I haven't had a chance to post as i have been in the highlands for a week, just wanted to give my first impression's of the guys i haven't seen play for us before, was at the falkirk game.

Niculae - Looks like a  good player, although at times he could probably work a bit harder for the team.Has the ability but didnt seem to have the same wavelength of the guys around him. i hope it comes good as he looks good

Cowie-WOW!! was Really really impressed with his workrate and his all round game, one minute chasing down the opposition keeper, the next appearing at right  back, i suppose you have to be able to put in a shift when you play in front of tokely  :015:

McGuire- Hmmmm, solid enough display, not convinced he is the answer though

that is all  :021:

I haven't had a chance to post as i have been in the highlands for a week, just wanted to give my first impression's of the guys i haven't seen play for us before, was at the falkirk game.

Niculae - Looks like a  good player, although at times he could probably work a bit harder for the team.Has the ability but didnt seem to have the same wavelength of the guys around him. i hope it comes good as he looks good

Cowie-WOW!! was Really really impressed with his workrate and his all round game, one minute chasing down the opposition keeper, the next appearing at right  back, i suppose you have to be able to put in a shift when you play in front of tokely  :015:

McGuire- Hmmmm, solid enough display, not convinced he is the answer though

that is all  :021:

well for me so far, i'm more than impressed with Cowie , he's been best signing of the season

;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D

I forgot you were up the road this week Oatsie! Did you have a good holiday?

Cowie is tremendous, what a find  :003: :003: :003:

fantastic week mee, catching up with family and friends, seen the footy , weather was great what more can you ask for !!

INiculae - Looks like a  good player, although at times he could probably work a bit harder for the team.Has the ability but didnt seem to have the same wavelength of the guys around him. i hope it comes good as he looks good

McGuire- Hmmmm, solid enough display, not convinced he is the answer though

that is all  :021:

I think its the other way about Oats... Nico is a step and a brainwave ahead of everybody else, once the other catch up we will see the best of him.

he needs to fit into the team, not the other way round

Dont agree with taht at all, you spend a lot on money on a player of undoubted quality, and you think he should lower his skills to match Bayne? :017: :017:

Where the feck were you when I needed you.  :019: :019: :019:  Niculae and Brewster are often not on the same wavelength - but Brew can match them fer movement and fitness.

Dont agree with taht at all, you spend a lot on money on a player of undoubted quality, and you think he should lower his skills to match Bayne? :017: :017:

Undoubted? I think you should have a chat with Johndo  :001: And if he works half as hard as Bayne then we'll be lucky  :003:

:015: :015:  spotted you at the game johndo, but i didnt wanna scare my stepson by coming over and talking to you 

Dont agree with taht at all, you spend a lot on money on a player of undoubted quality, and you think he should lower his skills to match Bayne? :017: :017:

Undoubted? I think you should have a chat with Johndo  :001: And if he works half as hard as Bayne then we'll be lucky  :003:

Hard work and only hard work will get you relegated, hard work mixed with skill will get positive results.

We need skillfull players.

he needs to fit into the team, not the other way round

:clapping03: :clapping03:

Whilst I agree that a team should not be radically changed to accommodate a single player, I also think it is extremely arrogant and self defeating to adopt the mindset that Niculae should drop his game to fit with everything at ICT.

What we have here is an opportunity for our guys to learn something new and for them to add that to the mix and make us better as a team.  I am confident that the team will be working just as hard to up their game and better understand and work with Niculae as he is to fit in to the team and that's how it should be.

Any other attitude to the situation is, IMO, arrogant and self defeating.

i didnt say that he should DROP his game to fit into the team, more that he has to learn where his  teams mates will be at any given time, thats not dropping his game, thats LEARNING what the rest of his team  do

I agree with that, and their is little point in him playing a great ball in to space if nobody is there (something I don't think he is overly guilty off) - In the same fashion though, the team need to learn to get into positions they may not normally have adopted because Niculae is capable of delivering the ball there.

I believe that this is something that is happening and that people just have such high expectations of Niculae that think they should be seeing supermanesque performances every week.  The facts speak for themselves and Niculae has been pulling his weight in terms of goals and contributing to others scoring - testament to the fact that he may just be gelling with the team far more than some are giving him (and the team) credit for.

2 Goals, 3 Assists and only topped in the SPL for shooting rate by Scott McDonald.  If anything, it is perhaps the quality of his finishing that needs to be worked on and not how he is integrating with the team.

It is his movement which needs to be improved. He has to pass and move. Simple as that - as I have been saying since day one - I really do think that he is hampered by previous injury and it is clearly not just down to match fitness. I think that he would be a far better player at home, except against the OF, when we are going forward and attacking - his touches then would reap rewards.

I am also worried that in the previous games we were looking to him all the time. On Saturday he was clearly down the pecking order fer taking dead ball situations - he was always passed the ball to his feet with his back to the goals and never given a ball over the top. He lost nearly everything in the air and we look primarily to Munro or Tokely fer corners and throw ins.

What about Deano?

What about Deano?

Disadvantaged by his height, especially in the Scottish game where its tough and hes going to be kicked about for being the small guy.

Need to see more of him though to really have an opinion on his actual gameplay i think.

Given Brewster's insistence on fitness (not knocking it) I suspect that Deano will need to lose a few pounds before he gets a real chance (he just needs to ask Barry).

He is getting a fair ribbing from his fellow players regarding his love handles (a real case of belly over belt) which in a professional football is unacceptable.

Have you seen him recently Tree?  Looks like he's shed more than just a few pounds.  I spotted it at the reserves game last week.

Whilst I agree that a team should not be radically changed to accommodate a single player, I also think it is extremely arrogant and self defeating to adopt the mindset that Niculae should drop his game to fit with everything at ICT.

What we have here is an opportunity for our guys to learn something new and for them to add that to the mix and make us better as a team.  I am confident that the team will be working just as hard to up their game and better understand and work with Niculae as he is to fit in to the team and that's how it should be.

Just like when Pele bust the budget to bring in Duncan Shearer!

It's got nothing to do with budget, or how much he is being paid.  IMO, the fans should be judging him based on his performance on the pitch.  If they don't think that performance is providing value for money then take out your frustration on the club who are the ones who decided to pay him the wage he's getting.

Whilst I agree that a team should not be radically changed to accommodate a single player, I also think it is extremely arrogant and self defeating to adopt the mindset that Niculae should drop his game to fit with everything at ICT.

What we have here is an opportunity for our guys to learn something new and for them to add that to the mix and make us better as a team.  I am confident that the team will be working just as hard to up their game and better understand and work with Niculae as he is to fit in to the team and that's how it should be.

Just like when Pele bust the budget to bring in Duncan Shearer!

I seem to recall a rise in form when Shearer arrived, probably down to the experience he brought to the training ground, or am I wrong?

I seem to recall a rise in form when Shearer arrived, probably down to the experience he brought to the training ground, or am I wrong?

I seem to recall that there was a lot of grumbling that he was supposed to be getting a grand a week and his performances on the park didnt seem to warrant that. Over time, his performances got better as he settled into the team, he got used to his colleagues style of play and they got used to him and his style.

At the time, it was plain to see that he was undoubtedly used to playing at a higher level than the rest of the squad and his vision and reading of a game was better than some (but not all) of our players. Some of the better players raised their game and some didnt but the only adjustment that seemed to take place was in Dunc himself. I think he realised that some fell into the "this guy knows where I want to play it to and will run into space" category and others didnt and he measured his passes or adjusted his play accordingly.

There are a lot of similarities in that scenario with Marius.

- He is undoubtedly a skillful player - many people have said that.

- He is still not fully fit (seems to be taking a long time, but sure Brew will sort that out !).

- Some of his play (that admittedly I have seen only on highlights) falls into the 'visionary' category.

- He seems to be forging good partnerships/understanding with our more skillful players but its not quite there yet.

One day - hopefully soon - this will click into place and he or other players (because of his assists) will go on some good scoring runs and we will then look back on here and wonder why we ever doubted him .... a bit like we previously did with Wyness and Dargo who also took time to get going.

What I read from these posts is not that he should not lower his play standards, rhythm etc, but that he should up the work rate and and take a higher leadership role -like Brew.

If he did , and showed more determination and faster pace. etc, maybe he would look more convincing as a committed player---i.e. in the Don Cowie mould.

Aty this stage, however, with ICT delicately balanced between success and failure don't expect Brew to be harsh with him any time soon.....

So--just watch and wait. :024: