Leaderboard

As the post above says it was 2-0 to ICT in a dominant performance from the U20s. The first half was pretty uneventful in truth with both teams attacking each other but struggled to find the net. The second half started off much more livelier than the first with Ali Sutherland popping up to score an opener for ICT. I felt that Adam Evans had a good game today and the thing I like about Evans is that he can hold the ball up well but I felt he could have benefited with a second striker up front with him. As time was rolling on Evans eventually got subbed and we brought on Jamie Wilson. I thought he had a good game while he came on with some bright spells and eventually getting on the scoresheet to make it 2-0 to ICT. Nick Ross and Danny Williams both played today and I thought that Williams had the better game of the two. Williams played in the holding midfield role and I think he is starting to get used to it now. he was bursting with so much energy through the middle - Yogi will be happy with that! Nick Draper had the best of games that I have seen of him since he joined. He made two excellent acrobatic saves to keep a clean sheet today - I can see what Marsella liked about him. Despite the score today I thought that Hearts passed the ball well along the deck but I think defensively we were much better than them. Hearts had Paul McCallum (West Ham Loanee) up front but I thought Matthew Cooper and Jason Brown contained him very well and he didn't trouble them much. Overall good home performance for the U20s today!

I think Yogi is the ideal manager for our club. He's a down to earth guy, he doesn't like the long ball, he NEEDS this job, he has inherited a squad who seem to get on with him, he has given first team football to another TWO youth products (three home grown players in our squad is a massive achievement for a club which does not have the money to contribute to the programme) he's the man we can afford financially. he doesn't carry any obvious baggage by the end of this season he will have a squad playing the way HE feels is the way forward - with or without wingers money permitting ( the boards responsibility) he will do his best to sign players HE feels can do the job HE wants done. I really have confidence in this guy, I don't expect him to achieve overnight but I do believe he will get there. I also have realistic targets for our club - regular top six placing - anything else will be a bonus! Please stick with this guy - support him - make him feel wanted - make him feel a part of the family some say we are. We used to chant Butcher's name ( a man who kicked us in the teeth) and he responded in his usual way - wouldn't it be a nice gesture to treat Yogi in the same way? I'm sure his grin would be even wider!!!

Great to hear the OGC is going to raise this formally. Don't know where Davie gets the idea that there is vitriol directed against Don. Others can make their own judgement by reading who has said what above. The only thing I would add is to pick up on Davie's point about ICT having signed up to the "see me" initiative. That is commendable, but surely it makes it all the more disappointing that nobody associated with the club apparently did anything to try to repeat a repetition of the chants following the previous County game. There really is little point in signing up to a policy advocating social responsibility if the club then does nothing when a small number of it's own supporters behave in exactly the manner which the initiative is trying to stamp out.

I'll have you know that Yogi lets me pick the team every week.

What a boring thing CTO would be if comments were restricted to those "qualified" to make comments! This is a fans' forum and not a managers' professional help line. The views of all, no matter how ill-informed they may appear to others, should be welcomed. In any case, just because you are not "qualified" (whatever that means) doesn't mean you are wrong. Let's keep the diversity of comments going however barking mad they may sometimes be. As long as we respect the right of people to have views different to ourselves and don't respond in an offensive manner, then this forum will continue to be both worthwhile and entertaining.

There's a "Butcher Out" thread on the go @ Hibs.net http://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?281426-Butcher-out

Fully intending bringing it up at tomorrow's CJT board meeting Davie.

Was speaking to Robbo about this a couple of weeks back and he was telling me of a study done in regards the physical impact to players playing on artificial surfaces. From what I understood, teams who play regularly on them pick up fewer injuries than they do on grass and they quickly overcome initial problems...mostly lower back aches resulting from a firmer surface. In regards to what players prefer....they all want to be playing on a good consistent surface and there doesn't seem to be such polar views on whether that must be grass or an artificial surface these days. Advancement has not only been made in regards to the playing surface. In-fill has also evolved and causes no more problems (in terms of burns/grazes) than a sand based pitch. The underlying structure on which the surface is laid is also a lot different than it once was and it's no longer just a carpet/underlay type setup. IMO, with artificial alternatives being what they are now then it should be a no-brainer. The biggest obstacle in balancing the books for a lot of clubs is the cost of having a pitch/stadium which is only generating any significant revenue on 30 or so days a year (at best). Additional revenue from rentals, plus money saved from renting training facilities and facilities for use by youth teams etc would be a healthy 6-figure sum. You also open up options like having other sports using it (ICT Hockey Club, ICT Rugby Club, ICT Shinty Club etc)....then factor in the possibility of having a sports bar/cafe that could (potentially) be open 7 days a week...and from a business perspective it would be crazy not to seriously consider it.

I think heavy policing at games has a lot more to do with the old firm and the offensive behavior at football act rushed through after Ally and Lenny squared up a few years ago than a couple of smoke bombs at the derbies. There is a ridiculous amount of stewarding as it is, you actually feel like a criminal at games these days. 1 smoke bomb, I don't seem to be as offended by this as most on here. I don't really see the danger, criminalizing fans though I find very worrying.

Yup.

As Alex says, 2nd or 3rd would do it, but that's almost certainly beyond us now. But your scenarios for 4th place are spot on. I can't think of any other possible circumstances barring some unlikely UEFA Fair Play allocation. Just checked the Fair Play situation and Scotland are 9th with only the top 3 associations getting a club in, so that's gone! Wouldn't write us of just yet. We need to play all the teams and can take points of any of them. All those above us will drop points to Celtic and to each other so I think things will be a lot closer than they look at the moment. Here's my theory: Celtic take15 pts. We take 12 pts out of fifteen. The rest can then only take nine. Lets say Aberdeen take the 9 that would mean only 6 available for DU and Motherwell and St Johnstone. St Johnston take 3 from DU and Motherwell takes 3 from St Johnstone but lose to DU. Final Standings Celtic...............103pts Aberdeen..........72pts Inverness..........64pts Motherwell........63pts Dundee U.........57pts St Johnstone....51pts Simples really........................................now how to get that 12 pts.

Why do you have to qualify your statement about folk being right to be upset by the chants? It comes across as though your only reason for condemning the chants is because it shows the club up in a bad light. I think everybody else who has expressed distate at the chants has done so out a feeling of compassion for a fellow human being. The fact that it paints the support in a bad light is very much a secondary consideration. And why use the derogatory word "bitching" for folk who are demonstrating a bit of human decency? It is also getting rather tiresome that you continue to badge everyone expressing concerns on this issue as hypocrites because they (in your view) are doing nothing about it. Well actually they are doing something about it - they are letting others who are in a better position to act on the matter know their concerns so that they can help to prevent it in the future. It seems perverse that you blame us and call us hypocrites yet seem to have no words of criticism for the inaction of the club in doing anything preventative following the previous match in Dingwall or for those present at the match who were paid to ensure people's behaviour was in bounds. And whilst I'm at it, I would also comment on your earlier statement criticisng folk who offer critical comment but who don't get actively involved in helping the club. There are a lot of folk who for a variety of reasons are unable to do so. Many folk just find a little time to read and contribute to this forum as a welcome distraction from other aspects of their often very stressful lives. They may work long hours in a stressful job, they may have permanent carer responsibilities, they may live too far away to be able to help, they may be disabled or ill, or they may give generously of their spare time for some other cause. You have no idea what their personal circumstances are. To criticise these folk for not actively getting their hands dirty for the club is, to be frank, offensive. In any case, it is surely preferable to take the time and voice a concern on this forum than say nothing at all. Remember that these folk are actually helping the club by giving those at the club their views. These views should be helpful to you personally in your role with the club as it provides hard evidence about what supporters are thinking. We all know you do a lot for the club and I applaud you and am grateful to you for that, but if you want others to help in a voluntary capacity with the club you might find more success in getting recruits if you didn't convey the impression that you think those of us voicing concerns in the best interests of the club are all lazy hypocrites.

Previous season I've looked at the early rounds of the Europa League, seen some of the team names and thought "how the hell do you pronounce that?!..." I love the thought of someone in Finland, Lithuania, Cyprus or wherever looking at "Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC" in the fixtures and thinking "f**k that!"

Yes......finish 3rd or 2nd

You're right Dougal. They're all wooses nowadays. Can't beat the old days of playing in mudbaths with a 50lb wet leather ball and boots that came up to your ankles.

Try contacting IHE =-he used to put number ratings in stars against all the players te day after a match --on here.