linky

Inverness manager Terry Butcher believes his side's focus should be on league points following the 6-0 defeat by Celtic in the Co-op Cup.

"It was a difficult night for us, and it was disappointing. But Saturday against St Mirren is more important to us than this ever was," said Butcher.

"It was a case of trying to protect players for Saturday and be able to go to there with a fresh squad.

"People ask me if I regret leaving players out, but I don't."

Georgios Samaras netted a hat-trick in the rout at Celtic Park, adding to goals from Gary Hooper and a double from Anthony Stokes.

Butcher's side rarely threatened the hosts, although Ki Sung-Yueng had to block a goal-bound shot from Nick Ross almost immediately after kick-off when Shane Sutherland split the Celtic defence in two.

"I thought we looked good going forward - Nick Ross in particular," said Butcher. "He's only 18, but what a wonderful player he's going to be.

"You want to take him out of the side because sooner or later he's going to burn himself out, but he keeps going, and he's a great example to everyone."

While its annoying, frustrating, embarassing and so on to get beat by such a margin i can see Butchers logic. He has clearly identified the league as priority for us this season and i completely agree. We simply cannot afford to be relegated again and while the result was so frustrating i sincerely hope it aids our league campaign.

I am the first to admit that i was nearly tearing my hair out reading live commentary of the game and was so frustrated after the game but now that i have had a chance to reflect ive come to the conclusion that if it helps us get points in the league, then fielding a weaker team was a necessary evil.

i still stand by my comment in the matchday thread that we seriously need to look at strentghening our backline

Edited September 22, 201015 yr by Libero

I was at the game and as soon as the teams were announced it was clear what Butcher was trying to achieve. He's right too, Saturday is the much bigger game. Tonight was embarrassing and is a sore one but its over now and we're out a competition we probably wouldn't win anyway. No lasting damage done and hopefully the young guys who played tonight realise that, can't have been a fun experience for them.

Having said that, it was effectively our first choice defence tonight and they did not look clever at any point. It's becoming clear we need new bodies in there, it just doesn't seem to be working. Celtic played well but we made it easy with huge holes appearing constantly as all 3 of our starting centre backs were hauled all over the place. Maybe a sweeper is what is needed in there, someone with a bit of pace and reading of the game to coordinate whats going on with the ball winners. Who have we got who can play that role though?? Only one I can think of who might suit it is Duncan, at a push.

I was at the game and as soon as the teams were announced it was clear what Butcher was trying to achieve. He's right too, Saturday is the much bigger game. Tonight was embarrassing and is a sore one but its over now and we're out a competition we probably wouldn't win anyway. No lasting damage done and hopefully the young guys who played tonight realise that, can't have been a fun experience for them.

Having said that, it was effectively our first choice defence tonight and they did not look clever at any point. It's becoming clear we need new bodies in there, it just doesn't seem to be working. Celtic played well but we made it easy with huge holes appearing constantly as all 3 of our starting centre backs were hauled all over the place. Maybe a sweeper is what is needed in there, someone with a bit of pace and reading of the game to coordinate whats going on with the ball winners. Who have we got who can play that role though?? Only one I can think of who might suit it is Duncan, at a push.

Yeah, lose his job.

What a crock of sh1t! (the calls for TB's head). It is one bad result, a sore one to be sure, but at the end of the day one bad result against a team that routinely comes 1st or 2nd in the whole country and wins more cups than all the other teams put together (with the exception of Rangers).

If anyone needs reminding, Pele, Robbo and CC all had bad results from time to time and the other - not so well-liked - managers CB & SB had more than their fair share of them too !

Butcher has one of the best records of any of our managers and has brought some cracking players to the club in his short spell here so far. He is struggling with injuries to key players right now and cannot simply go out and get new ones so obviously made a decision to field a somewhat weakened/makeshift team tonight because he is no doubt keenly aware that this weekend is also very important and he cannot afford more injuries .....

If we lost 6-0 to Elgin in a cup game you may have a point. Losing 6-0 to Celtic with a team of subs and kids ain't great but isn't the end of the world. Butcher is being honest and realistic enough to say that Saturday is the real focus, and he is right to do so.

Surely you understand that a win on Saturday is 100 times more important than any result tonight?! Or would you rather have won a meaningless game tonight and lose against St Mirren?!

It's all about the bigger picture of staying in the SPL, you really need to get some perspective on this!

If we lost 6-0 to Elgin in a cup game you may have a point. Losing 6-0 to Celtic with a team of subs and kids ain't great but isn't the end of the world. Butcher is being honest and realistic enough to say that Saturday is the real focus, and he is right to do so.

Surely you understand that a win on Saturday is 100 times more important than any result tonight?! Or would you rather have won a meaningless game tonight and lose against St Mirren?!

It's all about the bigger picture of staying in the SPL, you really need to get some perspective on this!

Yeah but a hammering, it is disgraceful and his team shape was AMATEURISH. If i am being honest, i wanted a result tonight and St Mirren, no matter who played. If we lose or draw on Sat then expect more from me on wanting him (Butcher) out. As i already said somewhere (facebook, i think), Brewster got sacked for 1 win out of 7, Butcher has 1 win in 4 which means that our board would be saying Tel has 3 games to save his job, i say he has 1 to save his job because a loss to Saints and results going against us would put us BOTTOM.

Good job it's not you making the decisions is all I can say!

As for team shape, I thought the change to 3 centre backs and tryin to use wingbacks was a good idea given the inexperienced team we put out. Like I said above though, the defence as a unit, Tuffey excepted, didn't perform tonight and that is more a personnel issue than shape.

Maybe you need to realise this is ICT and not Man Utd and we won't win every game and decisions need to be made to realise priorities. Thats what Butcher is paid for after all and if we get a result on Saturday he'll have been proved right.

Good job it's not you making the decisions is all I can say!

As for team shape, I thought the change to 3 centre backs and tryin to use wingbacks was a good idea given the inexperienced team we put out. Like I said above though, the defence as a unit, Tuffey excepted, didn't perform tonight and that is more a personnel issue than shape.

Maybe you need to realise this is ICT and not Man Utd and we won't win every game and decisions need to be made to realise priorities. Thats what Butcher is paid for after all and if we get a result on Saturday he'll have been proved right.

If i was George Fraser then i would have told Butcher on the bus that he was sacked or had to resign. I am hard on him, i know, but i feel that i am justified in my rants, as i said in the other thread, i don't really care what others think, but it is a forum so i can write my opinion, nobody will stop me from doing that even though Scott calling me an a***hole made me consider leaving this forum, i mean, why is a Mod name calling :irritated: .

i don't really care what others think, but it is a forum so i can write my opinion, nobody will stop me from doing that even though Scott calling me an a***hole made me consider leaving this forum, i mean, why is a Mod name calling :irritated: .

I did not call you an a**hole, please go back and read the words I typed .... I said that it was MY opinion that what you posted was a crock of sh1t ! Please do not misquote me. Also, can you please consider why you feel you can write your opinion with no-one stopping you from doing it (which we have not), yet you do not feel it is appropriate for the the moderators, admin, or the founder of the site to do likewise ? We are fellow posters not some "staff" of yours !

I understand you are upset, angry and pissed off that we lost heavily tonight but at the end of the day lets not make this what it is not. You have expressed your opinion and I have not slagged you off, just your opinion ... It may have been a hearty disagreement of your opinion but then again, your opinion was quite strong in and of itself !!!

i don't really care what others think, but it is a forum so i can write my opinion, nobody will stop me from doing that even though Scott calling me an a***hole made me consider leaving this forum, i mean, why is a Mod name calling :irritated: .

I did not call you an a**hole, please go back and read the words I typed .... I said that it was MY opinion that what you posted was a crock of sh1t ! Please do not misquote me. Also, can you please consider why you feel you can write your opinion with no-one stopping you from doing it (which we have not), yet you do not feel it is appropriate for the the moderators, admin, or the founder of the site to do likewise ? We are fellow posters not some "staff" of yours !

I understand you are upset, angry and pissed off that we lost heavily tonight but at the end of the day lets not make this what it is not. You have expressed your opinion and I have not slagged you off, just your opinion ... It may have been a hearty disagreement of your opinion but then again, your opinion was quite strong in and of itself !!!

Well why write the words, i quote, "crock of *****" when a simple, i disagree was more appropriate. Yeah, i am still pissed off and will be until at least the weekend until Mon, when i have a forfeit bet consequence to do :(.

You said that no-one is stopping me from having an opinion, well look at the thread titled "BUTCHER MUST GO" and look at post 16 from Red Card in Warsaw, looks like a name-call to me so unless its dealt with I WILL leave this site

Edited September 23, 201015 yr by Mahonio

i don't really care what others think, but it is a forum so i can write my opinion, nobody will stop me from doing that even though Scott calling me an a***hole made me consider leaving this forum, i mean, why is a Mod name calling :irritated: .

I did not call you an a**hole, please go back and read the words I typed .... I said that it was MY opinion that what you posted was a crock of sh1t ! Please do not misquote me. Also, can you please consider why you feel you can write your opinion with no-one stopping you from doing it (which we have not), yet you do not feel it is appropriate for the the moderators, admin, or the founder of the site to do likewise ? We are fellow posters not some "staff" of yours !

I understand you are upset, angry and pissed off that we lost heavily tonight but at the end of the day lets not make this what it is not. You have expressed your opinion and I have not slagged you off, just your opinion ... It may have been a hearty disagreement of your opinion but then again, your opinion was quite strong in and of itself !!!

Well why write the words, i quote, "crock of *****" when a simple, i disagree was more appropriate. Yeah, i am still pissed off and will be until at least the weekend until Mon, when i have a forfeit bet consequence to do :(.

So does that mean Terry should get to keep his job on Monday once you have calmed down. I along with others think you are way off the mark. Terry Butcher has been and still is a great manager and as someone mentioned elsewhere, it's down to him that we have the strength of squad we have. The players have tremendous respect for him. Tonight was a tactical gamble which didn't pay off, but it was only the CIS cup. A cup run is great if it happens, but the league must come first. I was at the game tonight and yes I'm disappointed, but we had a young team out tonight and they did okay. Tuffy may have let in 6, but he made some great saves too.

I'll keep on supporting the team and Terry Butcher for the time being if that's okay with you.

i don't really care what others think, but it is a forum so i can write my opinion, nobody will stop me from doing that even though Scott calling me an a***hole made me consider leaving this forum, i mean, why is a Mod name calling :irritated: .

I did not call you an a**hole, please go back and read the words I typed .... I said that it was MY opinion that what you posted was a crock of sh1t ! Please do not misquote me. Also, can you please consider why you feel you can write your opinion with no-one stopping you from doing it (which we have not), yet you do not feel it is appropriate for the the moderators, admin, or the founder of the site to do likewise ? We are fellow posters not some "staff" of yours !

I understand you are upset, angry and pissed off that we lost heavily tonight but at the end of the day lets not make this what it is not. You have expressed your opinion and I have not slagged you off, just your opinion ... It may have been a hearty disagreement of your opinion but then again, your opinion was quite strong in and of itself !!!

Well why write the words, i quote, "crock of *****" when a simple, i disagree was more appropriate. Yeah, i am still pissed off and will be until at least the weekend until Mon, when i have a forfeit bet consequence to do :(.

So does that mean Terry should get to keep his job on Monday once you have calmed down. I along with others think you are way off the mark. Terry Butcher has been and still is a great manager and as someone mentioned elsewhere, it's down to him that we have the strength of squad we have. The players have tremendous respect for him. Tonight was a tactical gamble which didn't pay off, but it was only the CIS cup. A cup run is great if it happens, but the league must come first. I was at the game tonight and yes I'm disappointed, but we had a young team out tonight and they did okay. Tuffy may have let in 6, but he made some great saves too.

I'll keep on supporting the team and Terry Butcher for the time being if that's okay with you.

Do what you like. To answer your 1st question, NO because as i said on the other thread i started, no-one or nothing is going to change my mind. Also, why gamble against Celtic, it was a stupid decision. I would have gone 5-4-1 with Proctor and Tuffey DROPPED for Esson and Duff. I didn't mind seeing Shinnie and Sutherland on but again regarding Shane, he was playing alongside Ross who isn't a Striker. Finally, yes, the co-op cup isn't a priority but a hammering is poor.

Edited September 23, 201015 yr by Mahonio

Celtic 6 Inverness Caledonian Thistle Reserves 0....there, sounds better now doesn't it?

?75,000 better off! St Mirren fans ecstatic. 45 minutes for Foran. Look on the bright side - Hamilton were humped last year and learned an enormous amount from it. Motherwell eventually started to get results last year. We were heading to the Second Division at this stage last year. 6-0 may go down as a great result because it will wake every player up.

so unless its dealt with I WILL leave this site

*cringe*

You said that no-one is stopping me from having an opinion, well look at the thread titled "BUTCHER MUST GO" and look at post 16 from Red Card in Warsaw, looks like a name-call to me so unless its dealt with I WILL leave this site

on you go mate.. could do without reading this 5hite

I agree with Harry, now off you pop...

It was pretty ovi right from the start that Butcher wasn't too bothered about this cup. Losing 6-0 has to be bad for the team spirits but the boys will just have to try and swallow this one and totally focus on saturday!

It was pretty ovi right from the start that Butcher wasn't too bothered about this cup. Losing 6-0 has to be bad for the team spirits but the boys will just have to try and swallow this one and totally focus on saturday!

they are all grown ups and im almost 100% sure that the lads on the team sheet knew aswell that it was just 11 guys in caley tops, they are not daft, im sure also that at half time and full time the dressing room doors were still on hindges....

Yeah but a hammering, it is disgraceful and his team shape was AMATEURISH. If i am being honest, i wanted a result tonight and St Mirren, no matter who played. If we lose or draw on Sat then expect more from me on wanting him (Butcher) out. As i already said somewhere (facebook, i think), Brewster got sacked for 1 win out of 7, Butcher has 1 win in 4 which means that our board would be saying Tel has 3 games to save his job, i say he has 1 to save his job because a loss to Saints and results going against us would put us BOTTOM.

Yes, but Brewster got sacked for 1 win out of 7 in the middle/end of January when we were bottom of the league. Butcher has 1 win in 4, having only just taken us back into the SPL and we have a few players who have not experienced SPL football. Our priority has to be the league this year and yes, getting humped 6-0 wasn't what we wanted, but it was a cup game, we have a lot of injuries to key players and Butcher probably didn't want any more. However, Cox could now be a doubt for the St Mirren game after receiving a heavy challenge and that is the proof of Butcher's logic right there.

I would agree with Butcher's priorities. I would take survival over winning the league cup any day.

Losing 6-0 is extremely poor but it was the cup, had it been the league i would have been a tad worried.

We fielded our 2nd string team and Celtic fielded their strongest team so it made each teams point last night.

Brewster got sacked because we had disgraceful games and we were suck at the bottom!

As peepz are saying Tel wan us the first division! We have also just been promoted to the spl so it hasn't been too easy as we're still getting used to it!

When falkirk got promoted they were stuck at the bottom of the spl for quiet a while but look at us we are in a respective place.

Why do folk keep saying it was our reserves/2nd team? 7 or 8 of last nights side are likely to start on Saturday

True, but if Butcher was able to pick his strongest team, only Munro, Tokely, Cox and Hayes would be in it.

I only see five of the starting eleven that should start on Saturday.

Part of that is due to injuries of course. This should be the first 'eleven' in my opinion if they were all fit etc.

Esson

McCann

Tokely

Munro

Gillet

Duff

Duncan

Hayes

Odhiambo

Foran

Rooney

I'll rephrase it, only four starters last night, the reast were squad players.

I've not been on since before the Hearts game purely because I was so angry with that display that I decided I would keep my thoughts to myself and not upset anyone but thought now was as good a time as any to post.

I wasn't surprised with last nights result and had already resigned myself to the fact that we were going to get beat, and by a potential cricket score, not because I thought we would be bad but because Celtic would be out to prove a point on the back of Rangers thumping 7-2 win against Dunfermline. They were clearly out to prove a point and the players they brought in were stacking their place for a regular first team slot. Lennon was out at 3 and 4 nil pushing his players up baying for more goals for gods sake.

I 100% agree with TB's reasons and logic behind the team he played last night but the only thing I didn't agree with was the formation, having been very poor defensively since the start of the season it seemed foolish to change to a rigid 3 at the back but on the other hand I don't think we need to worry about seeing that again this season, lessons will have been learned.

For me we need to start protecting the back line and drop the AMC that we play, more often than not Odhiambo, and replace it with a DM who can then sit in front of the defence and protect them as well as starting the play. If it is good enough for Rangers its' good enough for us. We are also struggling to pick up the ball in the middle and our two midfielder's aren't getting in the game, with this hopefully they would and can push up a bit without fear of exposing the defence.

Before the start of the season there were people on here calling for a top 6 finish after the glories of last season and I kept quiet not wanting to steal people's thunder but now I would hope we all agree that survival is the only priority and that trumps any cup run we potentially could go on. Yes it's good when it lasts but long term has no real benefits for a club like ICT apart from the money it brings in and while this is good it doesn't really do anything for the team on the park when there is only one opportunity to bring players in (January window) which could already be too late if we don't start properly and we all saw two seasons ago how difficult it was try to recover in January from a terrible start.

Last season we didn't start well but look what happened - Mahonio all I am going to say is have some faith and see what has happened when we are in November/December. There is nothing wrong with wanting us to win every game, which ultimately everyone on here wants, but we have to be realistic and look at the bigger picture.