In the old set up I would have posted this in the Rumours Section, so Mods, please feel free to move if I am in the wrong place.

Told today (by someone in the know) that JT has asked to go on loan (wasn't sure he could but apparently he can move to England) as he has been told by Nigel Worthington if he doesn't play he will not be selected for Northern Ireland. If true, this makes you think he was told he would be first choice before coming here.

A reduced wage bill and a boy from Drum in?

In the old set up I would have posted this in the Rumours Section, so Mods, please feel free to move if I am in the wrong place.

Told today (by someone in the know) that JT has asked to go on loan (wasn't sure he could but apparently he can move to England) as he has been told by Nigel Worthington if he doesn't play he will not be selected for Northern Ireland. If true, this makes you think he was told he would be first choice before coming here.

A reduced wage bill and a boy from Drum in?

JT was a strange signing.... maybe TB felt it would keep Esson on his toes, and out of mischief.

Not so sure about your choice of replacement all the same.

Surely Tuffy would have realised that Esson would be 1st choice. I cant imagine TB promising such a position to a a goalie untried in the SPL. An outfield player has some time to adapt to a new league but a goalie IMO has to be on the ball from the off

Strange given that Maik Taylor is NI's first choice yet he isn't a regular for his club either.

Don't think TB will let him go if its true.

Strange given that Maik Taylor is NI's first choice yet he isn't a regular for his club either.

Don't think TB will let him go if its true.

Fair point about Taylor. He does have the advantage of nearly 400 games in the top two English leagues though.

Strange given that Maik Taylor is NI's first choice yet he isn't a regular for his club either.

Don't think TB will let him go if its true.

Fair point about Taylor. He does have the advantage of nearly 400 games in the top two English leagues though.

tuffey intaylor out imo at least tuffey has a chance of playing now and again

Tuffey's strategy here only works if he gets a loan to a club where he will be first choice. So realistically his agent needs to find an English lower league club that isn't happy with its current keeper and has a chunk of its salary budget unspent.

Maybe one of the minor clubs in Scotland. Like, oh, what are they called. Ross City? Sorry, I'm not really up on, what you might call, community clubs

I honestly thought TB signed him to be our number one choice. I was ridiculed for such a suggestion. I was thinking yesterday that Michael Fraser could come back to ICT to be a back up to Esson. BUT ( and it is a big but), having JT as the second choice should keep Esson on his toes. I've heard rumours that Esson doesn't rate Tuffey so perhaps things are in a bit of flux? Could Michael Fraser prove to be more of a challenge to Esson in terms of keeping the number one jersey? I have to say that if Michael Fraser did move for financial reasons, then I understand his motives for the move to 'well.

From my understanding, Michael Fraser is an ICT fan? How about we re-sign Fraeer and have Tuffey go out on loan? I'm afraid that's not for me.

Play Tuffey on Saturday. Let's see his mettle. Hibs are one of the best attacking sides in the SPL - with or without Stokes. If Jonny Tuffey is up to it, give him the jersey.

We won't know until he's been tested. As ICT fans, we need to see each player fighting for a place. We need to see competition. We need to see our side progress.

Edited September 7, 201015 yr by Top Six Next Year

Play Tuffey on Saturday. Let's see his mettle. Hibs are one of the best attacking sides in the SPL - with or without Stokes. If Jonny Tuffey is up to it, give him the jersey.

Why? Because Tuffey wants a game? What has Esson done to deserve being dropped? He signed a new contract at the same time as Tuffey. Don't see why JT needs more games than our established number one.

It's unlikely Esson will play every game, either through illness, injury or loss of form. Tuffey gets his chance then. That's the way football works.

When we're playing SPL sides we've got to field our best keeper. Until such time as Esson lets us down, there's no chance of us trying out the back up keeper just to see what he's made of.

Esson has done nothing wrong and doesn't deserve to be dropped to give Tuffey a chance!

As it stands Tuffey is an ex-First Division, untried SPL keeper. Not belittling his achievements, but he is an International player by virtue of being from a small country with a small professional player pool. He's got great potential and undoubted ability and I have every confidence he could/will be an excellent keeper for Caley, but Esson is the man with the jersey and deserves to keep it until he does something that merits losing it.

Michael Fraser as a back up number two? No, thank you. Wasn't good enough the first time around, won't be good enough the second.

Edited September 7, 201015 yr by Bridge_Ender

Play Tuffey on Saturday. Let's see his mettle. Hibs are one of the best attacking sides in the SPL - with or without Stokes. If Jonny Tuffey is up to it, give him the jersey.

Why? Because Tuffey wants a game? What has Esson done to deserve being dropped? He signed a new contract at the same time as Tuffey. Don't see why JT needs more games than our established number one.

It's unlikely Esson will play every game, either through illness, injury or loss of form. Tuffey gets his chance then. That's the way football works.

I agree with you. I agree 100%. But there needs to be competition. There needs to be a challenge for every place in the team for every game. IMVHO i didnt think it was a great move dropping Ryan Esson for the Peterhead match. What did he do to deserve to be dropped from the starting line up?

I'm not in the position to know what goes on day in, day out in training, but if this is the signal which Jonny Tuffey is giving off then he must believe he is worthy of a start.

It's healthy for the team and it must be pleasing for the gaffer to have players of considerable quality competing with one another for a place in the team.

IMVHO i didnt think it was a great move dropping Ryan Esson for the Peterhead match. What did he do to deserve to be dropped from the starting line up?

i think its fairly safe to say that he wasn't dropped per say for this match. it was merely a case of giving Ryan a rest/giving Johnny a run out. Despite coming to ICT probably knowing he wasn't going to be first choice it must still be quite demoralising for one of the better keepers about to be warming the bench and it is important for Butcher to keep the whole squad happy.

I seem to remember Ryan played in cup games previously when Mike was first choice keeper. But for now Ryan is and quite rightly first choice keeper at ICT.

im sure JT is unhappy to be not playing but cast your mind back a few seasons....mark brown was in goal and a certain Mikey Fraser was on the bench...was it not something ridiculous like100+ games mark was on for ?

im sure i read an interview with terry somewhere that aluded to the fact that he wants players unhappy that they are not playing because that is what should be spurring them on to push and push for the place and put them in a position to be ready to step in and grasp there opportunity when it comes....the only thing that this is perhaps highlighting bearing in mind that it is still only gossip...does johnny have the right tempriment??? instead of moaning and saying i want a move i want a game maybe he needs to think

"well you know what Ryan im gonna train harder work longer and im gonna be better than you, im gonna give the boss no choice but to have to pick me"

that to me would show a lot more character and would suggest that he is more of a team player than looking to run at the first sign of a challenge

This is just a rumor that some are taking as he's being negative, as said before about brown, Mick, Ryan its just a case of him waiting his turn, im sure he understands that being a grown up.... Safe bet this is just a daft rumour.

Not that i even think theres a chance of it but bringing Mike Fraser (Motherwells 3rd!!! choice last season) would be a disaster. I'm sure the lad supports the club etc. but he isn't good enough for SPL and we owe him nothing!!

Play Tuffey on Saturday. Let's see his mettle. Hibs are one of the best attacking sides in the SPL - with or without Stokes. If Jonny Tuffey is up to it, give him the jersey.

Why? Because Tuffey wants a game? What has Esson done to deserve being dropped? He signed a new contract at the same time as Tuffey. Don't see why JT needs more games than our established number one.

It's unlikely Esson will play every game, either through illness, injury or loss of form. Tuffey gets his chance then. That's the way football works.

I agree with you. I agree 100%. But there needs to be competition. There needs to be a challenge for every place in the team for every game. IMVHO i didnt think it was a great move dropping Ryan Esson for the Peterhead match. What did he do to deserve to be dropped from the starting line up?

I'm not in the position to know what goes on day in, day out in training, but if this is the signal which Jonny Tuffey is giving off then he must believe he is worthy of a start.

It's healthy for the team and it must be pleasing for the gaffer to have players of considerable quality competing with one another for a place in the team.

Traditionally it has been practise to use the No. 2 keeper for cup games. Prior to last season he would also have played regular reserve league matches. None of us know how the contracts are worded or who said what to who but I dont think there's any doubt that Tuffey was brought in as second choice keeper. If we go the way of previous then I expect him to play against Celtic. That should be a very good indicator of his qualities. Other that that I want to see our tried and tested keeper play every league game.

Tuffey sold the game at Fleetwood. Don't piss about with the defence. Ryan can do the job tomorrow.

Im guESSON this could be a TUFFEY to predict so there is an easy solution - bring back Jimmy Calder.

In the old set up I would have posted this in the Rumours Section

Here it is.

Edited September 11, 201015 yr by PullMyFinger