With 36 games to go, Derek has started with three compelling excuses:

 

'Defeat (2-1) not fair result' ,

 

'we are obviously disappointed that they have beaten us 4-0',

 

'individual mistakes were the difference between Ross County and Kilmarnock' ................beaten 2-1 again.

 

Who thinks next week it will be 'Dundee United edged it because they were smarting from their thrashing at Celtic Park'?

 

 

Would  Barry Robson be a long shot ?

I hope he takes the job myself.  Butcher took over at Motherwell and should have been relegated in his first season.  Butcher took over at ICT and was relegated in his first season.  Butcher took over at Hibs and was relegated in his first season.

 

See a pattern arising here? 

Usually a curly bendy one from about 25 yards!

I would guess they would need an experienced man not a novice but Robson will make it one day soon.

https://mobile.twitter.com/rcfcnews/status/505105413818572801/photo/1

https://mobile.twitter.com/rcfcnews/status/505105413818572801/photo/1

Someone actually pointed out to me last night that not one ex player posted yesterday in support of him! Speaks volumes IMO

Give the man a break all his ex players might not have a twitter account

Comments from Roy Mcgregor on Butcher as a potential replacement:

 

"He certainly was a motivator [at Inverness], he did a wonderful job there. He has an affiliation with the Highlands.

"I think an affiliation with the Highlands is really important and that they understand what our area is about."

loving the Kluivert comments !!

 

As a Toronto FC season ticket holder who watched as the club appointed Aron Winter on the recommendation of Jurgen Klinnsman and then watched as Winter tried to impose "total football" on the club (a great idea just not suited to MLS - or SPFL for that matter), I think it would be safe to say that appointing Kluivert - if total football is his vision - would be a car crash waiting to happen !

 

As TFC found out, a name, even a big name is no guarantee of success .... and Kluivert has a similar coaching CV to Winter 

 

 

#KluivertForDingwall 

They're missing him already

Well if Stevie May can't save County, no-one can!

The first time in five games that Adams has been quiet. Sitting at home yesterday with his dad and cat, Staggiepuss, he thought 'How would I have explained a 4-0 defeat? I would have blamed Mark Brown for failing to save 2 easy penalties. Mark may have only saved one penalty in his professional career, but those were easy ones to save if you dive the right way and get down. On Monday I told the boys to watch Martin Canning. Well they certainly watched him score!! And that old carthorse Jason Scotland, where was Frempah? We play a player called Dingwall and he was no where near Scotland. And Celcer? Alka by name, effervescent by nature. Brittain takes a penalty, Alex Salmond could have done better. The referee - Willie Collum - even the Scotsman described him as 'the ever over-officious''........................................................''Dad, what should I have said? Dad where are you when I need you? I bet those irritating so and sos over the Bridge will parody me again....''

He will be seeeeeeething about that score yesterday, bet he thinks they have lost direction since he departed.

Apparently it has just been confirmed that it is Patrick Stewart and not Patrick Kluivert that has applied for the Tnkerville FC job. He was looking for a mission to a strange planet where he had to get rid of some Klingons.

Posted this on P&B

 

Derek Adams was clearly an excellent manager for County.  He took them over in the seaside leagues and lead them into the top six of the SPL, with a couple of league wins and a cup final on the way.  County's club culture before Adams took over was heavily influenced by Alex Smith, a negative emphasis of performance over results and the Largs-speak of passing football, liking 'wee strikers' etc.  Adams focussed on achievement and built an excellent group of players which County's ascent to the SPL was based on.

 

If you want to critically examine his tenure then he built his title winning team on solid, dependable First Division-winner players.  He built his team around Munro, Brittain, Vigurs, Gardyne, McMenamin - it was really a triumph of experience, organisation and solidity over any innovative team-building or tactics.  Nothing wrong with that of course, the objective is to win the league and they did that by miles.  I'd compare it to the Caley team that John Robertson took to the First Division title - he signed Barry WIlson and David Bingham, both experienced at that level and tightened up, improved organisation and we bagged the title.

 

The period where Adams impressed me as a manager was when he rebuilt his side in the January 2013 window.  He'd shown that he could put together an organised First Division side and do OK in the SPL but in signing Ikonomou, Sproule, Wohlfarth etc he freshened up his side and took them into the top six.  It showed that he could operate outside the markets he'd used previously.  Where he fell down was that he couldn't build a sustainable team the wayhe did in 2011-12 in that way, leading to the mass intakes of the last couple of windows.  To me, it was reminiscent of the business Livingston did in the seaons before they went down, everything bought in a panicked way, without great thought as to an overall plan.

 

Adams' character and personality has also come under scrutiny.  Leaving aside what opposition fans think of the man I think his manner may have contributed to some of the problems County had last season and this.  I've always thought that a sniping negative manager can set the wrong tone for a club and that positivity is important.  You have to assume Adams' didn't say the same things to the players that he did to the press but there was often a negative feeling around the club.  Adams obviously demanded high standards but part of that is dealing with failure and perhaps he didn't do that in a way that inspired his players.  While I appreciate that some of the players carping about him on Twitter were binned by him, I've never seen former players rejoice over a managers sacking like that before, and I've also thought that some of the transfer dealings were a bit strange.  Grant Munro started five games in a row last season and was then released to sign for Brora, the club captain?  County went on to look very weak in central defence last seaon (and this).  Munro is too much of a gent to say anything though.

 

From a fan's perspective, I'll miss him, he's exactly the sort of person you want managing your local rivals.  Hopefully County don't go for some meh appointment and go for Butcher, if only for the derbies, and the LOLtastic relegation.

 

Good article Chris

Thinking about the possibility of T B 's taking over the County Managership?

 

I can't see it. He must still be licking his wounds and the disappointment he must have also suffered when it all fell apart so terribly must have  affected his self-confidence greatly?

It would take a very strong and determined man, who also has a different personality to TB, to come back to the Highlands so quickly.

 

I mean,another bad beating from CaleyThistle in a derby game would be the last straw for him and I don't think he could handle it with a smile and with aplomb.

Has Butcher applied or expressed interest? The last I heard he was washing his hand of Scottish football forever. He would be just the man to take them down all the same.

There would be a certain satisfaction in TB donning his flasher coat and bunnett again and leading Hibs and County to relegation in successive seasons...

Thinking about the possibility of T B 's taking over the County Managership?

 

I have already been reliably informed that Terry Butcher, Maurice Malpas and Steve Marsela were seen having a pint in the Heathmount last Thursday night.

I could just imagine the discussion on the way out of Victoria Park an hour previously.

"OK Maurice, OK Steve, now we've had that discreet discussion with Roy MacGregor less than 12 hours after these sackings were announced, where can we find an anonymous pub, totally unconnected with football, where we could avoid bumping into any Caley Thistle fans?"

Any number of 'sneck watering-holes would fit that criterion, CB,.....as a result of the merger!

Couldn't resist it! I am only joking, of course!

Talking of 'criterion', I used to love the Crit bar in Baron Taylor Street. I like to remember it fondly and refuse to see the ghastly Lauders as a 'continuation' of the Crit.

Now that (Lauders) is one pub that few ICT fans are seen in - it's always filled with Rangers/Celtic 'fans'! Yuk. It stinks. Literally and metaphorically!

 

On a serious note, what's the transfer window ruling for loan players? I know free-agents can be signed anytime, but do any loan signings have to be made today?

Going by Roy Mcgregors comments the other day I'd say TB was firmly in the frame for this one, would also say he'll hopefully take them down this season but with Mcgregors money, Marsella's scouting and the Butcher name I imagine given time they could build a very good side.

Going by Roy Mcgregors comments the other day I'd say TB was firmly in the frame for this one, would also say he'll hopefully take them down this season but with Mcgregors money, Marsella's scouting and the Butcher name I imagine given time they could build a very good side.

Given time, they probably could but do County have time for that approach and would their generous chairman be prepared to take the hit of relegation in the meantime ?

The problem that all Premiership clubs have if they get relegated, at least one of Hibs, Hearts and another team I forget the name of, will still be in the Championship. Plus the other teams down there have financial benefit of these 3 visiting this year. Going down this season could mean a long time trying to get back up.

And, if T B did take over, how many thrashings from ICT would he be able to endure before he quit or how many snide comments from the County fans ?

What if it turned into an uproar? --in which case his career as a football manager could be over.