Now I'm not starting this to start an argument or fall out with members, it's just a simple question to gauge what our fans are thinking of the dud in the dugout. 

 

I think most on here now know that I have had just about enough of this abysmal form so I'm simply going to say NO to my own question.  It is worse than last season tbh so we have to act NOW if we have any ambition of promotion and I'm sure Scot Gardiner does have aspirations of promotion so he has to swallow his pride and do what he was close to doing around this time last year had we not beaten Arbroath, sack Dudds.

 

Now a lot of you peeps will greet that I say that with everyone that goes on a poor run which is true lol but this is WORSE than Foran and that's saying something, at least Richie didn't fall out with players leading to them refusing to play for him like us happening with Dudds/Ridgers, that situation clearly shows that he has lost the dressing room or the players don't respect him. 

I would even take Charlie Christie in on an interim until the end of the season as he's doing well with the under 18s.

There is a reason that this is Dodds first job, at his age, as a number one, he has no tactical awareness, he can't see what the rest of us see when things aren't working, he makes the wrong subs, wrong formation and wrong tactics.

The thing is, that if we get rid of Dodds, I think the club would install Wilson or Kellacher as interim boss, and that's just adding to the problem, because they are all part of the problem. Today, It looked like these players had never met before, I lost count of the number of times we passed the ball to Dundee, and all the times the supporters were screaming shoot, when they had a sight of goal, only for them to pass it wide.

For me, his time is up, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the same coaching team till the end of the season. 

Tbh I wouldn't object to Barry Wilson or Scott Kellacher, I kind of get where your coming from though.

 

Its clear that something needs to change and fast otherwise this will be another lie that Mr Gardiner told, he talked about promotion so anything other than sacking Dudds would prove that he has no ambition. 

8 hours ago, CaleyTennis said:

Tbh I wouldn't object to Barry Wilson or Scott Kellacher, I kind of get where your coming from though.

 

Its clear that something needs to change and fast otherwise this will be another lie that Mr Gardiner told, he talked about promotion so anything other than sacking Dudds would prove that he has no ambition. 

Well I would object! They are part of the problem! 

Never been convinced BD was the right choice and he's done nothing over the last 18 months to change that. It was clear from the outset nepotism was at play and all we have seen just reinforces the fact that capability is secondary to relationships.

Moving JR into a DoF role looks a cost burden we cannot afford and its not clear what return is provided. There is a network of 'jobs for the boys' at the club so it's not just BD but a full clear out that's needed.

This is the SG effect that was seen at hearts and Dundee now coming through......perhaps covid slowed this down and hid the effects but throw in the farce of concert companies and money losses its only going to get worse.

As for injuries, it's an overdone excuse. While limitations in players does affect the strength of team, the tepid play and lack of coherent shape, style or entertainment has been going on for many months. Last year play-offs papered over the cracks but we probably have one of the best squads (not just starting 11 when fit) in the league yet are in danger of being mid to lower table. Last year StJ showed how big the gap to Premiership is now, therefore promotion has to come from winning the league - which again like last year is full of bang average to crap teams and lowest level standard its been in our existence as a club. Right now there is zero chance of winning the league this year so we are already looking at yet another season of Championship football next year with reduced budgets and falling fan interest.

 

Time for Billy to go and take the backroom staff with him.

We need to have a fresh team at the club with new ideas.

There comes a time to stop digging when you are in a hole. ICT are not quite at the bottom yet (that’s relegation which is a distinct possibility), but the signs are clearly there! 
I stopped supporting Scotland when Craig Broon got the reigns and filled the team with 10 centre halfs. We’re still suffering from that legacy!  Feel that ICT haven’t got over the Ritchie Foran experiment (due to an inept and visionless board)) and like Scotland are still suffering from small thinking boardrooms.  
Dodds is a product of this board and with the current philosophy things won’t change. We need a complete new structure and vision (5 year) fir the club. I am sure A Savage’s door has been knocked on a few times, so that boat has sailed.  The recent podcast was a big improvement in the abismal communication with the fans, so their is some light.

Best we can hope for is not coming bottom of the league this year. Part time team is a reality!!

bc
 

 

14 hours ago, CaleyTennis said:

we have to act NOW if we have any ambition of promotion

Promotion this season is gone, and I doubt if we could to afford to sack and pay off Dodds, and then hire someone new.  I know that others disagree, but the number of injured first-pick players must also be having some effect, even if "only" psychological.

Someone thought that Dodds' contract ends after this season.  We will probably have to wait and see what happens then.

On a positive note, I don't think we will be relegated!

If the alternative is to Replace Dodds with either Wilson or Robbo I would rather we kept him for the rest of the season. If we don’t go up, then we will be looking for a new Head Coach for next season. The fact the club hasn’t looked to extend Dodds’s contract means they are waiting to see what happens. We are not getting dragged into a relegation scrap, I still believe we will make the play-offs.

As for a replacement if Dodds did leave I can only really think of Paul Hartley (who has been interviewed before)

6 minutes ago, Pele_Is_God said:

If the alternative is to Replace Dodds with either Wilson or Robbo I would rather we kept him for the rest of the season. If we don’t go up, then we will be looking for a new Head Coach for next season. The fact the club hasn’t looked to extend Dodds’s contract means they are waiting to see what happens. We are not getting dragged into a relegation scrap, I still believe we will make the play-offs.

As for a replacement if Dodds did leave I can only really think of Paul Hartley (who has been interviewed before)

Personally I'd like us to go down the young coach route? The way Morton have. I doubt there would be a shortage of applicants though. 

For anyone who thinks it's only Dodds coaching that is the issue then Google his part in ebt's at Rangers, was at Dundee when they went into administration and that's not even a patch on Gardiner.

Destroying the product on the pitch and milking the club off it with suspect recruitment and failed ventures with little transparency where the money went. Once its ****** and there's nothing left to take they will all walk away with bellies full. 

 

Feelings are understandably running high, but I can’t see a change before the end of the season and then only if Dodds is out of contract.

Our tactics are strange at times, particularly high balls to the likes of Mckay, Boyd and Doran.

We are best when we play it fast and keep it on the ground, but we don’t see that often now, possibly as the players covering the injuries are not comfortable playing that way.

We are also shy about shooting, opting for an extra pass far too often.

How much if that is down to the Head Coach, we can only guess.

However, the injury run must be having an impact. We have had up to 9 missing for weeks, and there could be something in the training regime contributing to that: we can only guess again. We don’t even know, unless I have missed it, what the outlook in the near future is for Delaney, Allardice, Welsh, MacGregor, Samuels or Mckay.

I just wonder how recent games would have gone if our starting 11 had been:

Ridgers

Carson Devine Deas Delaney

Allardice Welsh

Samuels MacGregor Mackay

Mckay

That is 8 changes from Saturday and I do feel we’d have got a better outcome.

I think we all need to accept nothing will happen until the end of the season. 

Edited December 5, 20223 yr by Robert

The piggy bank is empty and unless some generous, wealthy donor comes along we'll just have to accept that we're at our level.

Best chance is to direct our limited resources to nurturing local talent and bringing youth players through the ranks.

 

1 hour ago, buckett said:

The piggy bank is empty

 

But we were meant to get financial stability and growth through a side hustle of concerts and promotions. Now there's the battery storage facility........

All a bit 'This time next year Rodney we'll be millionaires........'

14 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

But we were meant to get financial stability and growth through a side hustle of concerts and promotions. Now there's the battery storage facility........

All a bit 'This time next year Rodney we'll be millionaires........'

 

15 hours ago, buckett said:

The piggy bank is empty and unless some generous, wealthy donor comes along we'll just have to accept that we're at our level.

Best chance is to direct our limited resources to nurturing local talent and bringing youth players through the ranks.

 

This is the reality! Get used to it remaining fans.  
The common denominator for any club  is its fan base.  If we want to ‘get real’ then we face the facts ICT have never attracted enough fans from the beginning. We struggled to get over 3000 when in the top league when the Hamilton’s of the world visited. The players and managers through the years knew this and apart from one or two that couldn’t get a better offer decided to live here as they got older.

The real challenge of all boards was to make the experience of a match such an attraction that it would develop and increase the fan base. Simple fact is they haven’t managed to see or do this! Putting aside the team performance for a moment, getting to & the condition of the stadium is an off-put.  Dangerous crossing of the A9 (main road for 100 mile radius) for pedestrians. Stadium view (seat rake & distance from pitch), is poor. i.e reference Tynecastle!

I have some sympathy for the current board; their not idiots or have their head in the clouds, but maybe they thought a shuffle of the existing limits assets and resources plus a few concerts to raise a bob or two may be enough to get us into the cash haven of the top league. (We would almost certainly be soon back down ).

So summing up, We are where we deserve to be simply on the fact that we don’t have enough fans to generate enough money to put a better team and game experience on show.  Sorry to be so blunt about it but until we ‘get real’ we will continue to dream above our station.  Just like 90% of other teams in Scotland.

bc

 

Edited December 6, 20223 yr by Big cherly

Billy Dodds contract ends in June next year I believe, so I can’t see us paying him off now. Adding another wage whilst he and the back room staff are still there is just sticky all round. The reality is we will see out this season as is and caulk it up as a loss because we simply won’t win promotion.  When we are safe from relegation and close to the end of the season, the fans should be given the dignity of news that his contract will not be renewed. 
 

For the first time in years I’m not nervous about losing players through contract lapse or signing, bar a few maybe. The young lads, Harper and MacGregor would be the first priority to keep for me. I’d be for chopping the crock list as we can’t have passengers any more. 

Sacking Dodds is the tip of the iceberg. 

It would be like lancing a boil, but there is a Loch full of gunk below that, repeatedly crocked players, Highland League level match day experience (at best) amongst other things. 

The club made in roads a while back with the new shop, but that's about the last improvement at the ground (cause it ain't really a stadium is it?).

Why don't the half time prize draw tickets get more emphasis? Such as paying by card/phone etc? I hardly ever carry cash anymore and therefore often don't buy a ticket. 

Edited December 7, 20223 yr by No Shin Guards
Typo

Slightly off topic but another club where the fans are unhappy is Partick Thistle. Seven of their eight Directors resigned today, and it’s been well received by their fans.

Goodness knows why they needed eight in the first place. 

30 minutes ago, Robert said:

Slightly off topic but another club where the fans are unhappy is Partick Thistle. Seven of their eight Directors resigned today, and it’s been well received by their fans.

Goodness knows why they needed eight in the first place. 

The eighth one must be really loved or really hated by the fans. Can't be a middle ground in that scenario 😀

Edited December 7, 20223 yr by No Shin Guards