In light of that thread on P&B, it got me thinking about people who have been linked/interviewed/offered/expressed an interest in the ICT's manager's job over the years.  Did we have any lucky escapes?  And what about people in hindsight who could well have done a great job?

 

IMO a lucky escape on two occasions was Maurice Malpas.  He was interviewed for the job when Robertson left (I think) and was of course offered it when Butcher went.  He did a horrendous job at Motherwell and Swindon and I think we got away lucky with that one.

 

On the other hand, I'm sure that Stuart McCall expressed an interest in taking over when Charlie Christie resigned.  His stock was quite low at the time I believe, as he had just left Bradford, but in hindsight he probably would've done a really good job (far better than Brewster did anyway!).

 

Any others over the years?

Wasnt Ali mCmoist in the running just before butcher got the job. Also.....whats his face....from Sheff Utd....i forget his name (theres a suprise)

Didn't Neil Warnock (or however you spell it) before Judas got the job said he wouldn't mind it later in life.

Chris Sutton...glad we avoided him in the end 

Wasnt Ali mCmoist in the running just before butcher got the job. Also.....whats his face....from Sheff Utd....i forget his name (theres a suprise)

 

He was offered it before Charlie Christie got it.  A lucky escape if there ever was one!

 

Chris Sutton...glad we avoided him in the end 

 

He's been interviewed on the last two occasions I believe.  Never fancied him getting it at all and he wasn't much good at Lincoln apparently.

 

Didn't Neil Warnock (or however you spell it) before Judas got the job said he wouldn't mind it later in life.

 

From what I remember he said something about moving to Inverness when he retires and possibly taking over here.  Think he said something about the job "not being big enough for him at the minute".  

The Warnock thing was a PR stunt ..... He needed/wanted people to know he was in the market for a job and we were looking for high calibre candidates for ICT .. it served both parties well but no way was Warnock ever coming now or later.

I'm sure the sort list after Christie left was Brewster, Warnock and Owen Coyle.  Coyle probably would've been quite good actually.

 

Wasn't Donald Park offered once (and maybe twice) and turned it down.  Duncan Shearer was offered it once as well apparently.  Both know their stuff but I'm not sure how good they'd have been.  I've always wondered as well that had Shearer wanted it when Butcher left, he'd have gotten it, at least until the end of last season.

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by Renegade

Ossie Ardiles was famously linked with us. Twice, I think!

Not sure if he was ever seriously considered though.

 

I remember the speculation before Hughes was appointed. The bookies had Chris Sutton as odds-on favourite at one time before Levein became favourite - then Kenny Shiels!

I remember Ardilles being linked in 2009 when Brewster was sacked. STV interviewed him and he admitted he knew none of our players and very little about the Scottish game...

Does anyone else remember the Austrian/German manager Bernd Krauss (formerly manager of Borussia Dortmund, Real Sociedad and Tenerife amongst others) applying when Brewster was sacked?  Only seems to have managed one club since - Etoile du Sahel in the Tunisian league.

 

I remember Ossie Ardiles was the favourite for a short time and in that STV interview AJS mentions said that the only thing he knew about Inverness was that it was "very cold"!

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by Renegade

Wasn't that Italian, Scalla or something, who applies for every job in Scotland also linked...mainly because he applies for every job.

Nevio Scala.  Applies for a lot of jobs over here, but I don't remember him ever being linked with us.  

 

Bobby "Blobby" Williamson was interviewed for it once I think.  Probably wouldn't have been much good.

 

Paul Telfer came second in the running when Yogi got it (ahead of Paul Hartley).  A surprise from the outside that he was even interviewed, but apparently came with some glowing references.  He was player/coach of Sutton United in the Conference South at the time, but has since become one of the assistant managers of American side Indy Eleven in Indianapolis!

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by Renegade

Richard Gough, Paul Lambert and Graham Alexander.

Richard Gough, Paul Lambert and Graham Alexander.

Richard Gough was exclusively revealed as a candidate by you if I remember correctly 

I remember Archie Knox was the favourite just before Butcher came in. Vast experience as a coach and assistant manager but he has never gone on to manage since. Just continued as an assistant.

Was Gough not interviewed for it once?  Think he expressed an interest last time as well.  

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by Renegade

He had a video link interview from the States.

I've long thought Bobby Williamson was a good manager.  Did well at Killie, did well at Hibs bringing through a crop of youngsters and silverware (hated by the Hibs fans of course for ridiculous reasons).  Plymouth might have been a black stain but then did he do as well as anyone could have?  Yep, Chester was poor.  Seems to be respected in Africa although I know little about how realisticly well he should be able to do with the teams he had.

 

Archie Knox wanted the job but eventually turned us down due to some legal issues with his previous club.  I'd certainly have liked to see what he could have done for us.

 

Malpas could well have been a car crash or it could have been stability.  Who knows?  Chris Sutton?  Can't understand that one though.

Bobby Williamson's a bit of hoof merchant.  His record isn't bad, but would he have suited the players we had at that time?  Arguably not.  Done quite well in Africa I'm led to believe.

 

Archie Knox took his name out of the running after deciding he didn't want to move to the Highlands I think.  He might have been quite an astute choice.

 

Was Alan Kernaghan not offered it as well at point?  I seem to recollect he was, as was Paul Hegarty with Malpas as assistant I think as well.

John Hartson? His name was floating around when butcher left

Kevin MacDonald is often linked due to his Inverness connections.

Does anyone remember who else was linked when Baltacha left?  I believe Pele was on the radar for a while, but was anyone else linked?

Alan Kernaghan was the early favourite after Robbo left. On the back of how well he had done at Clyde I would have had him. His spell in charge of Dundee was not as fruitful however.

Does anyone remember who else was linked when Baltacha left?  I believe Pele was on the radar for a while, but was anyone else linked?

 

I can only ever remember Paterson being the only name in the frame! I think we pretty much had our sights set on Pele and he was going to be the one. I don't think Huntly welcomed our approach as they were hugely successful under Paterson - but he wanted to come here - and that was that!

 

What an absolute legend that man was with ICT. The 3-1 Parkhead win (with a little help from the Sun's headline) brought us international recognition - but the way he steadily improved us through the divisions was fantastic. A lot of the success we're enjoying today is thanks largely to the foundations laid by Paterson.

Not everyones choice but think Craig Levein is made for club football management, and changing the way youth are trained and scouted

Kenny Shiels is IMO the biggest lucky escape we've ever had.

Chris Sutton filled me with no confidence whatsoever as well.

 

I understand the Malpas comments but feel it may just have worked in much the same way as others have thrived with us despite having patchy records elsewhere (Judas and Yogi for example).

 

Did I ever mention that I would've quite liked Paul Sturrock at ICT?!