P&J article on Gary Warren:    Caley Thistle tell Captain Gary Warren he can leave the club

Caley Thistle have asked club captain Gary Warren to leave the club as they look to slash their wage bill for a second season in the Championship

2 minutes ago, Glover said:

P&J article on Gary Warren:    Caley Thistle tell Captain Gary Warren he can leave the club

Caley Thistle have asked club captain Gary Warren to leave the club as they look to slash their wage bill for a second season in the Championship

You have to wonder if Gary was offered the chance to stay on a restructured contract (which he would have been under no obligation to agree to)?

Very sad - Warren may be getting on a bit, but it's a shoddy way to treat our Captain, who has given us years of sterling service!

Agreed.  The ethos of the club has shifted quite considerably.  What was seen as mishandling of Shearer now actually seems to be the culture of the board to disregard service and identity.   

I really don’t see the problem here. The bottom line is that if his contract needs to be honoured, it will be. But as part of a process of urgently necessary cost cutting, an alternative option is being sought.

The financial reality is that each and every means of cutting costs has to be pursued. There is, unfortunately, no room for sentiment when the future of the club is at stake.

I don’t know the intimate details of Gary’s current contract but would guess that it was, a la Foran, a fairly long one given under the previous boardroom and managerial regimes in the Premiership.

We need to thank Gary for his huge contribution (for which he has been remunerated) and regret the earlier failure which has made it necessary to try to terminate his engagement.

Have to Agree with Charles and from reading the article Robertson has made it quite clear that he is under no obligation to go but if he can get a good deal elsewhere then he is free to go. I understand fans wanting the best for the team but we have to be realistic and live within our means otherwise we will have no team to support.

The only way to change that is to get all these missing fans through the gate on a Saturday always seems strange to me we can get 10000 plus for a cup final but struggle to get 3000 on a Saturday

From my perspective there have been numerous positives since the end of the season and they far outweigh the negatives. A strong CJT now is just what is needed to raise issues and hopefully assist the new regime. As fer Mr Warren - a great servant, always gave 100% but his days are numbered.

With project brave, a large number of Team ICT players signed up, combined with shedding premier (or as near to) level players without equivalent replacements, and cost cutting year on year it is perhaps more realistic to aim for survival in the Championship and maintaining a full time team.  If that's the MO, that's fine.  

If, as we are expected to believe, Gary Warren is being paid over the odds...then by what logic do the club (and those supporting their actions) expect him to find a better offer elsewhere and just walk away?

What's more; on one hand this is being pushed as a cost saving exercise...but the story doesn't fit with that as Robbo is allegedly saying that it will allow him to bring in 3 other players.  That's not a cost cutting exercise, that's a decision to go with quantity over quality.....a policy that has NEVER served us well.

If it looks like BS, smells like BS and tastes like BS....chances are, it's BS!!

3 hours ago, jingsmonty said:

 

Very sad - Warren may be getting on a bit, but it's a shoddy way to treat our Captain, who has given us years of sterling service!

The season we were relegated he was poor as a player and as team captain and he was poor at the start of last season although he did improve near the end. Not the player he was before that. 

Financially I'm sure it does make sense, that line will always be palatable because it plays on fear (of administration).  Ethically?  I'm afraid not - no point mulling over why players like Kyle Hutton and probably others find reason not to relocate when the culture is to try and get serving players under contract out early.  I didn't like it much when Raven left under a cloud and I still don't like it now.  If the club's ambition is to be a well-staffed office with a playing squad only a shade above promoted part time teams from League 1 then I think in that sense it has been a successful start.

Partick have also released a truck load, including their captain, but only through their contracts being run down anyway.  

With the money warren is on, i'm not surprised he is being told to leave, even if he took a 50% pay cut he would probably still be one of our highest payed players to do what this season sit on the bench. With Donaldson and Mackay being the centre half pairing which is the best option for the team we can't afford to have warren on the bench. Can't let sentiment cloud the fact at the end of the day we are business which under a previous regime just handed out stupid money for this club and now Robbo and current board look like the bad guys for trying to cut the wages so we don't have problems in the long term. 

3 minutes ago, caleydawson said:

With the money warren is on, i'm not surprised he is being told to leave, even if he took a 50% pay cut he would probably still be one of our highest payed players to do what this season sit on the bench. With Donaldson and Mackay being the centre half pairing which is the best option for the team we can't afford to have warren on the bench. Can't let sentiment cloud the fact at the end of the day we are business which under a previous regime just handed out stupid money for this club and now Robbo and current board look like the bad guys for trying to cut the wages so we don't have problems in the long term. 

 

 

 

all of this 

Warren is and always will be regarded highly, but if letting him go brings in three players I would be happy with that. I don't think he is being treated unfairly, he's not getting stripped of the Captaincy or similar is he. 

Talk of being loyal and giving a player a coaching role didn't work well with Foran (albeit different circumstances) so if Gary finds a 'new home' could well be best for him and ICT. 

Nothing lasts forever. Gary, thanks for everything since 2012. 

Tremarco for Captain, if Gary leaves. 

 

Kyle Hutton didn't sign because he was reluctant to move his family.  Players and agents talk and clubs get a reputation.  It will become even harder to attract players when the club keeps on trying to push players out.  

What options did Warren have when he was offered this contract?  What did he turn down?   So it was offered by a 'previous regime' - but by the same logic would we be equally indifferent if it was our manager or company owner that changed and then the new incumbent said we weren't wanted?   

Who is it we support at this club, the players or the board?  Clubs take hits, for every Christie you may have a player for year longer - that's a gamble at all levels and all clubs.  

If Warren is what stands between the club and administration then that is a different matter, but it isn't as the board haven't said so.  We can afford Warren, with such a young team and injuries he has a place, but the board clearly wants to rob Peter to pay Paul.  Hutton would have moved had the deal been attractive enough, it wasn't.

I don't deny the validity of the arguments above, and agree with the sentiments but surely concerns on the motives behind Warren and the road that this ethos will bring to the club as time goes on are worth airing.

 

1 hour ago, CaleyD said:

What's more; on one hand this is being pushed as a cost saving exercise...but the story doesn't fit with that as Robbo is allegedly saying that it will allow him to bring in 3 other players. 

Yes it does fit. The budget is being cut - end of. In order to run a squad of viable size under these circumstances, the decision has been taken to dispense with the services of a high earner given a long and well-remunerated contract by the previous regime which can no longer be afforded.

What would you be proposing on the basis of your "quantity over quality" argument? James Forrest or similar, the ten young lads given contracts the other week, plus nobody on the bench? That is its ultimate extrapolation.

It rather strikes me that this is another attempt to portray the current board as worse than the previous one - ironically by using a decision by the current board to dispense with a lengthy and expensive contract handed out under the previous board, but now no longer affordable as a result of the relegation also arrived at on the watch of that previous board.

14 minutes ago, Charles Bannerman said:

Yes it does fit. The budget is being cut - end of. In order to run a squad of viable size under these circumstances, the decision has been taken to dispense with the services of a high earner given a long and well-remunerated contract by the previous regime which can no longer be afforded.

What would you be proposing on the basis of your "quantity over quality" argument? James Forrest or similar, the ten young lads given contracts the other week, plus nobody on the bench? That is its ultimate extrapolation.

It rather strikes me that this is another attempt to portray the current board as worse than the previous one - ironically by using a decision by the current board to dispense with a lengthy and expensive contract handed out under the previous board, but now no longer affordable as a result of the relegation also arrived at on the watch of that previous board.

A lot of journalists giving the impression that the manager/club are keeping them up to speed on what players contracts/earnings are or have been.  Has nobody heard of GDPR ?

A balanced (age & experience), full time squad of 16/17 (or there about) supplemented with youngsters and loan signings was enough to get us to the Premiership.....twice before.

2 hours ago, CaleyD said:

If, as we are expected to believe, Gary Warren is being paid over the odds...then by what logic do the club (and those supporting their actions) expect him to find a better offer elsewhere and just walk away?

What's more; on one hand this is being pushed as a cost saving exercise...but the story doesn't fit with that as Robbo is allegedly saying that it will allow him to bring in 3 other players.  That's not a cost cutting exercise, that's a decision to go with quantity over quality.....a policy that has NEVER served us well.

If it looks like BS, smells like BS and tastes like BS....chances are, it's BS!!

Plenty of BS that post.

Read the report again.

This is no overnight decision as robbo stated he made Gary and his agent aware a few weeks ago.

He has also been told that if he doesn't find a deal that suits him financially and more importantly somewhere him and his family are happy to move too them he will remain an ictfc player and also our captain for the remain see of his time here so he obviously won't be frozen out as he will be playing as captain not benched.

Somethings gripping your sh*t within the club at the moment as all your recent posts are coming across as butthurt.

I think we have played this exactly as we should. 

He's free to leave if it 100% suits him to do so if not carry on for his final year.

I have always liked Warren.  In my opinion he has been the best signing the club made in the last decade or so.  My reading of the report indicates to me that the club is treating him entirely fairly.  Whatever transpires I wish him all the best for the future.  Top man.

It's laying the exact same line on Gary as they did on David Raven and OFW.....the former who was made an offer they knew he couldn't accept and the latter who found himself frozen out in an attempt to move him on.....you could probably throw Draper in there as well, as his parting wasn't exactly amicable.

Robbo will say all the right things, but ultimately it's designed to put pressure on the player to go.  If he stays and the season flops, he becomes the scapegoat....the guy who refused to leave and stopped us bringing in other signings.

Sadly it seems to be the way with football these days, but that doesn't mean we have to accept or like it.

Warren lost his mojo when his partnership with Meekings was interrupted. 

If we sit back and take stock, is this not normally seen as the kindest way to treat someone leaving a club that is surplus to requirements. Get yourself a deal elsewhere and the club will not make it difficult for you to move on.

Been a good servant for a few years now but as seen with the likes of Coll Donaldson moving in it's unfortunately time for Gary to move on if he wants to continue with first team football.

No brainer for me and good luck to Gary who has served Inverness well. Worth a hall of fame entry.

I should think there will be quite a few  clubs interested in his services ,I think he is still a good player ,   Too many of our past stalwarts are lining up against us.   Down south teams like Accrington or my own favourite Bury

I am sure would be delighted to sign him. Useful centre backs don't grow on trees. I suspect his injury situation may not help.

This debate reminds me of the divided reaction to the departure of Grant Munro. Both stalwarts during a successful era, both still decent players but past their peak. Ironically, Munro leaving paved the way for Gary Warren to start his ICT career. Surely a lesson to be learned. We have 2 talented young center halves on our books who formed a solid partnership this season. 10 years from now we'll be debating how 'shoddy' it is that club legend Brad McKay isn't being offered a new contract!

 

 

3 hours ago, CaleyD said:

 

A balanced (age & experience), full time squad of 16/17 (or there about) supplemented with youngsters and loan signings was enough to get us to the Premiership.....twice before.

That is an assertion which is woefully short of rigour and alarmingly full of nebulous, wishful thinking. And all of that before you even consider that the game has somewhat moved on in 14 years.

Smell the coffee, Donald, and maybe waken up to the reality that what looks like your latest objective - an influential role within CJT (if it perpetuates) - is less likely to materialise if you expose yourself as being hellbent on talking down and denigrating the board running the club of whose interests you claim to be Chief Cheerleader.

if we are in so much financial trouble that we are trying to offload just one high earner who has served this club handsomely over the years and is merely working the contract that was put in front of him then we are doomed. Can't have it both ways that we moan when a player leaves for higher wages and then we complain when we are paying what is described as SPL wages. Stick with it Gary the club owes you. If half our squad worked as hard as Gary then we would sail back into the Premier League.

Yes nothing lasts forever but what price loyalty.

As above, I don’t see how people can disassociate so quickly from players.  I doubt Gary is feeling very chipper and either will any of the players who are close to him.  It’s not a nice thing to be doing.  That it is like water off a duck’s back for many i find a bit soulless. Him staying or going either now or at the end of the season will not make or break the finances and I find that getting so excited about the money saved and dismissing Gary’s situation, and the club’s word,  as sentiment all a bit crass.

Aware I’m in the minority here, certainly not bothered about that.  Raven’s farewell speech after his last game brought home that sometimes you owe and stand by people who committed to the club.  I honestly dont see how people can applaud and cheer and celebrate our captain for years  and then quickly dismiss their fall from grace overnight as a good cash deal.