Life After Butcher Begins Now



Managerless Inverness face the bogey boys from Perth this weekend as St Johnstone head North to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium in the first game of the post Butcher era. Technically it's the second game after Butcher, as he chummed with the Hibernian hierarchy during the game at Easter Road, nailing his colours to the mast there, it was certainly a bit of a give-away as to his future loyalties.

With the whole management team now officially residing at Easter Road, Inverness will continue the search for a new manager once more with names from around the globe being bandied around like nobodies business. However a shortlist is now being processed and the top candidates will be interviewed this week with the successful one being in situ before our Cup game with Morton allegedly. Coaches Duncan Shearer and Scott Kellacher will try to do what Butcher failed to do in recent games against St Johnstone, win, and maybe score a couple of goals, that would make a nice change.

On top of Butchergate, we also have Grassagate which sees Graeme Bennett leave his position as vice chairman within the club, citing "growing reservations about the boardroom mix and the influence that is having".

But, it's not been all doom and gloom up North. Club Captain Richie Foran has taken the plunge and signed on for another three years, that's fantastic commitment from Richie, and Dean Brill has also put pen to paper. Many up here thought that Foran would be the first to follow Butcher out the door, but it's fantastic news for the fans that he will commit his future to Inverness Caledonian Thistle until May 2017. Brill has 14 clean sheets since coming North and he is another great addition, signing on for two years, quickly establishing himself as a fans favourite.

St Johnstone have made an impressive start to the season and sit fifth in the league, just four points below Inverness. They are something of a bogey side for us and seem to hold the Indian sign over us. Our own impressive start to the season faltered at Perth in a 4-0 hammering, ending our unbeaten run of nine games.

Stevie May was the architect of our downfall at Macdiarmid Park, scoring one and setting up the other three with a brilliant display of incisive finishing and creative build up play.

Our record against St Johnstone has been woeful recently, no wins in our last seven games against them, and scoring only twice in that sequence whilst conceding eight.

Inverness' temporary gaffers have a full squad other than long term injury victim James Vincent.

St Johnstone's Frazer Wright is back after suspension but Steven Anderson and Steven MacLean are out injured. David Robertson will not be risked after suffering a slight niggle in training and will not be in the squad for Inverness.

  

tm4tj Prediction:- It's been a dramatic couple of weeks from the speculation, rumours and official announcements surrounding Butcher and his cronies. The long drawn out affair has soured a lot of the good relationships that Butcher built up during his tenure here, and Malpas' comments regarding the stature of his new employees compared to our diddy club has left a nasty taste in the mouth. I hope this gives our leaderless club the grit and determination to show Butcher that there will be life after he has gone. I'll go for a draw at worst, and a hard fought narrow win at best.

Auldy Boy in the spotlight