to start that trend at Inverness.
"For him [Hughes] to say that [talk about moving to the Barclays Premier League] is a giant compliment," Christie added. "I have to take that and thank him for it. Just now we still have plenty of games to go and the cup final so it is important that I don't just think about that. I need to keep concentrating on my football. I would say I have still probably got a lot of learning to do in the SPFL and I think being based in Inverness, where I have grown up my whole life, is the perfect place to continue my learning."
While certain aspects of the performance were overshadowed somewhat by the Josh Meekings affair, this has been another momentous week in the short history of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Christie, who has been present at all of the club's cup victories over Celtic - he was a four-year-old child at the famous Scottish Cup win in February 2000 which spawned all those 'Super Caley' headlines - feels it is high time they took the next step and actually claimed the first major trophy in the club's history against Falkirk at Hampden on May 30.
"Going in to the semi final we were so focused on the game and the tactics that afterwards it was very much that 'we have just won the game, we need to go on and win the cup now'," he said. "I think I'll feel a wee bit of pressure in the cup final, but that will be from wanting to win it for the club. In terms of people looking at me, I don't feel any pressure from that. It's normal to feel a bit of pressure before games because we know how big it could be for the club."
Aged just 20, it is worth remarking that this is already the second major final of Christie's career. He made a surprise appearance off the bench during the League Cup final against Aberdeen last year, only for the club to go down on penalties. "A lot of the boys were disappointed but I was just amazed to be involved," said Christie. "I only found out I was on the bench on the morning of the game. And when they told me I was going on I was certainly nervous. It was a great experience for me and hopefully it will calm my nerves this time."
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