At the start of the 2014-2015 season I think it's fair to say that I felt somewhat underwhelmed by what I thought we were going to be watching and how we would fair, and I think one or two others would agree that they felt the same.

 

We didn't exactly finish the 2013-2014 season to our full potential and outwith the highlight of getting to the League Cup Final, I still had the feelings of 'what if'.

 

I was never the biggest fan of the appointment of John Hughes, I couldn't see how he could take us forward and while I support ICT through and through I posted before the start of the season on a thread that he had 8-10 games to win me over, I also recall going as far as stating that how he conducted himself in pre/post matches interviews and with the media needed to be drastically worked on.

 

Well the 8-10 games came and went and now I owe John Hughes a huge apology for my comments and for doubting that he could take the club forward, wow was I wrong in the biggest way possible. I genuinely believe that there are more ICT fans who felt the same way and had doubts but here's one who will openly admit he was wrong.

 

Big man, thanks so much for this season, you and the team have massively surpassed my expectations and provided me with some awesome memories.

A lot of us were on the same boat. It looked like the cheap option, but boy what an amazing job he has done. I don't buy this 'it's not his players' malarkey he has done a sensational job at transforming our style of play into the most entertaining in the country, whilst helping our players develop even further. He's just such a great person too. My Nanna(a very wise woman) met Butcher once and said he looked straight through her as if he was above her. She met Yogi about a month ago, spotted her staring and smiled and said hiya. That's the difference. Yogi is a genuinely good guy, as well as being excellent at his job - the players seem to love playing under him.

Edited June 1, 201511 yr by scottbamby

I will wait a little longer to see how he replaces the players leaving before agreeing he is truly the messiah.

although this has been an exceptional season yogi is reaping the rewards for all the work the previous management team put in, finding players and getting them up to inverness.

 

Surely he's already brought ICT to the promised land, by winning 'The Cup' getting us into Europe, and a top three finish in the league.....given the level of resources available compared to others, that's almost as good as it gets

 

I understand your comment about reaping the rewards of others...but that is the case for virtually every successful team (other than perhaps Revies Leeds, Ferguson's Man Utd , and Wenger at Arsenal)...getting this much out of players that are 'not your own' is probably more credible. Look at my other team Palace this season, and compare Pardew with Warnock and how much better one did than the other with virtually the same players...interestingly 6 of Palace's regulars actual played in the championship under Dougie Freedman some 5 managers ago!

 

Yogi has a very different test next season, as we adjust to life without Shinnie, possibly Watkins and Ofere......I see the Europa Cup as a rather different pre-season diversion to a tough challenge of finishing in the top six again

A lot....most(?)....managers instantly want to stamp their mark on a squad by bringing in their "own" players.  I think it spoke volumes for Yogi's character that he didn't seek to do that, didn't even show any hints of wanting to do that.

 

Even if he didn't bring the players in, it is very much his team.  Try suggesting anything different to any one of the players...!!!

 

Oh yeah.....while we're at it.....am I now allowed to finally say "I told you so?"

nahh, feck off back to photobombing (or is it videobombing) the chairman. 

Well...without wishing to gloat...i was one of the few ICT fans who was happy when he was appointed. The day he got the job, i was sitting in Weatherspoons with my mates (all ICT fans) and most of them were mumping and moaning about his appointment. I was saying all i can recall, was his teams playing nice football under his charge. So i was more than happy to welcome him. And here we are some 18 months on (or so) and under him, we have had two major finals, One Cup, third place finish and European footie next season. I really dont think it will get any better than that and i think it will be a long time before we see that again in Inverness. Hopefully im wrong tho 

A lot....most(?)....managers instantly want to stamp their mark on a squad by bringing in their "own" players.  I think it spoke volumes for Yogi's character that he didn't seek to do that, didn't even show any hints of wanting to do that.

 

Even if he didn't bring the players in, it is very much his team.  Try suggesting anything different to any one of the players...!!!

 

Oh yeah.....while we're at it.....am I now allowed to finally say "I told you so?"

Maybe once we win the league next season..........

 

A lot....most(?)....managers instantly want to stamp their mark on a squad by bringing in their "own" players.  I think it spoke volumes for Yogi's character that he didn't seek to do that, didn't even show any hints of wanting to do that.

 

Even if he didn't bring the players in, it is very much his team.  Try suggesting anything different to any one of the players...!!!

 

Oh yeah.....while we're at it.....am I now allowed to finally say "I told you so?"

Maybe once we win the league next season..........

 

 

I will be honest and say that he wasn't top of my list of the potential candidates (it was Kenny Shields, so I think we dodged a bullet with him!).  However, once Yogi was appointed he got my full support and I'm delighted that he has proved to be our most successful manager.

 

The Seer is seldom wrong in his psychological profiling

 

 

OK, it's taken me a while to put finger to keyboard on this one. Looking back on my posts on this topic, I didn't half see-saw between rubbish and great appointment. Some notable ups and downs were:

 

1. Appointment - totally underwhelmed

2. Post-appointment interview - excellent! turned me around

3. Poor form at end of last season - not impressed

4. Lost league cup final and played poorly - not impressed

5. "Barcelona of the North" comment - appalled: fear of ridicule....I'll come back to this!

6. Weak endo to last season - disappointed (what could have been etc)

7. Start of 2014/15 - fantastic and playing a style of football that had similarities to....Barcelona!

...and never looked back!

 

I know, I should have trusted Kenny Cameron - he tends to get these things right! Clearly, JH is VERY popular with the players and that is important here because guys will want to come and play for him. Against my (worse) judgement, his style of football has worked in Scotland and other teams are starting to go the same way.

 

So - a serious helping of humble pie and an apology to all at ICT for ever doubting the merits of JH...

 

Our Manager of the Year and Scottish Cup-winning manager!

 

I have every faith that he will now find the right guys to fill the holes in the squad and lead us into Europe with pride. This year will be impossible to match, so let's not get too downhearted if we don't get it all our way next season.

 

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Adkins is confirmed as the Blades new manager so Yogi is not heading there.

I remember when Yogi took the job here, he predicted he'd be here for five years.  I think he'll stick to that unless a huge offer came up.  I could actually see him being moved upstairs as Director of Football in later years as well, probably with Foran taking over.

 

I think the far more likely event to happen in the not too distant future will be Latapy moving on to be a manager in his own right.

Well the cnuts in the suits had to get it right at some stage.