Given that we're now 10 points behind an ever improving Dundee team it seems very unlikely to me that we are going to buck recent trends and bounce straight back into the SPL. Nor are we likely to be at serious risk of relegation.

That being the case, is now not the time to be looking to the future and introducing the likes of Liam Polwarth and Nick Ross to the first team ?

In a nutshell - yes. A lot of the teams we're playing week in, week out, have a good amount of young players.

I'd be keen for us to see out the festive games against C*unty and Dundee before writing off our (realistic) chances of pushing for the top.

If things haven't picked up by then we should definitely start looking to blood the younger lads and prepare for the inevitable exodus at the end of the season.

agree with D :P

Likewise :P

Cox 19, Odi 20, Rooney 21, Hayes and Eagle 22. Could these not be construed as youngsters?

Well yes, but they'll be away by next season (apart from perhaps Eagle).

Cox 19, Odi 20, Rooney 21, Hayes and Eagle 22. Could these not be construed as youngsters?

Maybe I should have been more specific in referring to players coming through our own youth system. I wouldn't disagree with those who are advocating waiting until after the festive fixtures before writing off any lingering hopes of promotion.

I doubt very much will Butcher try to blood those coming through the youth system as he will probably be leaving at the end of the season. I would imagine once any chance of winning the league has gone he will be more worried about boosting his own stock trying to grind out results rather than the future of the club and its youngsters.

Edited December 5, 200916 yr by stevico1

I doubt very much will Butcher try to blood those coming through the youth system as he will probably be leaving at the end of the season. I would imagine once any chance of winning the league has gone he will be more worried about boosting his own stock trying to grind out results rather than the future of the club and its youngsters.

Just about undertandable from his point of view as he's hardly going to be hot property on the managerial market come the summer.

I doubt very much will Butcher try to blood those coming through the youth system as he will probably be leaving at the end of the season. I would imagine once any chance of winning the league has gone he will be more worried about boosting his own stock trying to grind out results rather than the future of the club and its youngsters.

Just about undertandable from his point of view as he's hardly going to be hot property on the managerial market come the summer.

Exactly

Well yes, but they'll be away by next season (apart from perhaps Eagle).

Why do you think that?

Well yes, but they'll be away by next season (apart from perhaps Eagle).

Why do you think that?

Because

- they are good players who would rather not be languishing in the middle of Scotland's 2nd league

- most are out of contract at the end of the season (I think)

- other, better teams will want them

- we won't be able to afford to keep them on. Our playing budget next season is going to be slashed, let's get used to it! We gambled this season on living well beyond our means to get back up, it hasn't worked.

Cox 19, Odi 20, Rooney 21, Hayes and Eagle 22. Could these not be construed as youngsters?

Well yes, but they'll be away by next season (apart from perhaps Eagle).

Rooney's in the middle of a three-year deal so if anyone wants him they'll have to pay. It would great to see Hayes and Cox offered new deals.

In response to the OP, i don't think it would be wise to add any more young players to the first team when we're already blooding the players Alex has listed above. I'm not fussed if they're from our youth system or not, as long as we are showing signs of building a team for the future. Unfortunatley, the prevalence of short-term deals suggests we aren't.

Well yes, but they'll be away by next season (apart from perhaps Eagle).

Why do you think that?

Because

- they are good players who would rather not be languishing in the middle of Scotland's 2nd league

- most are out of contract at the end of the season (I think)

- other, better teams will want them

- we won't be able to afford to keep them on. Our playing budget next season is going to be slashed, let's get used to it! We gambled this season on living well beyond our means to get back up, it hasn't worked.

Correct

I think, give it till after the festive period if we are all but out of the title race. Change our manager and give the new 1 a couple of months to figure out what he needs to change in the squad and where needs strengthened, this gives him expierence as our manager and knows what its all about when the summer window opens. Also he can blood in young players when we basically have nothing to play for.

I think, give it till after the festive period if we are all but out of the title race. Change our manager and give the new 1 a couple of months to figure out what he needs to change in the squad and where needs strengthened, this gives him expierence as our manager and knows what its all about when the summer window opens. Also he can blood in young players when we basically have nothing to play for.

We will not be changing our manager because we simply can't afford to.

I'm hopeful that by the 2nd of January our league ambitions won't have been written off...

Are Dundee not due a wee run of bad luck at some point? :004:

I'd be keen for us to see out the festive games against C*unty and Dundee before writing off our (realistic) chances of pushing for the top.

If things haven't picked up by then we should definitely start looking to blood the younger lads and prepare for the inevitable exodus at the end of the season.

Inclined to agree, CaleyD.

But having read the thoughts of so many on this forum, even if the manager decided to bench some of the younger players when the team is safe and can afford to lose games to give them a run out......are they going to be trashed in the same intemperate terms as the current players are?

ICT's biggest mistake was to pull out of the SFL under 19 league.........because that would have been an ideal opportunity to bring on good under 17s who don't necessarily attract a wage.........and keep the u-19s who don't regularly figure in the first team match fit. With the best will in the world.......how can you assess how good bad or indifferent an U-19 player is going to be in a competitive game just by watching them at training?

Out of interest, has Butcher and/or Malpas ever actually watched the older youth teams in their games on Sundays to look over the possibilities for the future?

Been watching the youth teams for years now, and I can honestly say that I can only ever recall two current managers (at that time) coming to watch any youth teams. Charlie obviously came down, because of his previous involvement, and due to Ryans progress. The other, to give him his due was Craig Brewster, who watched regularly. Malky used to come down aswell sometimes, with or without Brew. Always had a positive effect on the young players too. Donald Park also came to watch regular, as would Duncan Shearer. Terry, Mo, and Rossco have recently been at youth training sessions though, so some idea of the pipeline will be known.

Well yes, but they'll be away by next season (apart from perhaps Eagle).

I'm not too sure these players will be so much in demand by SPL or whatever clubs.

Cox 19: never played for anyone before. Can't get a regular game for ICT.

Odi 20: barely played for anyone before. Can't get a regular game for ICT. Rarely scores for a striker.

Rooney 21: in a contract.

Eagle 22: : never played for anyone before. Can't get a regular game for ICT.

Hayes 22: : never played for anyone before. Can't be be on too much money. Why not tie him to a three-year contract now?

And we're still not out of it, so hold the future building.

It's time to blood some youngsters yes. But the club probably still think that we have a slim chance of claiming top spot therefore they are going to use all the best players they have at their disposal. It is dissapointing but it is the way it is. When we were pushing for survival last year the likes of Vigurs, Zander and Gillesipie were all shoved away never to be seen again so that we could use all established senior players.

Come next season we will have another very different team and probably a new manager who's philosaphy on football may be very different and may well see the development of some younger players as the forward.

Edited December 8, 200916 yr by ajsict92