Inverness took right action on Dani Lopez - John Hughes

John Hughes expects to sign a new contract with Inverness Caledonian Thistle soon

Inverness CT manager John Hughes insists the punishment given to striker Dani Lopez for allegedly spitting on an opposing player is "sufficient enough".

Lopez, 30, was fined and suspended by the club after an incident in an under-20s match against St Johnstone, which resulted in the striker being sent off.

"Dani's been fined two weeks and suspended," Hughes told BBC Scotland.

"We showed the whole of Scottish football we can police ourselves. We don't condone that kind of behaviour."

The Spaniard signed for Inverness CT in the summer and has scored once in nine senior appearances for the club.

"I'm at the stage that maybe the action we took is sufficient enough," Hughes said.

Lopez is currently suspended by Inverness

"It's possibly out of character from Dani Lopez. Sometimes there has to be a support mechanism for him also.

"There has been an investigation and what we're hearing is it was retaliation. There's no place for spitting. The decision will be made in the next few days and it'll be the chairman's decision [on any possible further action]."

Premiership game abroad?

Hughes, who revealed his contract negotiations are progressing and expects a deal to be in place by next week, also backed the idea of a Scottish Premiership game being played in the United States.

Caley Thistle play Celtic on Sunday, with the Glasgow club planning a proposal that could see them face Dundee in the United States next season, if agreement with the football authorities can be reached.

"I'd love Inverness to be doing that," enthused Hughes. "As a brand, as Scottish football we need to be doing right."

"We're quite set in our ways. I'm all for summer football. I'm all for playing more games earlier on when the weather's good. It's a spectator sport and we need to start looking after our spectators.

"It's a brand. We need to be showing the rest of European football that we're not too bad and we have to be making the right decisions. If we can spread that brand and get it into America, absolutely fantastic."