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Dear Laurence, I'm very disappointed to hear that you won't be attending games or visiting this site again. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that the Caley Stadium will feel somewhat empty without you there and this forum won't be half as interesting without your fantastic and intelligent input. Hopefully one day we'll all be able to move on from this terrible news and eventually find a reason to live again. I don't know about you, but in my and many others opinion, supporting a football team is about getting behind them rain or shine, winning or losing, no matter how big or how small. Some may say that Celtic have the best fans in the world - but they are wrong. The best fans in the world are the ones who support their local team, and get behind them no matter what their size or circumstance. ICT have had a great journey to get to where they are now, and that journey will continue on - this season and beyond. It's just a shame that you won't be able to join us. I'm going to have to stop now, as I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. Goodnight and God Bless Renegade

I have to remark that this is the best post match thread in a long, long time with some concise and accurate perceptions which also are focussed on performances and tactics. May have to start a thread about Adam Rooney as some people dont appear to realise that he wont be playing this season alongside Messrs Munro and Duncan. That was a big improvement on pre season and Motherwell. Terry has bought well with Doh a Deer plugging the problematic rite back slot and Tentpole Tudor looking good in the defensive midfield slot. I am looking forward to have a look at McKay as I am still worried about the forward line and I am really not sure that Djebi Tade fites the bill. Tactically we were far more organised and held a good shape especially when Doran entered the frame. There is still evidence - naturally - that the team has not gelled and that backs up TB's concern that the season started too soon. We certainly have not had any rub of the green and we could have notched six goals yesterday - including two penalties - and on one subject that I usually swerve but - the officials yesterday were terrible and cost us the game although I did feel that Hayes went down to easy fer the late goal. ESSON :twothumbsup: :twothumbsup: Got the sponsors MOM and thoroughly deserved it. Has started off this season as he ended the last. I said that we could have scored six but so could Hibs - if not for Esson - three saves which were out of the top drawer. DOH A DEER :twothumbsup: :twothumbsup: He looks like one of the most talented defenders that we have ever signed and I cant wait to see what he is like when he gels and gets fitter. ALDRED :twothumbsup: Immense in the air and did well against Gary Methadone but still tends to stray out of position and out of line - noticeable yesterday that Esson was giving him some gip which will only help. Great to see somebody who plays the ball out of defence, ROSSCOE :twothumbsup: Are you Grant Munro in disguise ? I am afraid that we could be looking at the axing of a Legend when Hogg gets fit. GILLET :twothumbsup: I though that he was good going forward and what a defensive block in the first half. But he is another who gets out of position and you cant do that at left back. Aint seen any replays but was he culpable for the goal alongside Hayes ROSS :twothumbsup: Very bad day at the office but Nick evidently prefers the centre of midfield AND please dont play him on the left. Suspect that Doran will start at Dumbfarmlife and also feel that Andrew Shinnie may be number 2 in the wide man pecking list. TENTPOLE TUDOR :twothumbsup: A competent, promising and no nonsense introduction and I suspect that he was told to sit yesterday and we got little vision of what he could do going forward - especially for dead ball situations. May be a real find when he gels, especially if it is interlinking with Tansey. TANSEY :twothumbsup: I actually think that he is trying too hard - if ya get ma drift. Suggest that he slows down a bit and uses his napper instead of the adrenaline surges. Once he gets a goal - and he is the one that has really deserved it - then he will only get better. HAYES :twothumbsup: I fear that Terry and Mo have told Hayes that he will be the main man this season and that has affected him. When we started looking for Doran instead of looking for Johnny all the time - even from feckin Esson kick outs !! - we looked like a dangerous outfit and Johnny was a team player. Can we have the less arrogant Johnny Hayes back please. And he allowed himself to be bullied at the goal, FORAN :twothumbsup: I still feel that he is wasted up front and now not too sure if he should be El Capitano. Sure he should bawl at the rest but he also needs to concentrate on his own game and his positioning and concentration went several times yesterday as he preferred to remonstrate at officials and peers. Put hayes further up and Foran back wide left please. DJEBI TADE :twothumbsup: Dont get me wrong but Lionel Gregory will run and run and run and will hassle and hassle and hassle and will look good fer that but he is not a footballer and he will not score goals. He may get assists but not with Richie beside him so will be interesting how he gels with McKay. Good man to have in the squad though. SUTHERLAND :twothumbsup: Am I alone in thinking that he is so frustrating and one game / minute he looks like the real thing and the next NOT. Could have / should have scored with his first touch. I was hoping that he would be the main man up front this season and I actually think that we should persist with him. DORAN :twothumbsup: His introduction almost won us the game and wasnt it great to see Aaaron and Johnny hugging the touchlines and Hibees had no answers. The only criticism was his final pass / cross (as could be said about Hayes and Tansey) and he is evidently not match ready - but when he is we will progress. TERRY AND MO :twothumbsup: :twothumbsup: Have learned their lessons and changed the system and the tactics and have possibly picked up two of the best signings that we have done in ages - possibly three if Hogg gels as well.

I think folk are forgeting we have signed a Striker but he's out injured. Billy McKay... and before folk start nobody had heard of Adam Rooney till he came here and he took a while to settle. A youngster is our only hope really cos we cannot afford a established striker.. (perhaps a loan deal?)

ESSON PERMAYR HOGG/TOKELY ALDRED GILLET DORAN TANSEY TUDOR-JONES FORAN HAYES SUTHERLAND I know that this will not be Terry and Mo's choice and they will stick with Tade and the same positional system but I would perservere with the above.

Doubtless because Scotland call-ups are not based solely on one game... and highly unlikely to be influenced by games played after the Call-Up...unlike the opinions of fickle fans who expect perfection from every player in every game

Does anyone else remember my long running campaign to get Lionel up front? Looks like its finally happened!

I know I'm going to get slated for this but honestly I don't understand some people on this! Nick Ross was brilliant for us last season. Didn't chip in with many goals but that wasn't his job to do. He's our most promising youngster by far and yes had a poor game today but how you can suggest to put him out on loan is just laughable. Congrats Nick on getting called up!

Good to see Nick back in the U-21's squad. Definitely didn't have his best game today but we have to remember that he is still young and is developing as a player all the time. Think it's highly unfair those fans who are calling for him to leave on loan etc. As Alex has pointed out he started 35 games last season and he was certainly one of our most consistent performers, in his first season in the SPL and second season of playing full-time professional football! Good luck to him when representing our country.

Completely agree with 'Doofers Dad' and 'Libero' in their assessments of todays game. Greatly encouraged by the overall play of the team today. The new signings look like real finds. Defence looked pretty solid throughout although I would feel more comfortable with Hogg playing in at the heart of the defence. Aldred looks like a good commanding defender who has plenty of potential. Will this be the first season that Tokely is pushed out of the team? Gillet was slightly off the pace today however he made a superb block on the line in the first half and I remain positive that he'll turn out to be a good solid left back. Piermayr as mentioned above looks like the solution to our problem right back position. I was very impressed not only with his defensive ability but also his attacking threat in the second half. In midfield, I think Jones could turn out to be our signing of the season. He strolled through the game and showed his quality on the ball, picking out good passes and rarely losing the ball. He easily looks like he could play at a higher standard and unfortunately I think this may be his first and last season with us before he moves back to a 'bigger' club. Tansey started slowly but second half played well, making good, well timed runs into the box and was unlucky not to get a goal. I wonder if Cox will get his place back? And where he'll fit in? Hayes I thought was quiet for his standards. I sometimes found himself trying to do everything by himself instead of moving the ball quicker and stretching Hibs. He did however, play in some great crosses second half and looked a threat. It certainly didn't help that anytime he picked up the ball he had 2 or even 3 players quickly closing him down. Could be a harder season for him as he's been pin pointed by the opposition. Nick Ross had his poorest SPL game for us today i'm afraid. There is no doubt he has ability but today things didn't click for him and Butcher made a good decision to swap things quite early on into the second half. His replacement Doran looks like he's going to be a right handful for SPL defences this year. I'm very excited by the thought of a fully fit Hayes and Doran on the wings running at defenders and putting crosses into the box. Foran had a good game I thought. Once again very hard working, never gave up and always wants to win. I think he suits playing just of the striker and there were a few times when he was being played in slightly too late by his team mates. Another sign that the team are still gelling and getting used to each others styles of play. Tade is a real hard worker. He doesn't know when to give up and I think his attitude will make him a favourite with us all. He played well today, perhaps won't score 15/20 but with the right striker beside him, he'll create goals and cause chaos in oppositions defence. Overall, I'm very excited by the team that TB has put together. For years we have longed to see an attacking, exciting ICT team and I think that it just what we will be getting this season. The team seem determined to get forward as a team and attack. I left the stadium disappointed today that we lost but also very encouraged by the new players and the exciting style of football that was on show today. Lets just give these guys time to gel and i'm sure we're going to see a very successful ICT team this season pushing towards the top six.

Never seen him today but I think some on here are being a bit harsh. So he had a bad game. If thats all there is to go on then why are so many other players still hero's. Everyone had at least one bad game last season but nobody is calling for them to be put out on loan. Nick started in 35 games and came of the bench in a further 4 last season. Is that not far better experience than he'll ever gain in a lower team loan spell? He was also very close to being awarded Player of the Year last season as voted for by the same fans who are now slating him. There was me thinking it was only the gutter press who built someone up to knock him down again.

We wuz robbed! Missed a hatload of good chances and had a couple of stonewall penalty claims turned down. I think 5 - 3 would have been a reasonable reflection of the game. Am I disappointed? Yes. Am I down hearted? No. It was a bright enough started but then Hibs took control and could and probably should have got a couple. We started coming back into it at the end of the half and then totally dominated the 2nd half. We will play worse and win this season. I have to say I am really encouraged. There were several occasions when the lack of familiarity with the new team mates showed - notably when Tom Aldred played a measured back pass to Essons right foot - but when they get used to each other I think we have a good team in the making. Hogg will certainly stengthen the back and the goals will come. All the new signings look decent. We have failed to score in the opening 2 matches but that will come. The important thing is we are creating chances by the hatload and a bit more sharpness, composure or luck is all that is required. I don't know much about Mackay but if he is the kind of striker who can capitalise on the half chances that come when the ball is driven low into the box then he will revel in the way the team played today. Given that the players have hardly played together I thought it was an excellent performance and I really enjoyed the match. I thought Doran was the stand out player when he came on - he made good space and his control on the first touch was top class. For me it looks as though we are going to see some really attractive football this year. We may be bottom just now but come the end of the season we are much more likely to be bottom of the top six than bottom of the bottom six. Think positive. We are only 4 points off top spot.

A new striker just isn't going to happen. Butcher was saying before the match about how broke he was, referring to his budget. A proven striker scoring 20 or more a season costs a lot. We just have to be patient. It would be a lot worse if we were losing without creating any chances at all.

Jesus, overreaction or what??? Overall many positives from a team who are still to learn how to play with each other. Positives - Tudor Jones and Piermayr both look cracking captures with Tansey also contributing in spells. We created a number of chances Negatives - Lack of composure in front of goal (match fitness should hopefully change this), Aldred is sound in the air but needs more agression when the ball is on the ground - at this level you simply cannot back off from a distance as a centre half (Hogg should be fit enough for next week though), Hayes still getting caught in possession in bad areas (suppose this is the curse of attacking players) and Officials (four sound penalty claims and a linesman who could not see a ball a yard over the line - even the referee 25 yards out could see this). Otherwise frustrating to lose a game like this. I think the shot was even going wide till Esson got an unluckly glove on it.

You expected flack, and thoroughly deserve it, mun. One of the most ridiculous suggestions of all time!

Esson Piermayr, Aldred, Hogg, Gillet Doran, Foran, Cox, Hayes Tokely Tade I know I'll need to dodge a lot of flack but it could work

The problem is if we don't pull our socks up it doesn't matter if it is a two team SPL. Which it virtually is, or a 20 team SPL. We will always be struggling. The games I have seen this season, I think we are pathetic. My daughter came with me on Boxing day. Her reaction was " a waste of twenty quid" . As she is a student the waste of £20 hurt. We can' retain the ball, we can't pass to feet. We can't take corners, We can't take throw ins for love nor money. Our free kick taking is as bad as it gets. Our midfield is none existent, so we have to boot the ball over their heads. In short in footballing terms it is primitive crap. What are the coaches doing all week in training, I see better throw in takers in the park on Sunday mornings. I was sent an email by this forum, to say , why have you not visited us, now you know why. The supporters, are the worst I have ever seen. They are the quietest I have ever seen, unless they are berating the referee or telling the opposition manager to get back in his box, they seem incapable of understanding what is going on. Every time the ref blows in favour of the opps. They shout cheat or similar at the ref. The team in defence stand off all the time ( closing down, seems anathema to them ) The ops attack can take pop shots all game long, with no challenge. No wonder the team like it better away from home. Of course I am new to the area, I gave ITC a chance, I now wonder why? So Mr Doncaster do what you want, but from where I am standing you are peeing up brew as they say in my native Lancashire.

[Hi I wrote this lot above way back I didn't expect anyone to take any notice, but there is such a thing as second season syndrome. I expect either ICT or Dunfermline to be retegated this year. Because Dunfermline have just been promoted and will fight for every point I think ICT will miss out I havent got a season ticket this year. Not prepared to be bored out of my mind for a second year running Either learn to take throw ins or sign Rory Dilap when he becomes a free agent Doubt if I shall visit this forum again Laurence