JOHN HUGHES has praised the unity of his Inverness Caledonian Thistle squad and admitted yesterday that he does not plan on making any signings during the January transfer window.

The 49-year-old was presented as the new manager of the Highland club at a press conference at the Caledonian Stadium and his first official edict was for his new players to carry on as they are.

The former Falkirk and Hibernian manager has arrived at a club which is second in the SPFL Premiership, in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup and reached the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a win on Saturday. That has convinced the club's new manager that there is little pressing need to add new faces to the team.

Hughes has arrived eager to prove himself, though - his most recent position had been at Hartlepool United, where he was sacked at the end of last season - and he was quick to talk up the success he has had in signing players in the past, particularly from clubs in England. However, he is reluctant to disturb the atmosphere at Inverness so early on and has acknowledged that his first task is to maintain the momentum built up under predecessor Terry Butcher.

"One thing I noticed in that Inverness dressing room when I walked in and spoke to them was there are no egos," said Hughes. "They all muck in. They're all a family. And that's what brings success. I have to be very careful that whatever I do, any decision I make at this club, is done for the right reason and I'm bringing the right people and right character to the club. But I hopefully don't need to bring anyone in. It's a case of 'carry on'.

"There are players who are not in the team who will want to show me they can get into the team. The players in the team will want to stay there. Let's just carry on."

It is the nature of management that Hughes - who signed a contract until the summer of 2016 - will be moved to make signings in the long term and he was able to name his most impressive acquisitions like he was reading from a checklist. The likes of Anthony Stokes and Kasper Schmeichel, who were both signed on loan at Falkirk, and Paddy Cregg and Stephen O'Donnell, were all sourced from England.

It is a market which Butcher was able to shop in successfully. Hughes is confident that he has proven capable of finding bargains down south too. "There's a similarity [between myself and Butcher]," said the Inverness manager. "Look at the success I've had with bringing English players up to Scotland and also the likes of Anthony Stokes as a young lad from Arsenal; at Hibs, the likes of [Paddy] Cregg, [Stephen] O'Donnell and all the Irish boys.

"We've had [Tim] Krul, Schmeichel. There's an eye for it, certainly. But you only do it successfully if you do your work properly. You have to be sure to bring in the right kind of player and character."

There will also be an emphasis on bringing through local talent, something which Butcher was accused by some supporters of neglecting despite his success in nurturing the likes of Nick Ross, Graeme Shinnie and, more recently, Liam Polworth. "In the interview process, I told them that's what I've done - give local boys a chance and brought them through the system," said Hughes. "There's nothing better for home supporters than to see their own."

Hughes has been appointed ahead of Kenny Shiels, the former Kilmarnock manager, and Paul Hartley, the impressive Alloa Athletic manager, who were both known to have been interviewed. Hughes had seemed like an unlikely candidate but Kenny Cameronthe chairman, is certain the club has the right man in charge.

"John is the perfect fit for us at this time," said the Inverness manager. "It might have been different a year, five years or 10 years ago, but he is the man we need now."