Sound and Vision for SPL kick off as ICT take on Celtic.

There will be a global audience watching this SPL opener, and with MFR broadcasting live commentary as well, First Division Champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle will unfurl the League Flag at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium as they host Neil Lennon’s championship hopefuls Celtic.

What a start to the 2010-2011 campaign.  They don’t come much tougher than this as Celtic will be smarting from their sharp exit in the Champions League at the hands of Braga and will look to take an early lead in the SPl, (no pun intended).  The game will kick off at 12:15 and a full house is expected to watch this Sound & Vision experience with millions around the world tuning in to see if the famous ICT can produce another exhilarating performance to match the famous Feb 8^th extravaganza, or the 3-2 league victory in 2007 when playing with 10 men for half an hour after David Proctor was sent off.  A game not just remembered for the 10 man resistance, but also the magnificent fingertips save of Michael Fraser from a net bound McManus header.

Here we go, another year on and Terry Butcher’s bouncebackability saw Inverness return to the top flight after only one season.  That in itself is a rarity, but to achieve it on a shoestring is remarkable.  Butcher scoured the reserve team sheets and plucked a few players unheard of in the North.  Amongst these rough diamonds, a few real gems shone through.  None more so than Lee Cox and Jonny Hayes who were instrumental in seeing Inverness slowly but surely overhaul Dundee to the elusive promotion spot.  It took a few weeks, well maybe a few months, but once Terry & Mo had sorted out the best way forward, there was no looking back as we went on a 21 game unbeaten league run to win the title.  This included nine straight wins to put the icing on the cake.

Celtic, on the other hand, were letting the SPL title slip away with some indifferent performances and this culminated in a parting of the ways with a 4-0 hammering at Paisley enough to get anyone sacked.  Tony Mowbray was dethroned and Neil Lennon ultimately took over the reigns at Parkhead.  Nonetheless, despite arch rivals Rangers winning the coveted trophy, Lennon saw out the season in style with eight straight league wins, including an old firm derby.  The major disappointment for Celtic and Lennon during this run was the humiliating defeat in the Scottish Cup semi-final at the hands of our near neighbours and agricultural exponents Ross County.  To his credit, Neil Lennon was scathing in his after match interview, and true to his word, some of the culprits at Hampden are no longer at Parkhead.  Lennon will be fondly remembered up our way for an incident involving Juanjo and I’m sure will get a warm reception when he appears.

Expectations amongst fans for these two sides are poles apart.  The Celtic faithful are an unforgiving lot and nothing less than winning the SPL will be on their minds with the Scottish Cup trophy second prize.  To be honest, this would not be an unreasonable task for Lennon’s side as it will inevitably boil down to one of the Old Firm to lift the important silverware for the season.  Inverness fans, however optimistic, would be quietly happy to steer clear of relegation before the final few games.  A top six spot may be a bit too much to ask for in our first season back, but given Butcher’s seemingly God like status, it will remain a target for as long as is mathematically possible.  His speech from the pinnacle of the main stand at Ayr was breathtaking, and his delivery was held in awe by those clad in blue, spellbound and enchanted by the master of ceremonies as he controlled the volume of the masses that thronged below him in submissive joy.  (That may be another phrase for being half shot, I’m not sure.)  Yes, Butcher is optimistic for the new season, but he is also realistic and knows that every game will be tough, but that is the nature of the beast, and he is up for the challenge.

Pre-season and early games for Inverness have gone reasonably well.  We had a few days in England where we took on Fleetwood Town and Stockport County.  One win and one defeat.  We have been missing some important players in pre-season, notably new captain Richie Foran and fellow Dubliner Jonny Hayes.  Grant Munro took a knock and missed the European experience of Valladolid and Antwerp, as did Hayes, although Foran was a late substitute against Antwerp, scoring within a minute of coming off the bench.  David Proctor looks to have gained valuable match fitness as he gets back to full fitness.  The winner of last seasons Caley Thistle Online Player of the Year award Jonny Hayes made a belated start to his pre-season with an hour against Clach in a North of Scotland cup match in midweek.  The good news for the fans is he scored a couple of goals although he might be a little off the pace.  The signing of Irish International Jonny Tuffey will provide stiff competition for the No1 spot, with Ryan Esson in charge at the moment.  The arrival of loanee Kevin McCann at right back will almost certainly mean Ross Tokely’s overlapping career is over, although his displays at centre back have been solid so far.  With Chris Innes waiting to come in after his two game ban then competition is hotting up all over the park.  Kenny Gillet from Barnet has impressed in his couple of games and could be a crowd pleaser, and with youth on his side, Stuart Golabeck may find it difficult to get a start.  Young Nick Ross has shown some great skills so far although he may be one for the future, and Shane Sutherland will make a decent target man should Rooney be replaced.  Eric Odhiambo has improved beyond recognition and looks to be the main runner off of the lone striker.

Celtic’s early games have seen them play somewhat more illustrious opponents than Inverness.  Arsenal and Lyon, to name a couple have sampled Lennon’s new team whilst Braga enjoyed a 4-2 aggregate success over Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers.  Celtic appear to be on the verge of losing Aiden McGeady to Spartak Moscow, but they have made an approach to loan equally talented Craig Bellamy from Manchester City.  Bellamy showed our defence a clean pair of heels in 2005 as he scored one and made one in a 0-2 win in the Highlands.  A lot of big names have come and gone as Lennon looks to stamp his style on the Celtic steamroller.  Out go some big names, Artur Boruc, Stephen McManus, and Lee Naylor.  Fresh faces will be Daryl Murphy, Efrain Juarez, Joe Ledley, Charlie Mulgrew, Gary Hooper, Beram Kayal and a chap called Cha Du-Ri.  It would appear that Lennon’s budget is a bit larger than Butcher’s pocket money.  However money does not always bring success, although success will normally bring with it, money.

Team News

Inverness boss Butcher will most likely stick with the tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 formation which did us proud in the first division.  Innes is definitely out, and Hayes is struggling to be fully fit. Ryan Esson will surely be first choice with McCann – Tokely – Munro – Gillet being the likeliest back line. I can not see past Duncan and Cox for the strongman role ahead of the back four but behind the creators of Hayes Odhiambo and Foran, with last years award winner Adam Rooney spearheading the attack.  This would leave the versatile Proctor and experienced Golabeck on the bench, with Bloomenshtein, Sanchez, Ross and Sutherland all vying for a start.  Basically it is a blank canvas for the first game and Butcher having assessed all candidates in pre-season will know who he wants and where.  The major debates are over the fitness of Irish duo Richie Foran and Jonny Hayes.  Grant Munro hopes to have recovered from the foot knock that saw him miss the last two friendlies, but should he sit out, then Proctor would fill the gap.

***Latest team news update, Inverness captain Richie Foran is out for three or four weeks after undergoing minor knee surgery this week.  He was not feeling comfortable after the Antwerp game and his knee has been cleaned out during a minor operation on Wednesday.  Nothing serious was spotted but a quick tidy up was carried out and this will result in him missing the seasons opener against Celtic, Dundee United away and Peterhead in the C0-op cup.  He had a knee operation four years ago and this is the first problems since then.  This could mean a starting place for Nick Ross, Sanchez or Bloomenshtein.  On a brighter note, Jonny Hayes and Grant Munro are ready to go.

Likely starting line up

Esson

McCann Tokely Munro Gillet

Duncan Cox

Hayes Odhiambo Ross

Rooney

Celtic will have the same blank canvas for their team selection, although Hooper and Brown are reportedly struggling with knocks.  This was the Celtic starting eleven against Braga in the Champions League Qualifier, but being a new season, there are no templates to follow.

Zaluska

Juarez Hooiveld Cha Du-Ri Mulgrew

Loovens Brown Ledley Samaras

Maloney Hooper

Subs Cervi, Rogne, Ki Sung-Yeung, McCourt, Fortune, Rasmussen, Murphy.

Tm4tj Prediction

Always difficult to predict the first games of the season and even more difficult to predict a defeat for your own team, it sort of sticks in the throat.  If Foran and Hayes are deemed fit enough for this one, then we could be in for a treat.  However, Celtic will be looking to get off to a flier and with plenty of new Bhoys on the park they will be out to impress Mr Lennon.  I am going to sit on the fence and won’t be too unhappy with a point apiece, maybe 1-1.

CTO's davie has also presented his thoughts before Saturdays big game.....................

Back where we belong. Saturday sees the full SPL sheebang in town on day 1: televised game, big media interest, sell out crowd, a host of new faces. Capping it all is the fact that the champions flag being unfurled is ours, not theirs and they have to watch. The two teams go into the game with a raft of new faces, with ICT's costing around 5 million quid less than Lennon's new friends. In for ICT are; Chris Innes, Kevin McCann, Jonathan Tuffey, Gil Blumenshtein, Max Johnson and Kenny Gillet. Innes will miss out, curiously on account of a mistimed "Glasgow kiss" for his last club. Johnson is one for the future and Tuffey will be on the bench after his holiday in Montenegro. The rest are in the frame for a start, having impressed in pre-season. Some old faces have gone, of course, and we wish Lionel Djebi-Zadi, Nauris Bulvitis, Kyle Allison, Jamie Duff, Robert Eagle and Daniel Stratford awrabest wherever they are. Our "guests" have undergone a similar metamorphosis, although the jury is still out on what kind of butterfly they might turn into (won't be a champions league one) Daryl Murphy striker, Efrain Juarez midfielder, Joe Ledley, midfielder, Charlie Mulgrew, defender(??) Cha Du-Ri, defender, Gary Hooper, striker and Beram Kayal, midfielder have gone hoopy, and lots have fled the other way. Glad to see Artur Boruc leaving rather than be on the end of another defeat at TCS! Same (presumably) to Aiden McGreety, but if you thought TCS was cold in January, son…………… Pre-season has pointed to the fact that both sides are willing to play open football with far more of an accent on attack than self preservation. There will be goals. ICT will be over the moon that Foran and Hayes will be back, Lennon not having seen those two in action this year. He's going to get a shock. Lennon looked comfortable at TCS when he was watching the Valladolid game, but he might not be quite so laid back on Saturday. We have the pace, determination and firepower to make sure he's jumping even higher than normal. That's it then, no more to be said. The season ticket's bought, the lucky shirt is washed and ready, the wife has alternative plans for the next 30 odd weekends. Pre match beers are lined up, the kids have got their vuvuzelas ready, the sky box is on record. Bring it on.