Leaderboard

I really hope that this "disloyal v happy clappers" stuff doesn't translate into a real schism in our support. I personally don't think it does. John Hughes is manager because he presented the board with the best case for filling the vacancy, ahead of all the other applicants. He didn't get the position by default. He presented the board with a vision that is entirely coherent with their aims, i.e. that of a successful team playing passing football that entertains people and encourages them to fill seats in the stadium. That's not what is happening right now as the team adapts to changes that the manager has brought about, and it's unfortunately to be expected. Since coming in, Hughes has had very few weeks where two (or three) games have not been the norm, so there's little time for coaching in there. there have been injuries and accumulated fatigue. It takes time, and that's what he should get. He also doesn't have a real budget for increasing the playing staff - because of the lack of a league sponsor etc, there's not a massive amount of money around and that's just fact. The problem will compound if people decide that, in the face of one of our most successful seasons (by any measure) they will not renew season tickets. Another 300 or so would be a more constructive and positive direction to head in, but I'm not going to tell others what to do or what to buy, just not to base their support on a hasty reaction. All I would ask is that they look at all aspects of what the club is, how it operates and what it means to them and I'm sure that would transcend what I sincerely hope (and believe) is a temporary setback in results. Judge John Hughes next October, but until then please get behind him and the team.

Do I think John Hughes has done a good job thus far? No. Do I think he would rather lose with his system than win with Butchers? So far Yes. Do I fear for next season? Yes. Does he say things (or is put across in the media as having said things) which have annoyed me? Yes. Do I think he'll be sacked before Christmas? No. Have our results been relegation worthy since he arrived? Yes. Do I want to see him fail? No. Do I expect him to fail? Regrettably yes. Do I hope he proves me wrong? Yes. Do I wish people would stop quoting each other and making this thread impossible to follow on my phone? Yes. Do I think doubting the manager makes you less of a supporter of the club? No.

Well, Davie, for what it is worth, your post is the constructive and positively-orientated one that I have hoped for from the naysayers for a long time. It comes across as thoughtful and insightful and if I were the manager it would be sending a ray of hope to me that my emotional body was not going to be destroyed every week by constant, brutally negative criticism. If J Hughes gets down because of this --and believe me he needs to be strong to weather this type of unrelenting attack.-- it is no wonder he may not be able to lift up and continue to inspire the players because they can read as well as we can. It's like kicking someone when he or she is down. What I am left wondering is whether or not some of the more rabidly negative whiners on here would ever help a lame dog over a style? And the bizarre suggestion that allowing Richie Foran to handle the next three games is not worthy of a reply because obviously it must have been made with tongue in cheek.

Well, it is certainly turning out to be quite a colourful thread! Mahonio--I don't think anybody hates you. But getting very angry and using asterisks to swear and that sort of thing means you are getting a bit too angry, frustrated and wild. If you really think you are right why not try to use your reasons to win the day and let the chips fall where they may. Everybody is getting all hett up and frustrated but it's great to just get it off your chest and then move on I find. If your next post is moderate and nice then I will deffo give you a "like". To be truthful, I also find the constant copying and pasting of other people's posts on each new post to be so wasteful of space and makes the thread so long. And as a vision-impaired person, having to scroll through all this stuff is a mind-boggling experience. Doesn't anyone on here realise that we have already read all of them once and there is no need to repeat the anguish. I mean , to repeat long-winded posts like those from the Scarlet Pimple fella must be just soul destroying..like. It's only a game isn't it? yes or no?

I welcome Davie's post as a constructive contribution to the debate. I share the concern about a schism in the support but can we please not question people's loyalty.It seems to me that there are probably 3 broad camps all of whom have the best interests of the club at heart. At one extreme you have those who want Hughes to go now because they are convinced he was the wrong appointment from the word go, whilst at the other extreme there are those who feel it is too early to even express any concerns about his performance to date. In the middle are those who feel it is too early to consider sacking him but who are concerned about what they are seeing. That is 3 broad views but the reality is it is a continuum of viewpoints between the two extremes. I think Davie's contribution is important because it actually helps to clarify why so many of us are concerned. I think we all share the vision of "a successful team playing passing football that entertains people and encourages them to fill seats in the stadium". But hang on a bit - we were 2nd in the league when Hughes took over. Weren't we a successful team playing passing football that entertained people? Of course, the vision must surely be to be more successful and play more entertaining football, perhaps by passing more and I think we all accept that some change is involved. But the issue here is not the vision per se, it is the practical limit of the vision and the strategy of achieving that. No doubt Hughes will learn to regret the Barcelona comments if he hasn't already done so. Of course we would love ICT to play like Barca but we all know it is not going to happen. There has to be some realism here. It is sobering to reflect on last nights Champions' League semi final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Following his success at Barcelona Pep Guardiola is trying to instill the same style at Bayern and is having some success because they have world class players. However, they were humbled last night. An extraordinary statistic is that Bayern made 656 passes to Real's 287. For all those passes they only managed 4 shots on target. The message is clear. There may well be scope to have the side playing more of a passing game than in the Butcher era but this is surely a thing of evolution and not revolution. The concern many folk have is that Hughes has made radical changes for some games. Rather than rebuilding the playing style, we should have been building on the success we already had - success which was to a large extent built around the strengths of the current squad. Davie states "Hughes has had very few weeks where two (or three) games have not been the norm, so there's little time for coaching in there. there have been injuries and accumulated fatigue. It takes time, and that's what he should get." But that, surely, is the very reason why he should not have been experimenting with the playing style at this time. It does indeed take time but he has not given it any time - he's gone straight in and changed things at precisely the time when stability was needed. Going back to the stated vision it is important to remember this is not just about a passing game, it is about a passing game which entertains. A radio summariser on Sunday reported that the one time Inverness broke out of defence a passing movement ended with Draper passing the ball back to the keeper. That is not what I call entertainment and it will not fill empty seats in the stadium. I have no problem with the vision as Davie describes it, but the high flying status of the club when Hughes took over combined with the difficulties he describes called for a softly softly approach to change with tweaks here and there to build on what we already had. I also agree with Davie that things will be more difficult if a significant number of fans decide they won't buy season tickets next year. That is, of course, another reason for a softly softly approach to change Some fans will continue to support the team come what may, but we all know that many who come to watch will only come if the team is playing well and winning - that's life. Davie mentions that Hughes doesn't have a budget for increasing the playing staff, but that has no bearing on the slump in performance this season. We still have same players - it is the manager that is different. Indeed, because we have the same players and they are contracted for next season as well is a further reason for a softly softly approach to change - we will not have a squad hand picked by Hughes to suit his way ideal way of playing. By all means give the guy some time and I would support Davie's call for fans to get behind him and the team, but let's not pretend there is nothing to be concerned about.

A number of LOCAL boys have been promoted from the 17's and offered 2 year pro- contracts to play for the u-20's.

There are more things for a manager to consider when offering a player a new contract, attitude, performance in training, making sure he fits into his game plan, etc etc. Things that we don't have the luxury of seeing

Being an occasional attendee at matches nowadays I, along with new supporters, are one of the biggest target audiences for the club. 5/6-0 defeats, 0-0 draws and the form since December won't entice 'fairweather' fans to the club. John Hughes was the wrong man for the club both in terms of managerial experience & ICTs slick playing style and the sooner the board realise the better. The stats 'pre/post Hughes' are astounding and if Hughes says he is not making wholesale changes in the summer then surely the same will continue? One final note - what has the impact on Billy McKays asking price been since Hughes took over? Astute clubs will see he is still a good player but his transfer value must have halved?

My baby daughter is now sleeping through the night.

We will finish in profit for the second consecutive financial year.

I can see what you are saying davie but the Board also thought Brewster was the man for the job. Even when it was blindlingly obvious he wasn't, rather than sack him, they gave him extra cash to spend. Very noble but ultimately wrong. I can see why people are saying give him time (and, to be honest, most naysayers are probably also in that camp, although not me) but I can see what is happening now is what always happens with Hughes' teams. An inability to halt a losing streak, a lack of goals, a play around at the back, so the more talented midfield don't get a look in, then a panic ball loaded up top. This was even the case with a Hibs team that had Derek Riordan, Liam Miller, Benjelloun and Rankin. Yes, I know he did fine initially but once the losses start, he can't halt it. I'm sure the Board won't sack him but I think they'll wish they had never taken him on come the end of his reign. Maybe you think differently but it's based on blind hope not the history of Yogi at other clubs. Once he's on a losing streak, he doesn't have the means to halt it.

Not 100% certain but I believe this to be the case. Precedent is that you can continue to have British passport and can also have Scottish passport if you so wish. Dual nationality is not a new phenomena. If you currently have dual nationality, then you will need to choose which passport you forfeit if you wish to have a Scottish passport.

Some people on here as seeing this as black and white. Disloyal v Happy Clappers. I am very worried about the way the team has performed under Hughes and some of the statements he has made and I am not convinced he is the man for OUR club, but I have two season tickets, sponser a player and hold a small number of shares. I don't expect to win every week but I do hope for a level of effort and manager who is willing to admit mistakes and see what is best for the team and club and supporters. Under Hughes I feel the hope draining from me. Two wins over C'unty, a win at Aberdeen and a semi- final roller coaster are the only plus points since mid December and the negatives are too many to list. Do I want Yogi to succeed? He'll yes. He succeeds our club succeeds. Do I think he will? Sorry but no. Nothing inspires me with hope.

Feck me, rocket science wins the day!

I get that people have different opinions, what I don't get is why people have to insult people regardless of that opinion.

From The Chosen One to The Sacked One in less than a season. Did Moyes deserve longer than he got to get United back on track. On this basis Fergie would not have lasted a season either.

Awwwwwww for Faaacks SAAAAAAKE!!!! FC winning in their play off semi against Ashton, only for Ashton to score a 93rd min equaliser then go and score in the last min of ET. FC failing to get passed the play offs for a 4th year in a row. Ahh well atleast we'll be in our own ground next year. Over 3000 again at the match. Cracking support for a club 3 tiers below League 2.

Do I know how to quote your post and therefore continue the trend? No.

You do raise an interesting point in amongst your waffling, where are all of the Hughes supporters? I'm not sure where to start on the rest of this, at what point did Hughes earn this respect you say he deserves? You bring up IHE as an example of an established poster on here showing respect, yet IHE himself openly has more personal digs at our previous managers psyche than anyone else on here, how is that showing unqestionable respect? Why assume that people are not posting on this topic because they think it is beneath them? I'd say its safe to assume most people on here are firmly on the fence on this issue and thats only after our rousing win up in Dingwall, after that Dundee United game the pitchforks were out in force. You have totally misread the vibes coming from the support as a whole. "The Board is NOT going to react in the same way that they think because the members of the Board are mature business persons and rational and reasonable people NOT usually likely to go into orbit with knee jerk reactions. And NOT young bucks feeling their oats and letting that feeling overcome their brains." I guess you could say the the board demonstrated some rational thought in bringing in a guy on the cheap, who had been shunned by the rest of Scottish football after multiple failures. Tell me SP.. in all this talk of yours of being fair, rational, respectful and downright gentlemanly when discussing the merits and potential of Hughes, at what stage do you sit down and look over the stats? There has been a swing of 17 points and 1 trophy between ourselves and Aberdeen since Hughes took over, we were clear in 2nd place with games and points to spare, where are we now?I don't think any of the people interviewed could have got it so badly wrong . Like I said before I take no pleasure in seeing thistle get tanked every week . The fact remains yogi will stick to his guns and work with the squad he has (his words) the worry is that I fear for the very survival of thistle in the top flight if he remains in charge .end of!I think Mr Cameron got it badly wrong and needs to act asap before its to late!! Even Craig Levein or the inexperienced Paul Telfer wouldn't have been as shocking as Hughes is turning into. As for no new signings, WTF!!! Next seasons starting 11 will be more or less same as this but the squad will be bare. My patience has been waring thin ever since last Celtic game. I really hope lack of season tickets sold for next season is an indication to board that all is not well!! So much for "best chairman" in league!!Gonna bite! Craig Levein I believe didnt wish considered for the job and how on earth do you know that we would be any better off with the inexperienced Mr Telfer? Unless youve got a crystal ball. If you want to support a team that wins all the time I suggest you start supporting Celtic.That was ******* uncalled for!! I don't believe what OCG said was uncalled for and maybe it's a bit of a reality shock for you. In my opinion you're having a go at Kenny Cameron for no reason when he has no say what so ever in results on the pitch. If you ever listened to CaleyD on the CaleyThistle Podcast and he gave us an insight on the work Kenny Cameron does off the pitch for ICT. Where has it been stated that there will be no new signings? I know it's been disappointing to concede 11 goals in 2 games vs Celtic but I think you need to be a bit realistic here. We were playing against the best team in Scotland on their own turf and they are capable of doing it to many other teams. For what it is worth I was at Celtic Park last Sunday and I didn't think Celtic were good enough for six goal and I was very disappointed leaving CP watching ICT get humped, individual errors cost us and the fact we were missing David Raven, Richie Foran and Marley Watkins - we had 4 subs FFS, cuts us a bit of slack. Yogi should/will be given the summer and then I think he should be judged. It is far too soon IMHO. So its not uncalled for telling me to go support Celtic just because I am annoyed at current form, this forum is seriously pissing me off. Time for another break before I say something I regret. Wonder who else will get told to support Celtic just for having a go at boss or will it just be the most hated person on here, me!!! I can understand that you're pissed off at the fact at losing 6-0, trust me witnessing it in the flesh wasn't a fecking laugh. The reason that OCG said for you to go and support Celtic because you're moaning at every bad little aspect. The reason I got involved in the first place is because I felt that you were unnecessarily having a go at the chairman for results that he has no input in - only appointing the manager. Trust me, I have been on the forum after games (constructively) criticising the tactics we had seen vs Motherwell at the start of the month. I was really unhappy after 5-0 defeat vs Dundee United. The guy has only been in the job for 4 months. Give the man in his own words "Give it a right good go" and if he fails then fair enough at least he is given the chance but who knows what happens after the summer window and pre season this might be a lot different. I know times are tough right now being an ICT fan but we have to power through it.

Wasn't going to bite on this topic, but had to after some of the comments I have been reading (not just the ones I have quoted below). I have my own opinion on our manager and I still sit quite uncomfortably on the fence. I dont believe in sacking a manager this early, but by the same token anyone who is arguing that there is nothing wrong is living in cloud cuckoo land !!! There are aspects of his leadership that have me banging my head against a brick wall yet there are other areas where I do feel he is doing good ... or trying to, but overall, I would be lying if I did not say I was concerned for season 2014/15. Pre-Season is where you change your methods not halfway through what is until that point a successful looking season. If we were losing every game or playing badly I could understand it but there's an old adage that "if it aint broke, dont fix it" and that is basically what Yogi said when he came in ... then proceeded to try and fix it. Unless you are Barca, Real Madrid, Man City, or other uber-rich clubs where you can indeed go out and buy players to suit the system you want to play, or you are a team like say Ajax where the philosophy of 'total football' starts at the youth level then you dont adapt players to your style, you adapt the style to play to your players' strengths and minimise exposure of their weaknesses. Please god NO !!!! This DOES NOT WORK unless you are actually Barca or another rich club as note above. Think Luvgravy posted it earlier in this or another thread but both of us had the misfortune to watch as former Dutch International Aron Winter, tried to do just this at Toronto FC. He had his unshakeable philosophy - the total football 433 system employed by Ajax - but this just does not work in MLS. MLS is not a 'silky' league, just like the SPFL is not, so you have to have horses for courses and be willing to switch up the tactics when Plan 'A' doesnt work. Yogi seems almost as unwilling to change his tactics when things are going pear-shaped as Aron Winter did .... and TFC started the 2013 season with 9 straight losses !!! For me its not the 11 goals ... well it is, but I agree with you that Celtic can do this to almost any team in Scotland on their day. What really concerns me is that we don't seem to learn from past mistakes, and not just in this game. How many games have we played where supporters who were at the game came back on here later to bemoan the tactics? playing with no wingers, or playing non-wingers out wide. not because of injury, but because 'the method' was more important than what was actually working or not working on the pitch. Do I want him sacked? No I dont, I think it is too early for that, and he should have time - at the end of the season - to implement his own changes, but I have to say I am concerned. I met him briefly before Xmas and he seems to be a decent guy, but with all due respect to him, ICT is more important than any manager and if we start to slide next season then his position may quickly become untenable.

Just why would Yogi walk ? Where on earth do you think he would get another job in football ?

This year the club are offering fans the chance to vote online for whichever player they think has performed the best over the 2013/14 season. Alternatively, you can vote in person at this weekends home match versus Dundee Utd (Saturday 3rd May). To vote online, head on over to : http://ictfc.com/news/team-news/1276-poty-voting-1314

Can't wait to see what the next colour is Just what I was thinking, no need for the green Renegade we seen enough of that on Sat

A valid post and one I entirely agreed with until the utterly illogical and irrational attempt to cite the actions of a number of idiots as an argument against independence. The no camp make some spurious points but that just about takes the biscuit.

I can even tie my own shoe laces!

Its amazing how much flak a manager has to take when things arent going well. nothing to do with the "professional" footballers whatsoever :/

As mentioned in the thread, we only needed seven points. Hardly a triumph in that case. Are you also not worried that when he took over, we were second and going strong but have now plummeted to fifth, with sixth looking a real possibility. Hughes's points ratio since he came is 22 points in 22 games. That's relegation form. If it was so easy, we didn't we do it? He also won one match, on penalties, against what must be the worst Hearts side in decades and we even nearly bottled that. Only Draper and Vincent have re-signed under Hughes, hardly "all our players" as you call it. Most contract renewals are dealt with by the chairman as well. The points ratio under Butcher was much better than Hughes. As mentioned previously, Hughes has 22 points in 22 games. That's relegation form. Brilliant? He's been good, but he's not been fantastic. The points do not show how "Hughes has helped us" at all. I don't understand the point you're making about Aberdeen, Hughes has only beaten them once and Ross County are garbage. The fact they're our rivals shouldn't matter. Why should we just be happy for a bonus? Why does the team need adapted, when it was going strong when he took over? Isn't pre-season the time to change tactics. Doing it mid-season is absolutely ridiculous and not working. Latapy was a superb player, Hughes was a good player, but no world beater, but that has nothing to do with it. Also, there previous records are not good at all. Latapy was sacked by the Trinidad and Tobago FA and failed to get them to the Gold Cup. Hughes failed everywhere but Falkirk and even then it wasn't exactly fantastic, they were almost relegated, bottled the cup final with the general consensus being that he would have been sacked had they not gotten there. It's also interesting that their fans don't seem to rate him at all, despite being this "success" that everyone goes on about. Hughes first became a manager 11 years ago. He's done essentially nothing in that time. Oh and for the record, I've only missed one match since Hughes took over. Our team has had many bad injury's and suspensions to deal with which TB never did that's why his points per game is much better. We started off in the semi final by playing with TB's tactics but when the game was going sour it was Yogi Time and he stepped up to the mark and triumphed. The reason we didn't win the final was cause none of our players had ever dealt with crowds like that before so when it came to penalty's they got nervous simple also aberdeen set up for the draw cause they knew they could on penalty's. Fine then but if you look at how crucial draper is to our cause then you must agree with me that keeping him will be crucial in our push for europe next season. Points wise yes TB's may be better per game but he named the same starting XI for 7/8 games in a row so of course they would be doing well Tansey even though he only came in January he's been one of better players through-out the season I'm trying to show how far we have come in such a short space of time and how much further we can go if we just trust the man in charge, on the subject of county anything can happen in a derby and if you say they are garbage how did they beat us on new year's When teams go through a transitional stage when they are use to playing a certain way sometimes it doesn't work this time it doesn't but the players are all for it which is great cause it shows they are fully behind Hughes and so should we. You're right i mean Hughes getting Hibs Europe is nothing what so ever, also Hartlepool fans are very grateful for him to try and attempt to save them, they were dead and buried but he came in and nearly saved them from relegation. I'm just pointing out that you will find fans who don't even go to games have an opinion on them even though they were not there only because they are pro yogi out

You do raise an interesting point in amongst your waffling, where are all of the Hughes supporters? I'm not sure where to start on the rest of this, at what point did Hughes earn this respect you say he deserves? You bring up IHE as an example of an established poster on here showing respect, yet IHE himself openly has more personal digs at our previous managers psyche than anyone else on here, how is that showing unqestionable respect? Why assume that people are not posting on this topic because they think it is beneath them? I'd say its safe to assume most people on here are firmly on the fence on this issue and thats only after our rousing win up in Dingwall, after that Dundee United game the pitchforks were out in force. You have totally misread the vibes coming from the support as a whole. "The Board is NOT going to react in the same way that they think because the members of the Board are mature business persons and rational and reasonable people NOT usually likely to go into orbit with knee jerk reactions. And NOT young bucks feeling their oats and letting that feeling overcome their brains." I guess you could say the the board demonstrated some rational thought in bringing in a guy on the cheap, who had been shunned by the rest of Scottish football after multiple failures. Tell me SP.. in all this talk of yours of being fair, rational, respectful and downright gentlemanly when discussing the merits and potential of Hughes, at what stage do you sit down and look over the stats? There has been a swing of 17 points and 1 trophy between ourselves and Aberdeen since Hughes took over, we were clear in 2nd place with games and points to spare, where are we now? I don't think any of the people interviewed could have got it so badly wrong . Like I said before I take no pleasure in seeing thistle get tanked every week . The fact remains yogi will stick to his guns and work with the squad he has (his words) the worry is that I fear for the very survival of thistle in the top flight if he remains in charge .end of! I think Mr Cameron got it badly wrong and needs to act asap before its to late!! Even Craig Levein or the inexperienced Paul Telfer wouldn't have been as shocking as Hughes is turning into. As for no new signings, WTF!!! Next seasons starting 11 will be more or less same as this but the squad will be bare. My patience has been waring thin ever since last Celtic game. I really hope lack of season tickets sold for next season is an indication to board that all is not well!! So much for "best chairman" in league!! Gonna bite! Craig Levein I believe didnt wish considered for the job and how on earth do you know that we would be any better off with the inexperienced Mr Telfer? Unless youve got a crystal ball. If you want to support a team that wins all the time I suggest you start supporting Celtic.

Inverness sports teams did well this year. ICT got top 6 finish and a cup final. Inverness City got promoted to the big league and Highland Rugby team won their league (unbeaten) and won a national trophy. Well done everyone there

They won't say in public. The first hint you will get that they are not happy is giving Yogi his P45 The first hint's usually a resounding 'vote of confidence' is it not?

I am one of those people who hate managers getting the sack far too early or at the wrong time. Yogi should be given atleast till October lets say to get a few players in the transfer window and get his ideas across to them aswell.

John "Yogi" Hughes should NOT be sacked for a number of REASONS He got us top 6 and before you say it was secured with butcher it wasn't cause he was only in charge for about 12 games He got us to a final where we so easily could have beaten the sheep in it He has kept all our players at the club and the only way they will be leaving is for money which is great business on his part He is on course to set a new points record for us He has two wins in Dingwall where as Judas has none (in the league) Judas only got us 22 points so who must have gotten us the 31 points? He made a brilliant signing in Greg Tansey for free which has helped us massively in our matches All these points show how much Hughes has helped us so i don't see why you all want rid of him i mean sure we are going through a bad stage right now but really we have just been spoilt over the last two seasons in what we have achieved so obviously as soon as we start to lose it looks really bad but look back a few seasons ago at how bad we were, no wins against aberdeen now we are winning. No wins in dingwall in the league for yonks and it's Hughes who changes that twice not butcher Hughes. He is also still trying to adapt the team so right now anything we get in matches is a bonus cause he is still trying to get his methods over to the team. Give the man some time him and Latapy were superb players and have done not too bad as managers we just need to show that we support them and not turn our backs on them after one bad defeat. If you aren't going to give him your support then that's fine but there is no need to say how bad he is constantly when you don't even go to the matches In John "yogi" Hughes I Trust

You mean Kircaldy