Why on earth is he not getting a start. Barrowmans being played before him. What is the logic behind that. Nobody seems to want to start him. Can any one shed any light on this?

Barrowmans being played before him.

Nope, those days are past now, and in the past they must remain.

Quite simple really................Dougie and Eric are forming a really good partnership. We dont know what goes on behind the scenes so we are not in a position to pick the first start players. I let the coaches do the choosing and hope they get it right. We've a squad of 26 players All have differing abilities. All know what they have to do to get a start. And all know they are part of a team and that it's only some supporters who think different.

I was baffled why he didnt get a start today with Imrie

but since Odhiambo scored I decided to let it go

Because he's too slow, he can't control or hold the ball, he doesn't create anything when he's in posession, and to my knowledge we've never won a game where he's been in the starting 11. That's not to say he's not going to be a good player for us eventually, but I think his cult status at the moment has as much to do with his name (the neds behind the goals love chanting 'Rooney, Rooney, Rooney' ala Man U ) than anything he's done on the park. Yeah he's scored a few goals but he's not exactly kris boyd.

Like AM says, Dougie and Eric are doing the business at the moment and it'd be folly to drop them. Their movement, first touch, interplay etc is excellent. It's been a while since we looked so potent (not to mention entertaining) in attack. Hopefully the long ball era is over. Morais looked like a top class player against the plastics, surely he'll be knocking on the door when he's fit again?

I think the fact that rooney can't get a game is a positive, i.e. we have so many good striking options now. IMHO our striking pecking order at this point should be...

1) Morais

2) Imrie

3) Eric

4) Wood

5) Rooney

6) Barrowman

You can't stick Morais top of the pecking order just because he scored 2 goals against Partick thistle!

He did nothing against Hamilton

Also Rooney is definitely ahead of Wood

Wood and Barrowman are at the same level for me.

Wood has done nothing

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Rooney looks a really good prospect

Haven't seen Rooney since last August when he appeared to be acking in verve. Lackadaisical, like.

His saving grace is that he can put them in the back of the net.

I think TB should persevere with him but try to get him more excited about doing 1/2 as much work as Imrie then he could be a much more effective player. Currently he may still be a bit too limp for me.

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Wasn't that was Morais, outside a casino?

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Wasn't that was Morais, outside a casino?

I think he's possibly moved up the pecking order since Butcher arrived. Barrowman started the first game but didn't do a great deal and I suspect the injury has arrived at an opportune time for Butcher. Odihmabo looked good against Celtic when he came on and while I didn't see him last week, he certainly justified his selection yesterday. As I said on the matchday thread, it's exciting having a forward line that has pace and a bit of creativity, and hopefully his goal yesterday will give Odihmabo confidence and he can really start to gel with Imrie. Meanwhile, Rooney has been a reasonably early sub in each of the last three games - there were (or seemed to be) plenty of times under Brewster that he didn't feature at all, or not until far too late. Was a little surprised to see Wood make an appearance yesterday - I thought he was the forward most likely to drop out of the picture under Butcher - but he did a decent job chasing down the long balls we had to revert to when Utd put the pressure on near the end.

Imrie and Eric are evidently the chosen two - and even it is about their pace and harrying they will be an effective pairing - especially away from home. Rooney is raw - not as raw as Wood - and has far more potential than Barrowman. Rooney is the type of player who you take on as a sub - and gives the alternative of a target man. I suspect that Rooney is the first choice in reserve OR will it be Foran ?

They front 2 worked very against Utd as they do not like fast players giving them no time on the ball. Imrie and Odhiambo close down much quicker than Rooney does and therefore was the best choice for this game.

As for Barrowman he must not play again for caley.

caley234ey

With Mr Butcher you may get your wish. Both Imrie and Odhiambo put in twice as much effort as Barrowman, I am afraid.

If Barrowman had been quicker to put pen to paper earlier in the season there might be a little bit more empathy for his position. The real mystery is how was he able to plonk them in at County but seems to be really ...well....ineffective at ICT these days.

The stark problem facing us now is that we can only succeed with hard determined grafters not just fellas waiting for the ball to land at their feet. Mind you, maybe he needs some TLC from Butcher and then he will come on a ton like Zebi-Jadi who has been a revelation with his grit and passion. Lwt's hope so.

I don't think Rooney is doing anything wrong....far from it. However, we have a situation where TB seems to have found a couple of players who seem to be working well together at the front and doing the job he is looking for them to do. The more Rooney comes off the bench and scores/performs well, the harder it becomes for TB to leave him on the bench and the more likely he is to get his chance at the slightest sniff that Odhiambo and/or Imrie take the foot off the gas.

So long as TB manages that hunger and gives fair chance when it presents itself then it can only benefit the team. Rooney isn't the only one, there's players in just about every position who have someone on the sidelines ready to snatch their place if they slip up......a far cry from the "favourites" situation which seemed to operate with Brewster and where players who did have poor performances weren't being sidelined. I may be getting ahead of myself a little as we're yet to see a player have a poor performance since TB arrived so we don't know for certain if it's any different, but I suspect it will be.....and I suspect the players know it will be different, hence the increased work rate and fight to maintain their starting place.

Long may that continue.

There's no doubt that he is the best finisher in the team at the moment so he probably should be starting but Odhiambo and Imrie seem to have struck a good partnership up front so long may it continue.

Wasn't there a part of Rooneys deal that said we would have to pay ?75,000 instead of ?50,000 pending on a number of appearences?? Could be the board desprate to save 25k.

It seems that Butchers policy is play well and you keep your place slacken up and you are dropped. Fair enough I think. It means that Black and Duncan could face what Hastings is facing at the moment with everybody desperate to play now(Djebi-Zadi in this case). Rooney will definately get a start before the split I think and if he does well then he should be starting the next game after that. He's still a young player I think it is important to remember so he still has a lot to learn as good as he is already.

You can't stick Morais top of the pecking order just because he scored 2 goals against Partick thistle!

He did nothing against Hamilton

Also Rooney is definitely ahead of Wood

Wood and Barrowman are at the same level for me.

Wood has done nothing

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Rooney looks a really good prospect

Wood scored for the reserves this week. Rooney did not. Change in pecking order?

You can't stick Morais top of the pecking order just because he scored 2 goals against Partick thistle!

He did nothing against Hamilton

Also Rooney is definitely ahead of Wood

Wood and Barrowman are at the same level for me.

Wood has done nothing

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Rooney looks a really good prospect

barrowman has played at SPL level with killie, so i dont see how wood and him are on the same level. Wood is young and this is his first taste for SPL football, he has alot to learn and alot to give the club

My only worry is that there will not be enough end product - goals - between Imrie and Odhiambo, which after all is what you need your strikers to provide. Both are pacy, and movement is good, but you dont get three points for that unfortunately.

Yes Howdenender but you dohave to give them a chance to develop and produce.

Odi and Imrie were sensational against utd, and I know Dougie will still be kickin himself about that 2 on 1 with the keeper.

Im sure the united defence haven't encountered something like that in a long time and they looked panicky.

Rooney does deserve a chance though, he barely starts but has scored quite a few goals.

You can't stick Morais top of the pecking order just because he scored 2 goals against Partick thistle!

He did nothing against Hamilton

Also Rooney is definitely ahead of Wood

Wood and Barrowman are at the same level for me.

Wood has done nothing

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Rooney looks a really good prospect

barrowman has played at SPL level with killie, so i dont see how wood and him are on the same level. Wood is young and this is his first taste for SPL football, he has alot to learn and alot to give the club

Rooney,Wood and Barrowman have almost identicall SPL records

Wood 18 SPL appearances incl as sub with 2 goals

Barrowman 24 SPL appearances incl as sub(incl 3 as sub with killie) with 2 goals

Rooney 22 SPL appearances incl as sub with 5 goals

They are all fairly close on the stats but I see Rooney as the one that gives us more of a threat and a harder worker for the team. TB seems to be happy with Imrie and Odhiambo so far but I'm sure Rooney will be an important player in the run in.

You can't stick Morais top of the pecking order just because he scored 2 goals against Partick thistle!

He did nothing against Hamilton

Also Rooney is definitely ahead of Wood

Wood and Barrowman are at the same level for me.

Wood has done nothing

Atleast Rooney can stick them in the back of the head.

Rooney looks a really good prospect

barrowman has played at SPL level with killie, so i dont see how wood and him are on the same level. Wood is young and this is his first taste for SPL football, he has alot to learn and alot to give the club

Rooney,Wood and Barrowman have almost identicall SPL records

Wood 18 SPL appearances incl as sub with 2 goals

Barrowman 24 SPL appearances incl as sub(incl 3 as sub with killie) with 2 goals

Rooney 22 SPL appearances incl as sub with 5 goals

They are all fairly close on the stats but I see Rooney as the one that gives us more of a threat and a harder worker for the team. TB seems to be happy with Imrie and Odhiambo so far but I'm sure Rooney will be an important player in the run in.

Given that Rooney has scored more goals than the other two combined how can you say that they're " all fairly close in stats" ?