Here

where is the ambition in that?

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Mod: Fixed your link, it was broken  :003:

With Don Cowie coming in we're very well covered in midfield.

We need one or two experienced defenders and another forward, two if we have to replace Dargo. So I don't on the whole see anything wrong with the statement.

With Don Cowie coming in we're very well covered in midfield.

:015: He'll do wonders!  :015:

But I agree that we don't urgently need any more midfielders.

Although someone to cover Rosscoe wouldn't go down badly.

3 up from the youth, Don Cowie + 3 signings = 7 signings total. Not too many other teams can do that in one swoop.

As for the sarcasm against Cowie. Lets give him the chance to show his worth before slating him. After all quite a few were making similar remarks about Rankin coming to us and he has slotted in really well.

For me a right back, a centre back and a striker is all thats needed.

bit of a contradiction after saying were hunting romania etc for players

To be honest I dont think we're hunting Romania for players so much as establishing contacts who may find someone useful to us. I think the 'home grown' will always be the preferred route.

depends how good the players coming in are but a bit disappointed to be honest... didn't expect a romanov style revolution but it's likely we'll lose some big players in the summer and we need to show that we are still trying to improve.  There is no place for complacency in the SPL, I just hope we don't live to regret not making the most of what we have.

I think the most important part of that article is the mention of success through continuity.  Sure we probably have players in a few positions where we could seek out "bigger" alternatives, but "bigger" does always turn out to be "better" and from day 1 I have claimed our success is largely down to the fact that we don't make wholesale changes every season in the manner that most others do.  Our players know their own game and they know each others game.

I also think this is why we so often see new players who come in take a while to find their feet and "fit in" to the way things are done.  I'm not suggesting we go on to the park each week without a game plan, but I don't think the players go out there with a script, I think they all know each other well enough that most of it comes naturally.  A good golfer still has to plan his way around a course, but his swing should come naturally.....and I believe that ICT, as a team, work in that fashion.

In short, if it's not broken don't fix it and don't bankrupt yourself trying.  A lot of other teams are still cutting their cloth and have been for a few seasons now.  In that time ICT have been growing and maturing at a natural pace and it would be dangerous to try and force it IMO, both on the park and on the bank book.

What showed on Saturday is that we're an established SPL side. Most of the players now have over 100 SPL games behind them, and we totally dominated St Mirren. They won't be able to afford much next season, neither will Gretna apparently, and there are doubts about Motherwell too. It won't please some people but we've always had to think about 11th place. If we get the players mentioned we'll stay up. If we get Dargo staying on to play alongside Dennis, bonus, sorted, minted etc.

You missed one........."Spotty Dog"  :022:

scott wilson,ryan conray(left winger,celtic reserves),john sutton and maybe buchannan or crawford,depends what dargs does.also maybe a keeper but if we're working on a tight budget then no because it is defo needed.

Here

where is the ambition in that?

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Mod: Fixed your link, it was broken  :003:

No that seems fine and sensible. We can start well on that. The only trouble, as always, will be depth of cover, and, unlike a few of the other SPL teams, we just cant afford to buy stars to get splintery arsse.

3 up from the youth, Don Cowie + 3 signings = 7 signings total. Not too many other teams can do that in one swoop.

As for the sarcasm against Cowie. Lets give him the chance to show his worth before slating him. After all quite a few were making similar remarks about Rankin coming to us and he has slotted in really well.

For me a right back, a centre back and a striker is all thats needed.

i would go along with that, centre defender and right back are a must, could do with another striker but other two posistions are a definite must

3 up from the youth, Don Cowie + 3 signings = 7 signings total. Not too many other teams can do that in one swoop.

Every SPL team will be signing on lads from their youth set up and making signings that will add up to more than the 7 you have there Alex.

That said I don't think we need a great deal coming in and agree with the numbers you have for ICT. We seldom bring in a load of players and simply replace the 3 or 4 who have left/retired and they (the new signings) take their place in the squad. No great overhauls just simple replacement which keeps everything steady and minimises upheaval.

Two or three new players sounds fine to me. We can't afford galacticos, or anywhere near their level, so there's no point in packing out our squad with a host of players all around the same level of ability. They would then get narked because they are always playing in the reserves - or the alternative is squad rotation, and I don't think much of that idea. Stability is what we need, to my mind that's been the greatest strength of our team in the SPL (and before) - players only being changed from match to match if absolutely necessary.

I'm happy enough if we're targetting specific positions that need filling, and seeing how it goes over the summer and pre-season. Caff looks to be capable of replacing Dods, and Zander seems a great prospect, I think our main concern is replacing Dargo if he goes, with cover for the other positions as well.

As the man said, no great overhauls, just simple replacement will see us fine. It worked for Trigger's broom  :004:

i don't see why we don't put in a cheeky bid 4 dorus di vries the pars keeper?!just a shout but some bigger SPL clubs are after him but no bids yet maybe we could sneak in with a low price just after they've lost the cup final?!dunno who we could take in as a right back though?i know we need cover for that position.this will really prove how good CC and the board are in the transfer market.

How long has it been since CC said he needed an answer from Dargo within a week?

There was a rumour that if Dargo was leaving he wouldn't play on Saturday. If he did play...

I don't believe in gratuitous buying of players every closed season. Leave that to the OF.

Buy only what we need if we can afford to.

Otherwise grow our own.

Chris123... in defence of Charlie Christie I would have to say that I am not aware of him ever saying that he needs an answer from Dargo within a week.

It may be that some reports have implied that, but the line I have consistenly heard him take is that they respect the player's decision not to make any announcement about his future until the end of the season. At worst I believe he said on one occasion that there may have been a chance of an answer last week but I am certainly not aware of the manager indicating that he was putting pressure on. The last thing I heard CC say on the matter (I think last Saturday) was that he (CC) would now be away for a few days and he expected to get a final verdict on his return.

CC must be fed up to the back teeth of journalists (including me but not as often as many others!) repeatedly asking him about Craig Dargo and it's a story which keeps recycling itself.

charles bannerman - isn't that what managers are expected to do?answer the press?at least were getting publicity and it will be good publicity if he stays.no press are interested in caley unless a big player is moving.eg - brown,dargo,dods.....

Chris123... in defence of Charlie Christie I would have to say that I am not aware of him ever saying that he needs an answer from Dargo within a week.

It may be that some reports have implied that, but the line I have consistently heard him take is that they respect the player's decision not to make any announcement about his future until the end of the season. At worst I believe he said on one occasion that there may have been a chance of an answer last week but I am certainly not aware of the manager indicating that he was putting pressure on. The last thing I heard CC say on the matter (I think last Saturday) was that he (CC) would now be away for a few days and he expected to get a final verdict on his return.

CC must be fed up to the back teeth of journalists (including me but not as often as many others!) repeatedly asking him about Craig Dargo and it's a story which keeps recycling itself.

Charles I hadn't meant that to be a sarcastic comment about CC or Dargs. I genuinely want to know how long its been and if we can expect an answer. I would rather CC went about the Dargo situation the best way possible, weather that takes time or not, rather than pressure him into making a decision which could have detrimental effects on the whole situation.

Craig Dargo said he wanted to concentrate on his football right up to the last game of the season, without being sidetracked by contract talks. He also said he wanted to weigh up what was on offer. Both those statements have been respected by the club.

At the moment the management team and a few of the players are away on a well earned golfing and wind down break. When they return talks will resume.

Craig is still under contract for another couple of weeks I believe and I'm sure even he doesn't want any time wasted in settling his future.

The rest of us just have to be patient and wait on the outcome.

June 1 is usually the end date of most expiring contracts in SPL circles and the transfer window opens again sometime around June 7 I believe so dont expect much before either of those dates.

At the end of the day, Dargo will do what Dargo wants to do and will do it once he has actually decided what he is going to do .... whether Charlie badgers him or not he will make his own decision and we should respect that decision as he stuck to his word of not declaring anything until the season was over.

As for players to come in .... here is my tuppenceworth

GK - seems Ridgers may be the choice as backup to Fraser - I am fine with that.

DEF - need cover in all positions LB / CB / RB or a utility player who can cover more than one.

MID - think we are overloaded here so no-one needed unless an exceptional player becomes available to us

FWD - Depends on what happens with Dargo - if he stays, think we are ok, if he goes we might want to consider a proven goalscorer if one is available.

Priority 1 = Defensive cover as there is no-one really there to push (or cover for) the now first choice lineup of --- Hastings / Caff / Munro / Tokely --- for their spots. Midfield is fine, Up front is also fine, moreso if Dargo stays.

sorry folks but i do think that only 2 or 3 new players does show little ambition at best only status quo,

I had hoped that after three seasons in the SPL now was the time to try and move up a gear

Here is the squad (so far) - where do we need to strengthen (other than defence or if Dargo goes, as commented above) ?

GK

Fraser

Ridgers

DEF

Munro

Tokely

McCaffrey

Hastings

MacDonald (youth)

Duff (youth)

Kerr (youth)

MID

Wilson

Paatelainen

Black

Duncan

McBain

Hart

Rankin

Cowie

Sutherland

Morgan (?)

Vigurs (youth)

FWD

Dargo

Bayne

Wyness

McAllister

Wood (youth)