As has been said in the press of late, ICT will look to retain only one of Dean Brill or Owain Fon Williams for next season with Esson presumably continuing his back-up/goalkeeper coach role.  The question then is simple.  Who would you retain?  Brill or Fon Williams.....or would you release them both?

I think both keepers are pretty evenly matched. OFW certainly looking a safer bet right now given that we're actually getting to see him play and Brill has been out for some time. Mindful of Hughes saying that he couldn't offer Vincent a deal because of his injury record the same might apply for Brill. Deano however is unquestionably the more handsome of the two but OFW paints. It's a toughie...

I've not seen (or heard) any direct quotes from the Manager (or anyone for that matter) saying only one of them will be retained.

Suspect it is, again, just paper talk.......i.e. Rumour Mill at best for this kinda thread.

That's what it said in the Courier on Friday so I suppose you are right it is paper talk

In an ideal world, I'd love to see us retain both with initially Fon Williams as first choice and Brill challenging for number one (or number 25.....or 12 in this case!), with Esson retained as the full-time goalkeeper coach and the emergency keeper.  Granted I know that even if it is paper talk, money is still pretty tight and retaining all three might be a bit too much for us.

If it comes down to picking one or the other though, it would have to be Fon Williams for me.  I think he's looked a pretty solid keeper this season and his performance yesterday was probably the best he's ever had for us.  How well has Brill recovered?  Will he ever be the same again?  Quite often players get bad injuries and they never come back the same.  Obviously, I'd love him to return and be back to his best, but I'm prepared that it might not happen.  With a heavy heart, it would be Fon Williams for me.

10 hours ago, CaleyD said:

I've not seen (or heard) any direct quotes from the Manager (or anyone for that matter) saying only one of them will be retained.

Suspect it is, again, just paper talk.......i.e. Rumour Mill at best for this kinda thread.

Quote

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/inverness-caledonian-thistle/831026/undefined-headline-1370/

Hughes said: “Dean is getting closer. I said many months ago I reckoned it would be the end of February before he’d be looking for games.

“He’s working hard and he’s getting there. He’s starting to look good and he’s now doing a lot of specific stuff which is good news for him.

“We’ve got a decision to make on who will be the goalkeeper next year.

“It will be one or the other, I don’t think we’ve got the finance to keep the two of them but that decision is for a couple of months’ time.

“It’s the way football goes. That’s what’s good about it, when we’ve got competition for places it really pushes people along to give it their best shot.”

 

Think Renegade hit on the two considerations that will see Brill depart. How well has he recovered ? Will he ever be the same again ? Possibly harsh but Deano was never the most mobile keeper. Great shot stopper and presence. May have to look at stating his football sights lower.

Alas for Brill I agree with those who fear that he might not get back to his best after the long lay off, so it will have to be OFW for me.  Brill's arrival at ICT was, from memory, unexpected. I think it was in the pre season friendly at Charlton, from which time he pretty much kept Esson out of the team, until he got injured.

OFW too, suddenly appeared for the first Astra game.  Didn't cover himself in glory for their goal either, being badly positioned imo. But he has been sound enough since. I'm sure Esson is still competent if AFW is away on international duty etc.

Can't drop Williams

Both good keepers. Brill would possibly edge it for me BUT I don't think we can take the risk on his injury, so would settle for Fon Williams. Wouldn't be disappointed if either stayed, but would be disappointed if they both left!!

Heart says Dean Brill and probably in terms of ability but head says OFW. Tough one to decide but from the clubs perspective you have to look at risk, only then does it become a little clearer who would be the safer bet.

5 hours ago, ict247 said:

Hughes said: “Dean is getting closer. I said many months ago I reckoned it would be the end of February before he’d be looking for games.

“He’s working hard and he’s getting there. He’s starting to look good and he’s now doing a lot of specific stuff which is good news for him.

“We’ve got a decision to make on who will be the goalkeeper next year.

“It will be one or the other, I don’t think we’ve got the finance to keep the two of them but that decision is for a couple of months’ time.

“It’s the way football goes. That’s what’s good about it, when we’ve got competition for places it really pushes people along to give it their best shot.”

 

Fair enough.

Well it looks like it won't be Fon Williams, Brill or Esson playing tomorrow night.  Daniel Hoban (along with ICT's retweet) has tweeted that he's making his debut against Hearts!  Surely not?!

Edited February 29, 201610 yr by Renegade

Hoban tweet is definitely a dressing room prank 

Fon Williams - he will get other offers I'm sure, he came to us probably on a reduced salary to get game time to get into the Wales Euro squad, which he most likely will. Teams down in England will be after him because of this, so it may not end up being a decision that ICT need to make.

Regarding performance, Williams has done well, but while his shot stopping is good, his distribution is poor on many occasions. Often he punts long upfield and either out of play or putting us back under pressure with a lack of accuracy, rarely is the short ball played to build from the back - Brill did this and based on the Yogi slow, possession and build up play this may be a deciding factor. Brill I feel commands the area better, but Williams may be marginally better as a shot stopper.

If Yogi is waiting to see how Brill recovers before making a decision it may be too late as Williams might have better on the table and be off. If Brill can get back to fitness then he would be my choice, however we often see keepers take longer than outfield players to recover from serious injury probably due to the nature of higher impact, challenges and awkward landings. A gamble may have to be made.

Fon Williams is a very competent 'keeper, he wouldn't be on the verge of going to the Euros if he wasn't but, at his best I personally think Brill has the edge. His shot stopping and instinctive saves are every bit as good and he definitely has the edge when it comes to distribution and spotting the opportunity for mounting a quick attack from defence.

I appreciate that he might be more of an injury risk but I have every confidence in Ryan Esson stepping into the breach in that event just as he did last season. Foe that reason I would, on balance, retain the Englishman.

For me, Brill 2014/15 > Fon Williams 2015/16.

Brill was brill, but is Brill still brill?

 

 

 

Fon Williams offered a new deal.  Presume Brill will be away if he signs it.

I hope he signs.  He may not have the personality of Brill but he seems a more solid keeper overall.  Of all Hughes' signings, he is the one clear success.  

14 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

I hope he signs.  He may not have the personality of Brill but he seems a more solid keeper overall.  Of all Hughes' signings, he is the one clear success.  

Hughes 2 best signings Williams and Brill and we need to let one go how ironic! 

I think Brill came to us during Butcher's reign - but, I agree, it's a pity that we'll probably have to let one of them go.

1 hour ago, Sneckboy said:

I think Brill came to us during Butcher's reign - but, I agree, it's a pity that we'll probably have to let one of them go.

Yes, I'm sure Brill's first game was the pre season friendly at Charlton, still very much Butcher's time.

I think the Charlton game was his first 90 minutes, as I'm sure I saw him play in the second half of our first pre-season game that season - a 9-0 away win at Keith on an absolutely roasting day.

He came on loan July 13 under Butcher. Hughes then gave him contract

4 hours ago, Alex MacLeod said:

He came on loan July 13 under Butcher. Hughes then gave him contract

That's incorrect.

Our website reports the 'permanent' Brill signing on 12th November 2013. http://ictfc.com/news/club-news/1096-caley-jags-make-brill-signing

Hughes joined us on 4th December 2013, so he had no involvement with the Brill signing. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25203280

It was Kenny Cameron who got brill to sign and how do we know that OFW was actually a yogi signing a lot of talk he hadn't actually signed that many of these players