I think the one thing that could be seen by the game earlier, is just how reliant on Hayes ICT are at times, so much so maybe we sometimes take him for granted. This transfer window, ICT desperately need to sign another player in that mould. Sure, there's a few players here right now that can go there - Odhiambo, Sutherland, Foran and Ross are all good players that can go there but none of those have the wing magic that Hayes has. But who to go for? Gardyne from Ross County - Could he do it? What about a return for Morais? What about making a move (again!) for Gary McKay Stevens? Would any of those players fill the void when Hayes is out? I think Morais certainly would, but would he come back and would Butcher want him? From what I've read, Butcher has noticed this and plans to make a move for a Cox and Hayes-esque playersin January. What do you make of this?

Morais is at Oldham just now and he would never come back.

From what i have seen of Gil he will struggle to adapt and will probably be away soon, the fact that he wasn't even on the bench against Elgin, a match where he could have got some major game time tells its own story.

What we lack that we haven't in previous squads is a depth of fairly reliable players, guys like Bayne, McCaffrey, Hart, Wilson as he got older, were never established regulars but if injury struck they could come in and do a decent job. I think we are depending too much on the younger lads at times, and i include the likes of Odhiambo and Gil in this as i think they are both 20. It must be difficult for them to make an impact especially when we aren't playing well.

I don't think Gil will ever be a regular, not now, but I reckon he could be a useful squad member. He came in as a good prospect and there was a bit of a buzz around him. He's just got an injury at the worst possible time for him (and us). I'm not sure if he's going to make the grade. Not because I don't think he has the ability, just sometimes football is about good luck and good timing. With any luck he'll come in and play a blinder and become a regular fixture. It's probably unlikely but Im sure we all hope it happens if it benefits the club.

Roy Krishna. He's the man we need!

Roy Krishna. He's the man we need!

Someone has to say it so it might as well be me ...... Does he have a brother called Harry ?

I am curious though Renegade ... where did you pick up this name ? His wiki page makes him sound quite good. PSV / Leeds interested etc.

Apparently he wasn't just linked with Leeds, he scored for them in a reserve game against Middlesbrough.

Where did I hear about him? Well I suppose it was just from research due to my curiosity in that region. You never see any Pacific players really, except for Tim Cahill (he turned out for the Samoa U16s I think). There has been a few at rather low league Australian sides, as well as the odd USL team in America. The New Zealand League (which I doubt is really that great) has a fair few mind, most likely due to geographical reasons and this article goes on to say that Krishna is the best one in it. That's where it all stemmed from really. You see plenty of Pacific rugby players. There's Vijay Singh the golfer. As well as a few dotted others around other sports, but football seems to the one place you never see them. It could be a new market for a team like ICT!

Edited January 21, 201115 yr by Renegade

In all honesty, I think you could be right !!! There are several areas of the world that are relatively untapped and that is one of them.

I know I bang on about MLS "Soccer" probably more than I should on a Scottish Football forum, but I also feel this could be another relatively untapped market for young players.

Everyone sees MLS as a place for aging European based pros to come for a bumper payday as their career winds down, but with the possible exceptions of the likes of David Beckham and Thierry Henry that's not altogether true. Its a league with a lot of average but decent pros, some really good players that no-one in Europe has heard of .... and, most exciting of all a fast growing youth sector.

MLS makes it a condition of entry into the league that clubs must establish a "Soccer Academy" within their franchise and although I cannot speak for other clubs, we have seen the first few 'graduates' from Toronto's one come through last season. Of about 5 or 6 who were featured in the odd game last season for the first team, 2 of them are now signed into the squad and the others are on the fringes.

With our new first team management duo of Aron Winter and Paul Mariner (who did well as Stevie Nicol's #2 at New England) running the main squad, and with Winter's buddy De Klerk from Ajax coming in to oversee the development of the Academy, I can only see TFC's academy getting better and better and starting to produce real talent ..... They have stated a desire for the "total football" philosophy for TFC, using Ajax as a model from the Academy right up to the first team .... interesting times ahead I hope.

Will also let Terry know if I spot a real star !!!!

We could sign a few fijian rugby players and play them in defence since they are big and fast...

Renegade did you not try to push through the idea of Fiji players a while back?? I seem to recall this being a familiar topic.

So what do you think of the Vancouver Whitecaps for the coming season, Scotty. Have you studied them at all.

I wish we could have an exchange with ICT of promising youngsters.

We could sign a few fijian rugby players and play them in defence since they are big and fast...

Classic mate

So what do you think of the Vancouver Whitecaps for the coming season, Scotty. Have you studied them at all.

I wish we could have an exchange with ICT of promising youngsters.

They seem to have made some strange choices in the drafts by MLS standards ..... not sure. looking forward to the first All-Canadian MLS match though ..... think its in late March in Vancouver.

Hayes certainly showed what an impact he can make on a game.

There was more football during the short time he was on the park than the rest of the game!

Sell Rooney and get another Hayes!!

Edited January 23, 201115 yr by neksor

Morais would be just another squad player and we need a first team regular not another 1 good game out of 3 bloke.

Face reality we aint going to get any or many new players. What we need is something new in our own play. We are far too predicatble now. Every other team knows we are:

Hopeless at throw ins. Hamilton just put 3 men in the mix with our receiving 2 today and that was that no advantage at all for us at throw ins.

We have no threat at all at corner kicks, no invention, no new tricks.

We pose no threat to oppostion from free kicks. Where is our free kick expert that every other team seems to have.

Grant's distribution, and his defensive mates, simply hoof the ball up the park 9 times out of 10. Canning had a strole today and a sore heid from heading back our clearances.

Come on Terry wow us with some new tactics. At least try something different.

The Whiteaps appear to have taken a really young player onto thier books in preparation for their MLS debut.. He was 2nd in the draft and , as a new MLS entrant, they had first choice in the draft but moved in favour of this youngsterinstead.

They had been watching him for some time and from the way they are talking about him he must be the new budding Lional Messi or something. From what the coaches are saying he has literally everyuthing to be a great star.

Let's just wait and see. I think the first Canadian teams meeting will be a somewhat nervy affair. But I won't be there I don't think, because the stadium is downtown and the transport from the suburbs will be packed. I never drive a car into the downtown because it's either one-way streets or buses and cars galore.

Anyway, Scotty , if you are thinking of coming to Vancouver be sure to give me call well beforehand and we can meet up. And you can even stay with me, overnight or whatever, in Maple Ridge and take it from there and, if you want, I can meet you at the airport and will make sure that you can get to one of the Skytrain (elevated guideway rail transport) stations for the match.

Cheers

Scarlet

On the other hand it might be at Swangard Stadium which is in the suburbs and musch closer to where I live. So no t a problem.

So you are not coming then?

Och! Fairweather fan--won't even travel 3000 miles to see his team.

Get Tana Umanga and Jonah Lomu signed up now.