Ok now we are in January i think its time we start thinking about renewing contracts and thinking about who may be here at the end of the season. So far the players out of contract at the end of the season are:

Lee Cox

Ryan Esson

Richie Foran

Kenny Gillet

Jonny Hayes

David Proctor

Ross Tokely

Jonny Tuffey

Greg Tansey

Gregory Tade (with option of 2nd year)

Billy McKay

Chris Hogg ( Being offered a new contract)

Out of all of these players i'd like us to keep everyone except Proctor and McKay as i think we can get better players in. I was a fan of Proctor but unless theres a vast improvement in his form in the second half of the season i don't think he merits a new contract.

A lot of our key players expire in the summer and thats quite scary. I don't want another overhaul at the end of the season like last time so we need to work hard in signing these players up.

Our loans also expire in the summer Golobart and Williams

Edited January 24, 201214 yr by ICTPAISLEY

I'd keep everyone, including Mackay, who seems to be just becoming something. It would be a waste of resources not to develop that more. I'd also keep Proctor - wages dependant. He's not the player I thought he would be but he's so useful. If he can accept that he's a squad player (though I'd love to have seen him in def mid with Cox and Jones out), then he's worth keeping. Just not at any price.

Realistically we are unlikley to keep Hayes.

Tuffey will move on for a game if we keep Esson

Tokely's wife has just taken a job in Aberdeen - will he be off to Peterhead?

Realistically we are unlikley to keep Hayes.

Tuffey will move on for a game if we keep Esson

Tokely's wife has just taken a job in Aberdeen - will he be off to Peterhead?

agree with first two, not sure about Tokes though .... perhaps another season (or two) at ICT in the SPL before semi-retiring and turning out for Formartine perhaps (or wherever Steve Paterson is managing at the time) ?

I know it's been said several times before, and he's always proved people wrong, but I think Tokely is finished as a regular first team player at this level.

He's not been great this season, and actually don't think he would have been here had it not been for the "1 year option".

He used to be the kind of player that chased everything and everyone....this season he's been off the pace and found wanting on more than a few occasions.

My all time favourite ICT player, but I think it's time for him to bow out while he can do so with head held high. I would far prefer that than see him struggle on and tarnish his status with the fans.

I think I'd offer him all a deal myself apart from Proctor, who's way way past it. I must say mind, I'm not a fan of these one year deals as we seem to go through the same shenanigans every season!

I can see Tuffey going myself, unless Esson wants away and I think it's safe to say that Foran will stay put as long as Butcher is here.

Tokely is someone I definitely would offer a new deal to. Even if he wasn't to play every week, I still think that even from the bench he'd have something to offer (kind of like what Mourinho did with Materazzi at Inter). I have heard from some sources though, that Butcher wants rid and this season WILL be his last.

Edit - Owain Tudur Jones is also out of contract after this season as is Andrew Shinnie IIRC.

Edited January 24, 201214 yr by Renegade

I will be very surprised if Tokely is offered a new contract. I probably would offer him a 1 year deal but as a squad player. I'd look to sign all of the above players.

Could it be good business sense to negotiate a 1 year deal with Hayes with the promise to put him on the transfer list immediately and get a few bob for him? Don't know if this is done in football but if clubs rate him high enough and we don't ask too much for him, it makes absolute shrewd business!

e.g. let his contract run out and leave for free

or

1 year contract @ the same wage and placed immediately on the transfer list. If any offers come in, Hayes receives X amount of the contract fee. So, Celtic sign him for £100,000, we then give Hayes a 'golden goodbye' of £40,000. It's a gamble for him, but he may be better off if he is signed. Of course, assuming this is legal!

Edited January 24, 201214 yr by CapitalCaley

Offering players a % of transfer fees is perfectly legit....although after the Niculae debacle, I'm not so sure we should venture down that road again!!!

Lee Cox- will probably stay if offered a new contract

Ryan Esson-its up to him hope he stays

Richie Foran- will be here next season guarenteed

Kenny Gillet-well worth a new contract

Jonny Hayes- please please stay

David Proctor-byebye

Ross Tokely-wouldnt mind him staying although he is getting on a bit couldhave another couple seasons

Jonny Tuffey-depends on esson imo

Greg Tansey-could be worth a new contract and will probably stay if hes offered

Gregory Tade (with option of 2nd year)-hes staying

Billy McKay-needs to prove his worth

Chris Hogg ( Being offered a new contract)-delighted

I think I'd offer him all a deal myself apart from Proctor, who's way way past it. I must say mind, I'm not a fan of these one year deals as we seem to go through the same shenanigans every season!

I can see Tuffey going myself, unless Esson wants away and I think it's safe to say that Foran will stay put as long as Butcher is here.

Tokely is someone I definitely would offer a new deal to. Even if he wasn't to play every week, I still think that even from the bench he'd have something to offer (kind of like what Mourinho did with Materazzi at Inter). I have heard from some sources though, that Butcher wants rid and this season WILL be his last.

Edit - Owain Tudur Jones is also out of contract after this season as is Andrew Shinnie IIRC.

He,s not even 28 yet!! Personally I think Proc is a vital part of ICT on the training ground. He's needed to help develop the younger players and to share his experience of SPL with those brought in from foriegn climes. I'd rather see him stay. I also think Tokes will get another season. And hopefully another season out of Richie. Everyone thinks Hayes will be snapped up. I'm not so sure about that. He has a game from time to time where he's brilliant for whole game but at other times he displays flashes of brilliance interspersed with laziness. He probably needs another season to with Foran to get to the level of consistency that managers of bigger clubs require.

Being honest I'd like to see all our current squad together for another season. They are showing now that they are gelling as a squad and team and we are getting some good performances. Lets keep them all and build on that for next season. Besides, we cant be going into europe with a disjointed squad.

Edit - Owain Tudur Jones is also out of contract after this season as is Andrew Shinnie IIRC.

Andy Shinnie is signed till end of 2012/13.

I am surprised at the negative attitude towards David Proctor, He hasn't done a lot wrong this season since recovering from injury and certainly has not made any more mistakes than other members of the defence. He has an excellent ' footballing brain ' reads the game well and his skills in interception and lay off can be first class at times.

Ross Tokely is good to have around too but I also wonder how much longer he can sustain SPL level.

Of the others yes keep them though I'm not sure about Billy Mackay either, he makes some good moves but where are the goals we expect of him?

Two excellent keepers hope they both stay, wish all our present squad could stay there is exceptional promise there.

McKay is excellent and will soon establish himself in the team if he is given time. He was superb at Ibrox in December. He may not get a lot of goals, but he is likely to set up a heck of a lot - that's the type of player he is.

Kinda with you on this one too bughtmaster .... The only thing I can think of with Proctor is that it somehow relates to him being regarded as a Brewster legacy with him leaving the club to follow Brewster to Dundee and then returning when Brewster came back for his second spell ...... he gets all the negative vibes that many still feel for Brewster, and that is perhaps a rod for his back of his own making.

I know he has made mistakes in games, and I know some see him as lightweight, but being honest, can anyone actually say he has had a decent enough run in the team over the last season or two to actually be able to get some match fitness in, or to form an understanding or partnership with players around him so he can at least try to prove the doubters wrong ...... ? Recent reviews of Gillet, Golobart, and others are good, but you dont need to search too far back to find folk foaming at the mouth over their bad performances .... Proc may be physically fit, but when asked to come into the side as cover, he's definitely not match fit.

Having said that, I too see him as a squad player rather than an automatic choice, and for me, the fact he can slot into multiple roles has been his downfall rather than the bonus it should be. He isnt a right back, he isnt a right sided midfielder, he isnt a centre half, and he isnt a central defensive midfielder yet he has filled all those roles. I would re-sign him on that basis, but if he decided to move on I also would not lose sleep over it.

The problem with proctor is, has he ever gone a full season without being injured for at least a month?! Certainly the last few years have been injury dogged. He seems to be consistantly injured!

Edited January 24, 201214 yr by CapitalCaley

Tokely's had some great games this season. Surprised so many people want him out. Especially with the uncertainty over Hogg. Even if he gets back, will he last?

We've got a fairly young squad on the whole. They will improve with experience and playing together more will improve the effectiveness of the team. There will be disruption in any case because whether they want to stay or not, some of the loanees will be recalled by their clubs. We need to maintain cohesiveness as much as possible to get away to a much better start next season and if we do that we should finish comfortably higher than this season. Therefore I don't really see merit in getting rid of anyone we don't have to unless there was some serious money available to replace them or to be gained as a transfer fee.

I don't think either Proctor or Tokely will ever be first choice players again but both have served the club well and can come in as squad players. They also have a lot to offer on the training ground.

For those who have not seen our last three games live, Procter has played his part in all three victories. Billy MacKay has worked his socks off. He was very good at Motherwell.

Tokely's had some great games this season. Surprised so many people want him out. Especially with the uncertainty over Hogg. Even if he gets back, will he last?

Not sure anyone "wants" Tokely out....I certainly don't, but I also don't think he is the player he was and is perhaps at the end of his career as an SPL player. No malice, no dislike, nothing sinister....just an opinion, and one that I would happily like to be disproved on.

Tokely is a rock, almost literally.

http://www.tokelau.com/

Named after the Polynesian for "Northern Wind".

Out of the new boys Tansey and Tade are the two that i think are defnitely worth a new deal. Gillet, Foran, Cox, Esson, Hayes and Tuffey i would aim to keep from the current squad as well. Wouldnt say no to Piermayr either and would hope that Hogg and OT Jones are given another chance to break into the team after their injury problems. For the sake of experience and continuity it may be worth retaining Tokely for another season. Unsure about Billy McKay apart from the game at Ibrox i think we have struggled to accommodate him in the side.

Proctor is surplus to requirements. If Piermayr is retained then that gives us him, Meekings who i think should be first choice with Cox and Tokely capable of being there in a state of emergency. Proctor hasnt played much this season and with the Hearts game being an acception he has done little to impress.

In the case of loan signings i dont know what Golobart's situation is but if he's out of contract would it be worthwhile trying to get him back?

I really don't understand all the negativity towards Proctor. I, like everyone else, don't see him as a regular first team player but his ability to play (and not just play, do a decent job) in a number of positions makes him an excellent squad player. If we were to get rid of him, realistically who are we going to get in who has his experience and versatility, Dan Stratford?

Edited January 25, 201214 yr by ubern

Confirmation that we are offering Hayes a new contract. Financially he'll get much better offers than ours, but all you can ask is that the club tries its best to keep hold of him.

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/scottishpremier/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/12/01/26/manual_122255.html&BID=425

Didnt realise Jonny was vice-captain ? thought that was Rossco ?

24? I'm shocked. Thought he was much younger.

Wonder in being made Vice-Captain is a incentive to signing a new deal. I would imagine if he stays he could eventually become captain.