From today's Grauniad:

"Terry Butcher's methods of recruitment continue to raise eyebrows in the Highlands. The Inverness manager has opted to sign players from such teams as Newport County, Macclesfield and Gillingham, thereby completely avoiding the Scottish market. Such a policy carries clear dangers, given the importance of knowing the environment you are competing in.

Prediction: 12th".

Ok, so we know that he's a slimy little Jambo who you wouldn't want peeing next to you in the Heathmount toilets, but does Cyril have a point about Terry's signing policy?

no, hes an arogant t**t and obviously doesnt understand what its like to work on a tight budget.

he's a slimy little Jambo who you wouldn't want peeing next to you in the Heathmount toilets

There's a link to a YouTube clip from Spaced that would sum it up nicely for me but I think it wouldn't be allowed...

Not if the player is a professional and out to further his career, imo. Why would anyone choose deliberately to move from Englandshire to the Highlands with the intentions of playing sh1te?

What environment? Maybe I'm daft......but is a football pitch not a football pitch wherever you play? What other environment is he talking about?

I live where I don't, given my druthers, particularly want to be..but hey, you do what you have to do when you have to do it. If the players we sign can't hack living in Inverness, then that is not a problem with them being English...that is more of a problem with them being big babies.

The team we'll be fielding next season will generally contain 3 -5 players from the north of Scotland (the Shinnie's, Ryan, Nick and Shane), plus 2 players with good experience of Scottish football (Richie and Hogg), plus local youth players on the fringes, so I don't think there is any danger of the squad on the whole not "knowing their environment". However, beyond that, Terry clearly does have a policy of trawling the English lower leagues. Is it working? If not, why not? Do these players struggle with the style of the SPL, do they fail to settle in Inverness, or are they just not good enough?

Does anyone actually care what the wee c0ckwatcher has to say ? the guy has made a proffesion out of saying nothing of any importanance

I don't know much about the author of this article but, reading between the lines, he comes across to me as being a person who doesn't know his environment. TB has already said why he's had to come to England to seek players...its all about the money. Maybe this is another article that TB should pin on the dressing room wall.

The Guardian is of course renowned for its coverage and analysis of Scottish football......

This from the guy who's team were once loaned from Lithuania.

A jumped up arrogant fool of a man....I feel more confident already, I would be worried if he tipped us to stay up

Out of interest where did he predict Dundee would finish?

Out of interest where did he predict Dundee would finish?

11th. Dundee are still signing players which is a worry. I see they signed ex-falkirk striker Mark Stewart, who when fit is a cracking wee player

I'm pretty sure I remember reading match reports from our games where he got several players' names wrong and even attributed goals to the wrong people. Not the most incisive of sports writers.

Sky Sports have tipped us to finish 11th with Dundee getting relegated and County one place above us

To be fair, most of his predictions seem reasonable although he gives little evidence as to why Saint Johnstone will finish fourth and Hibs will sit 8th come the end of the season. Give or take a place, the rest of the predictions seemed fair enough but as others have said we all know the history of this guy so why get worked up over him?

I can't say anything nasty for fear of having my Tufty Club membership revoked.

Nobody can predict with any real certainty how things will pan out (outside the top) in a normal SPL season, so I can't see how they can say anything with confidence going into this season with all that's gone on.

I can see Hibs being bottom six come Xmas but they have more money than most clubs. Possibly they might just fork out a bit more by then. I don't think it's a genuine relegation battle but just not a great season again. They just have a touch of quality to take them away from the likes of Dundee.

St. J just don't look good. The players they've lost have been crucial. Can you imagine how ICT would do with Sheridan and Sandaza as the strike-force and Morris prompting from midfield? Now replace them with Tade and a few unknowns. Not quite so rosy. Lomas will struggle to stay in his post.

St Johnstone are still adding to there squad though. They just signed Rowan Vine the other day and apparently Birmingham paid £2.5 million for him a few years ago!!

I really miss Squirrell and his posts but I dont miss his legal action threats :maniac: even though I would have grassed on Mantis if it did come about.

But as Caley Stavros points out the "concern" is shared by many of us and I feel that there would have been even more if they had come on board and/or more finances were available. It is a wonder that Squirrell has not also added that the majority are also carrying long term injury histories. But the initial signs have been encouraging and Midden may also tell us if the leopard has changed his spots. I feel that there is no hiding place and TB may be judged for the first time this season and I really do hope that he brings it off.

I really miss Squirrell and his posts but I dont miss his legal action threats :maniac: even though I would have grassed on Mantis if it did come about.

You stirring barsteward.

Just for the record I refused to squeak despite johndo offering to keep me in malt whisky for the rest of my active life, and horlicks thereafter, in exchange for the name of the squirrel. You need only look as far as a couple of female members of the site for your culprits (smileys here) . Heaven knows what johndo promised them.....

I'm sure the feckin rodent is reading this and if he had not appeared to be masquerading as a middle aged man when in fact he was about 23, then his posts would have felt more natural to read. There was always something bizarre about him for this reason- one minute he was sounding off about 70s football, the next he was bragging about how many alcopops he could neck at a sitting. Apart from anybody peeing in the Heathie, I suppose young lassies being groomed online get the same creepy sense of discomfort as I did (more smileys).

:lol: Nowt wrong with my smileys. By the way I dont promise I deliver :love02: