The action has been breathtaking. Now it's time for talking. Inverness Caledonian Thistle have just come through a period in which the side played five games in 15 days, including the dramatic victory over Rangers.

Now head coach Charlie Christie has to concentrate on off-field concerns. He will next week speak to every player out of contract at the Caledonian Stadium this summer in an effort to persuade them to sign deals.

A number of players, including Craig Dargo, Darren Dods, Mark Brown and Barry Wilson will become free agents at the end of the season and could leave for nothing. He said: "I will speak to every player who is out of contract by the middle of next week and then it will be in the hands of the players themselves and their agents to decide if they want to accept the offers made to them."

Christie said discussions with goalkeeper Brown remain positive, despite John Hughes, the Falkirk manager, making no secret of his desire to sign the 25-year-old.

Brown turned down Caley Thistle's first proposal, but Christie remains optimistic that the Scotland B internationalist will sign what he deems a "realistically-enhanced offer".

He said: "There has never been an impasse in negotiations and the good thing is that the board have come back with a realistically-enhanced offer in an attempt to keep him here."

Christie could also discover next week if two players on the fringes of his first team want to go out on loan.

Stuart Golabek has already rejected an opportunity to go to Livingston, while Liam Keogh is thought to be a target for Peterhead.

He said: "I am continuing to talk with those who are not playing regular football and one or two clubs have shown an interest in some of them. But the likes of Golabek and Keogh have asked to wait a week or so before deciding what they want to do."

With Dargo linked with Falkirk and with Dods and Wilson said to be targets for Dundee United, Christie is aware that rivals are circling his players.

Craig Brewster, a former Caley Thistle manager, believes Inverness are paying the price for their success.

The Aberdeen striker was player-manager at Inverness from November 2004 until January 2006, when he left to take over at Dundee United.

Brewster, who may face Caley Thistle as a player at Pittodrie today, said: "Caley have done so well in the Premierleague that when players are out of contract then other teams are always going to be attracted to them, which is what is happening. That's the way football works."

Brewster is on a short-term deal at Aberdeen, having committed himself to the club only until the summer.

After playing a starring role as substitute in Wednesday's Tennent's Scottish Cup draw against Hibernian - scoring and then setting up Aberdeen's late equaliser - he could line up against Inverness for only the second time since departing for Tannadice.

Brewster believes third-placed Aberdeen's strength in depth could be a telling factor.

He said: "Bigger teams can be up there challenging near the top of the table when they have a pool of players who can all make an impact and I think that is something which Aberdeen have."