News release from ICT FC

Inverness Caledonian Thistle plan to invest to help ensure the club retains its SPL status.

Chairman George Fraser said:"The major shareholders and the board are united in our determination to improve on a position where we are one of four teams level on points at the foot of the table.

"We realise we need to strengthen the squad in January and significant finance has been made available to the manager for this purpose. He knows his budget.

A network of sources will be used to help director of football Graeme Bennett to assist in the recruitment process."

Mr Fraser added:"The directors realise there is disquiet among supporters at our poor home record and league position. We share that disappointment and recognise that it needs to improve if we are to rise in the table.

"The long term future of this club is safe thanks to the emphasis which has been placed on sustainability. But we are ready to invest in the short term with the aim of ensuring SPL football for Inverness and the Highlands next season."

ends

Woah, slow down guys, we have been screaming for contact from the club and given that the email campaign was only started up little over a week ago this statement has been released a lot quicker than I, for one, expected. It also goes further than I expected in "we" the fans are mentioned, we complained about getting copied and pasted replies to our mails but I think this statement from the club shows they are taking our concerns seriously. Let's hope that they are still considering the removal of CB. let's also hope that the extra money is used to tempt Cowie and Black to stay.

This is a typical response i would expect from our board . One thing i can assure them is there is absolutely no way i will be renewing my season ticket next season if Brewster is still our manager. This is no idle threat and i can assure the board i am one of many who will take the same action.Season ticket sales this year already took a substantial drop and once you lose these loyal fans it is rare to get them back.

One glimmer of hope in the statement for me was the fact that the word manager was used instead of Brewster ....... "We realise we need to strengthen the squad in January and significant finance has been made available to the manager for this purpose."

But my hopes deflated equally quickly at the next line ...... "He knows his budget" ..... which seems to suggest there is still confidence in Brewster and he will be allowed to continue.

I am sorry, but I cannot for the life of me figure out just where this confidence is coming from or what warrants it. We are at the lowest position we have occupied in the SPL since arriving in it, our once famous "spirit" seems to have evaporated (fans and players alike), and the current incumbent has the worst record a manager of ICT has ever had since the team's inception.

I applaud the board for beginning to see the problem, but fear throwing money at it will not make it any better. Perhaps the directors see the current situation differently ? If they can call the current fan feeling "disquiet", then maybe the current managerial malaise is - in their eyes - merely a "blip"

I read the news release the same as Birdog. It mentions Graham Bennett by name but only refers to the "manager" as having money to spend. Deliberately vague or clumsy?

I think there is a good chance that it is deliberately vague. If we lose at Motherwell the board must look again at the Brewster situation, and they must already know that.

Deliberately vague or clumsy?

I'd describe it as inept...

People were saying that if we lost to Aberdeen then "surely the board would have to act".

Well, they have acted, they're throwing good money after bad. Had Brewster been getting the best from the current squad (or anything near it) and things weren't great, then you could argue that spending a little might solve the issue, but until such time as we have someone who's got the team back working as well as we know they can then we really don't know for certain where money would be best spent.

I read the news release the same as Birdog. It mentions Graham Bennett by name but only refers to the "manager" as having money to spend. Deliberately vague or clumsy?

I think there is a good chance that it is deliberately vague. If we lose at Motherwell the board must look again at the Brewster situation, and they must already know that.

That worries me as much as anything, so a win at Motherwell and all is rosy. He should have gone a long time ago and even outwith that he should have definetly gone today. Take away they are been vague or clumsy the fact of the matter is Brew is still manager and that is just wrong

Winning anywhere is not easy so perhaps Motherwell might just put up a fight.

That worries me as much as anything, so a win at Motherwell and all is rosy. He should have gone a long time ago and even outwith that he should have definetly gone today. Take away they are been vague or clumsy the fact of the matter is Brew is still manager and that is just wrong

They won't win at Motherwell if Brewster's still in charge - no danger - I reckon the players are as p1ssed off with him as we are. I also suspect they would welcome Robbo back with open arms.

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That worries me as much as anything, so a win at Motherwell and all is rosy. He should have gone a long time ago and even outwith that he should have definetly gone today. Take away they are been vague or clumsy the fact of the matter is Brew is still manager and that is just wrong

I agree absolutely, Steve - the board have been very weak and still seem to be stalling. But I do think they must now be seriously contemplating the reality of getting rid, when they were talking about a contract extension a month ago.

FWIW, I fully expect us to lose against Motherwell. The performances against St Mirren and Aberdeen were truly abject - looked like a team that no longer believes it can win. Motherwell probably have a better squad player for player and they were pretty unlucky not to get anything against Kilmarnock last week, although I haven't watched the Hamilton highlights yet.

Edited December 22, 200817 yr by alternative maryhill

For the love of goodness, call this PR? The only PR this constitutes is Per Rectum! (Medical joke, sorry)

As has been said, this tells the world that we can splash some cash in January, so asking prices will go up (as will wage demands).

Brewster's dealings in his second spell have produced three guys who have done okay - Esson, Imrie and Rooney - one decent squad player - Proctor (though not showing it just now) - plus McGuire, Djebi-Zadi and Barrowman(the less said about them the better). Out in the same period have gone Morgan, Rankin, Bayne, McCaffrey, Hart, Wyness, McDonald, Niculae, Paatelainen and now Wilson. While some of those guys had to go (and some departures were out of his hands) we have a weaker squad than this time last year by a distance. No other business in the world trusts further investment in someone who has invested so badly in the past. It's common sense.

Besides, the universe and his dog can see the players are not playing for Brew, and whatever the investment, it can't buy him an entire new first team (apart from Proctor who will get a game anyway).

Edited December 22, 200817 yr by hislopsoffsideagain

we will lose on saturday, and probably heavily again. lets see what the clowns make of that

Been thinking about this and the Old Firm ticket sale starts now as well, maybe this is intended to get more people buying those.

Well done to the Board for this press release. I don't see how people can complain about them publicly acknowledging the problems and the discontent of fans. Or about making funds available for transfers. Both of these things are GOOD NEWS.

The most interesting thing about the release though is what it doesn't say. You know, the bit about "we have every confidence that Craig Brewster has the abilities to lead the team back up the table....."

I can't share the 'optimism' in not mentioning the manager by name if it says 'he knows his budget'. It can only be Brewster. They're standing by their man. Normally, I'd applaud something like that in other walks of life but not when they are merely custodians of the club. It's not theirs to mess up.

It's down to the wire this season and no hope thereafter. It's all gone horribly wrong at the hands of a manager nobody wanted back. The board must take full responsibility for their ineptness.

I can't share the 'optimism' in not mentioning the manager by name if it says 'he knows his budget'. It can only be Brewster. They're standing by their man. Normally, I'd applaud something like that in other walks of life but not when they are merely custodians of the club. It's not theirs to mess up.

It's down to the wire this season and no hope thereafter. It's all gone horribly wrong at the hands of a manager nobody wanted back. The board must take full responsibility for their ineptness.

Starchief, I totally agree, when I was told there was a meeting today with Brew I could only see one outcome, I should have known better. The didnt mention him by name but he is still the manager and if they diidnt get rid of him today I cant see them getting rid of him in a weeks time

Well done to the Board for this press release. I don't see how people can complain about them publicly acknowledging the problems and the discontent of fans. Or about making funds available for transfers. Both of these things are GOOD NEWS.

Totally agree with you there Yngwie ... the only problem is that they are giving the money to the wrong man and that is the scary bit.

Money can buy many things (as we have seen with Livi and Gretna) but money cant buy confidence nor can it buy respect if its already lost !!!

think we can safely say the statement, in most areas has gone down like a

(lead balloon)

I can't share the 'optimism' in not mentioning the manager by name if it says 'he knows his budget'. It can only be Brewster. They're standing by their man. Normally, I'd applaud something like that in other walks of life but not when they are merely custodians of the club. It's not theirs to mess up.

It's down to the wire this season and no hope thereafter. It's all gone horribly wrong at the hands of a manager nobody wanted back. The board must take full responsibility for their ineptness.

Unfortunately that's how I read it too.... It can only be Brewster...

I can't share the 'optimism' in not mentioning the manager by name if it says 'he knows his budget'. It can only be Brewster. They're standing by their man. Normally, I'd applaud something like that in other walks of life but not when they are merely custodians of the club. It's not theirs to mess up.

It's down to the wire this season and no hope thereafter. It's all gone horribly wrong at the hands of a manager nobody wanted back. The board must take full responsibility for their ineptness.

Unfortunately that's how I read it too.... It can only be Brewster...

No question it is Brewster, the key is in "he knows his budget"

News release from ICT FC

"We realise we need to strengthen the squad in January and significant finance has been made available to the manager for this purpose. He knows his budget.

A network of sources will be used to help director of football Graeme Bennett to assist in the recruitment process."

1. Directors are also managers.
   
2. Grassa has previously taken charge "between managers"?
   
3. He couldn't do any worse, could he?
   
4. I'm getting desperate.
   
5. Robbie Williamson is available. :thumb04:
   

Bennett would do worse, he is totally out of his depth in the SPL.

Bennett would do worse, he is totally out of his depth in the SPL.

So instead of being bottom, we'd be.....bottom?

i like many others got my hopes up for the wrong reasons due to the title of this topic. I think it is good that they have made a statement amongst all this uncertainty and what not but i am surprised that they are going to give this clown, and that's putting it politely, more money to strengthen the squad. If the current pool of players have lost all faith in his abilities, or lack of them, so what makes the board that if we were to bring in a few faces that CB believes will strengthen us going to do?

WHEN we lose to motherwell on saturday then surely that will spell the end of the road for CB. If not then i for one shall not be attending any games untill this circus has ended.

The board dont want to pay compensation to pay off brewster so they are going to leave it and leave it before it is to late and then they will lose alot more money. I would say that we will lose to motherwell then the board will HAVE TO ACT. I will say that brewster will be gone by this time next week.

BREWSTER GTF!!!!

Edited December 22, 200817 yr by andrewt

Sorry Andrew, just don't see it. In fact, I could see Brew staying even with relegation.

The board dont want to pay compensation to pay off brewster so they are going to leave it and leave it before it is to late and then they will lose alot more money. I would say that we will lose to motherwell then the board will HAVE TO ACT. I will say that brewster will be gone by this time next week.

BREWSTER GTF!!!!

Even if he does go next week they are leaving it to late, it is almost Jan and a new manager should be in place identifying his transfer targets and trying to keep the likes of Cowie and Black.