Who....in your opinion, would you say, is ICT's key player? I would have to say, for me, its Richie Foran. He gives the team that extra bit of dig and creativity,Like players of old and i love the way he is fired up for the cause.

Agreed, when ICT don't have him in the team, they ain't half as good. It'll interesting to see how many folk go for Rooney, while he scores a lot of goals, without Hayes and Foran round him, he never seems quite as good.

I also agree with OP. He can attack, he can defend, he can play anywhere on the park for us, and he is a true leader.

tough one Graham...I would say Foran with Hayes a close 2nd

I would also go on to say, it would be possible to replace players such as Rooney or Hayes or Esson etc, but to replace a player like Foran would be very difficult indeed. He's the kind of player every team needs, and the sort a good team always has.

Its pretty difficult to say that one individual is always going to be the key player in a team sport ..... Every single player that takes the field is important to ICT and the 'key' player may change from game to game based on formation, tactics and other factors.

If Esson is having a bad day then we ship goals, same for Rossco and Granty. If Duncan, Cox or Duff are playing badly then we lose that defensive midfield quality that can not only start moves but break up opposition ones, and if Jonny or Eric are out of sorts then we lose some creativity in getting the ball to Rooney who could also be classed as a key player given that he is often the lone striker.

Having said all that, I think I would have to agree on Foran's importance to the team. He is the glue that holds all the parts together and we certainly missed him when he was unavailable.

Tuffey

Duncan, he has proved in the first and the spl when he is started we win a lot more games, foran a close 2nd a very good driving force who always tracks back and works very hard to get up the park and attack

Butcher, n mo a close second, if its current squad players i'd honestly say (this is my own opinion now) Ryan and Grant thus far.

Foran closely followed by Esson imo

Up till now I would have said Russeldinho, he's been with us for 8 years and we are worse off when he's injured or more likely suspended

I'm leaning towards Richie Foran nowadays, you always get 100% from him.

it nice to see a such a positive thread with so many names. In terms of consistantly our best player - foran. Our key player for me has to be esson though. I like to think Nick Ross is a future key player too.

Esson

Hayes, when he's on form and in the mood....

Ask me again at the end of the season!!!

Richie Foran, Russell Duncan and Johnny Hayes and Adam Rooney. As someone mentioned before when Russell is out of the team we simply don't perform as well and the same thing can be said about Foran. He alone gives me confidence to think we're going to win.

Johnny Hayes is an excellent winger and i don't think we have ANYONE close to what he is capable of so if he is out then thats a big loss.

If Adam Rooney is out then we only really have Shane Sutherland as a replacement and that worries me a little. I'm not knocking the guy but at this moment i just don't have any confidence in him leading the attack.

Rooney for me. Everyone else has a genuine replacement. Plus he's the key to our game. Scores the goals or holds it up for one of the three to attack.

Note: he's not our best player but, to me, he's the key.

How do you define a 'key' player? The key stone in an arch is the one stone that holds the rest together and if it was removed the arch would collapse. The keeper has the field of vision, if he's a good communicator, to be the key. He sees more and can advise others. For me Grant is the key to our defence, Russell to our midfield and Richie to our attack. We've managed to hold it all together without Richie (DU) and we've fell apart with him in the past.

Everyone is key to the team but for hard work, enthusiasm and leadership on the field, and knowing I should pick someone, I also go for Richie F.

Playing with the current formation it's not Foran it's Rooney

Russell Duncan....When we score he's like the first to congratualet them but when we concede he's like the first to pick them up again!

Richie Foran and Ryan Esson undoubtably

Richie Foran undoubtedly. But so many others in team are invaluable also.

Are we not mixing up 'best' with 'key' with Foran? If Richie is injured, who replaces him? A few people. Who replaces Rooney? We don't really have one that's tried and tested. Rooney is the attacking point of the team. Scores the goals and holds up the play.

We have a blunt edge without our only recognised attacker. Foran's the better player but his position isn't key.

I don't think we have a key player. We are a team - that's the key to success.

This is a tough one but I would say Rooney,

Against Aberdeen every one fitted in to their position exceptionally well.

If you took one of the team out of that formula, another player could slot in and get one or two players to swap positions if applicable to maintain the strength as a unit providing we had most of our squad available. If Rooney was out then I feel the formation would have to change too.

Its a difficult question though as all the players compliment each other and can make good teams look bad and one player alone cant take the credit for that.