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Butcher has charisma and is a charming personality but he is displaying that narcisstic arrogance where he comes across as being beyond reproach at times. It is as much about setting up a system and trying to maintain it plus selection consistency and perseverence. Chopping and changing when there is injuries is acceptable - chopping and changing when an individual has an off day or an off moment is not acceptable. Said it a lot of times before but the "togetherness" ingredient is sadly lacking at the moment - if the very loyal fans are beginning to voice doubts then there must be doubts about the solidity of the dressing room as well. Butcher can change that and he can turn it around but he has to start taking the flak of the players - and now even the support - by burdening some of the blame and bringing some consistency to ICT. It has been a very reactionary feel to the management this season.

I know the Juanjo incident is way in the past now and i'm sure he's even got over it but it seems that Lennon hasn't. He has a new book out (yes, he can spell!!!) 'Man and Bhoy'. It's such a good book that the Daily Record were giving it away for free a couple of weeks ago. I had no intention of reading it as it does not interest me, however I flicked the pages to the index section to see where ICT are mentioned. Twice, we are mentioned, first of all regarding the 1-0 cup defeat of Celtic when Robbo was in charge and then nearly a whole page on the Juanjo incident. Obviously for copyright reasons I cannot go into detail word for word and there is no external link, so I will keep it as non-plagiarised as possible. He mentions Juanjo 'poking his head into his face'. The TV cameras did not see it. Fourth official Alan Freeland saw it and the referee rightly sent off Juanjo. 'Juanjo said he didn't touch me - well he would say that wouldn't he?'. He finishes this segment of the book off complaining that the SFA let Juanjo off and 'imagine what would have happened if it was the other way around?' I've never had any issues with Lennon, other than the Juanjo incident and I have said for the last few years now, that it is forgotten. I know many fellow ICT fans still often bring it up during conversations about Lennon. However, Juanjo was proven innocent and there is no need for Lennon to lie like this in his book. Maybe it stirs things up by me mentioning this topic on here, but as a support we have to stick up for any of our ex players - especially good professionals like Juanjo who is having his name dragged through the gutter again. Many Celtic fans that have read this book and weren't there / didn't see the footbage / were too young will now forever associate Juanjo as a thug. We all know the truth though. He is a skilfull player, who Lennon could not cope with that day and had to cheat to win the match.

If Terry keeps losing his temper then he will eventually lose his job I fear. That will only make things worse all round. Golabart simply did not go in to that tackle with intent . He was a ***** and the D .U . player simply overran him. Gollo must learn to be macho and determined IMHO BUT a stern word from Terror Terry would have been enough not a tongue lashing. Itw as Terry B that decimated a decent team out of a mad desire to be successful,overnight and threw caution to the winds And now he has no players and no cohesion. Sorry Terry, take your licks and face up to it --YOU caused it !

I agree entirely with the last two posts. My question is even when we have a full squad available, who is going to score us the goals that will move us up the table?!

Am I not right in thinking that Hogg and Munro both left but Hogg couldnt get a club so came back? Not dissing Jones yet just stating that I hadn't seen enough. Man of the match doesn't always give a true reflection I am afraid. Did we sign a good standard of defender this summer? My opinion, no. We then get injuries and take young emergancy loans. Did we sign good defensive midfielders this summer? Not to be convinved. I like the look off Tansey but he is no defensive player. Did we sign decent forward this year? No. Did we let key players in all these positions go or have leave at the end of a contact? Yes. With this in mind you open yourself up to be effected by injuries. You end up with emergancy loans like Golabart, Chippendale, Davis and Aldred. It aint burst yet but we are running out of fingers to plug this particular dyke!

If I remember correctly Tudur-Jones played 3 times. The first, he was man-of-the-match, the second, he was average and the third, he only lasted 2/3 of the final match due to injury (and how long was he injured for in that match?). That's a bit early to be writing him off. Remember, Hayes wasn't great to start with, with Eagle looking a better player early on. I do think Terry can still blame injuries as they are in specific areas. All the defensive midfielders were injured. It's the heart of the team and dictates our play. Just look at Arsenal. Terrific world-class players - no bite. Our two wide players were injured. Chippendale is an emergency loan, so there's no reason to believe he's as good as either Hayes or Doran. He may very well be a third-choice, better-than-nothing player that will be used as fresh legs from the bench. A fit Hogg is also a better player than Tokely, Proctor or Golobart. With Hogg, Proctor, Tudur-Jones and Gillet all injured, there was really little choice in the central defence. A crucial part of the team. I know people will say Butcher should have kept Munro. Although I agree in principle, in practice, that's not the problem. It was probably Hogg or Munro - and both are as likely to be injured as each other - so it's an injury, as opposed to a player. Who could anticipate all the defensive midfielders being injured? All the central defenders, barring Tokely being injured? Both wingers being injured? I don't think we can anticipate short-term emergency loans to be of the same quality as our first choice team. The big player we're missing is Adam Rooney but no surprise really. We can't sign anyone of that immediate quality. And just because Golobart can play attack doesn't mean he's as good up there as he is in defence. I'd also say, when you're having difficulty scoring, losing goals through showboating is unforgivable. Perhaps the best thing for Golobart is to lose a bit of confidence, so he does the simple thing, rather than the extravagant. That said, I do think we have to adjust our tactics a bit to make us a bit more defensive minded. Make us difficult to beat. Once we get our defence-minded players back and a winger, then we can be a bit more expressive. But for now, something that makes us solid and counter attacking is our best bet.

A pal of mine, Davie, is coming up from Glasgow to watch the County tomorrow. Obviously a tad depressed! He is very critical of the manner in which his club have failed to develop any talent through their much heralded youth system since Aiden McGeady and little in years before that. We had a 'heated debate' and came to the conclusion that the club needs to take a lot more responsibility than they do and that blaming the lure of cash from 'down Souffffff' is too easy. Our clubs don't give any opportunity to youngsters any more? Arsene Wenger has played 15 year olds for Arsenal and there are numerous examples of youngsters coming off the bench for clubs all over Europe except here. Why is it only in times of crisis that we blood youngsters? How will the ever be good enough or gain experience if we don't play them? Davie reckons that the Islam Feroz story at Celtic is a prime example. Been at the club since he was very young, played in Tommy Burns Memorial match and is viewed as a huge prospect for club and country. Does he ever get near the bench? Winning 3-0 nil at home to Kille for example with 15 left why can't he get on? But no. Opportunity doesn't knock. Meantime a right big club come in and offer him huge money and he has the choice. Sit my arse and not get a game for Celtic for X or sit and my arse and not get a game for Chelsea for 100X? No brainer really. Celtic blame the player, his family, the agent and Tony Blair (he is, after all, to blame for most ills in the world today!) when in reality they should have a wee look in the mirror. Until our clubs have the balls to play youth through choice not necessity and all the pressures that brings we will continue to see the demise of our game. I think there are plenty willing to be developed Chief but very few coaches with the balls to allow it to happen. Whose fault is that?

I wasn't at the game, but my thoughts could be that the players went in at half time, Butcher singled Golobart out and ranted and raved at him for his mistake. Her then decides to take him off, damaging his confidence even more and replaces him with Proctor (if that doesn't down your spirits I don't know what will!). Butcher's antics then leaves the players all a bit dispirited and thus end up losing the game. Wouldn't surprise me if that is the kind of scenario is what has taken place.

The better days of Scottish football were largely prior to the onset of computer games and most modern technology. Kids would go out in all weather kicking a ball, come rain or shine, snow and frost. That has now disappeared. The kids who do still go out in all weather, will be the ones we are watching in ten years time, difference is, the coaches have ten times less talent to nurture. All weather pitches, covered community pitches, and doses and doses of encouragement will be needed. The game has changed so much in 25 years. Money has changed it. Celtic won the European cup with ALL Scottish players, Rangers, Aberdeen, and Dundee Utd when they were at their best were full of Scots. Italian, Spanish, German, French, Dutch teams were all full of their own players, with only the exceptional few going to play their football in foreign countries. English football was full of the best British and Irish players. In fact I think before the Bosman ruling, very few won the English league without a backbone of Scottish, Welsh or Irish players. Money and Greed has destroyed all of this. The English, Spanish, Italian, and German teams now have the best players in the world, with all other domestic leagues picking up those who are below this level. Where its all gone wrong for Scottish football, is the not so good foreign players in our game, who are keeping out our young talent, preventing them from developing and getting their chance. Our 12 team, and previous 10 team league strangled our game. Teams are so scared of dropping out of the SPL, the managers are unwilling to play our own talented youngsters, in favor of older journeymen with experience. A bigger league would mean room for the safer teams to try and develop the kids, and give them the chance, and in the long run improving our stock and depth of talent. Barca are the big exception to this in modern times, and if we could have some of what they have we should order masses of it, better weather, loads of pitches, and brilliant youth coaches. Some might shout what about Man U, Arsenal etc. Sure they have very very good youth players in depth, but they are both buying them in from all over the place, depriving the smaller teams of their future players ( Celtics Islam Feruz an example ) because they cannot afford to pay a 16 year old ? 2,500 a week. Back to money again. The only way Scottish football will improve without big money is to concentrate on youth development. Expand the league to give managers the security to try things. Get the under 21s or under 23s back, so they get a chance to develop. Play offs and relegation, and access to the leagues from non league to unstagnate things

Can't understand what all the fuss is. Education, including higher and further, comes under the control of the Scottish Parliament. The government that we elected (and unlike the Westminster elections we really did!) have chosen to subsidise fees for Scottish students. It has been identified as a clear priority by those in power and they are choosing to fund out of the settlement so kindly passed sown to the serfs from the laird's table. Now, because all English universities insist on charging everyone who attends their universities (as the body empowered to delivering education in their country doesn't see it as high up the list of priorities as, for example, funding soldiers to abuse Iraqis) some chose to label our government racist when, in reality, they should be praised for starting to reverse some of the despicable damage forced on our nation by Thatcher and her ******* love child Blair! Be clear about one thing. Not a single elected member coming from Scotland to Westminster has every opposed abolishing tuition fees for English students attending English universities. It isn't on the agenda as the English politicians do not view it as important. The LDs (Lib Dems or Lap Dogs you decide) once did but.........the lure of the chauffeur, company car and cosy flat proved too much. Delighted that some pompous individual from elsewhere in the UK is taking the issue to court. If it is ruled illegal, then the ability of any devolved part of a member EU state to vary their policies from elsewhere in the member state boundary must be under threat. It will cause mayhem throughout the territory. It will also stick another two points on the opinion polls for those supporting independence. Gae on yersel Rupert!