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As usual some fairly negative comments on what after all was a pre-season friendly against very motivated opponents. Some people seem to lack an appreciation of the financial constraints ICT operate under. There was plenty of evidence yesterday that other players are capable of supporting Billy upfront. Christie is very talented. We see Dundee United youngsters being sold for £2m but on our doorstep we have a very talented and improving goalscorer. From midfield we have players who will be expected to score goals. Watkins looked sharp up front in his spell. People wrote Nick off yesterday and yet he created problems with his control and pace. Aaron looked sharp in the first half. Shinnie was pretty outstanding. All players yesterday put in performances that provide optimism that this club with modest financial resources and a smallish support can once again compete against all those clubs better placed geographically and financially for Scotland's premier league.

On 6th August 1945 the B-29 bomber named Enola Gay after the pilots mother dropped the A-bomb codenamed Little Boy on Hiroshima. 80,000 people lost their lives as a direct result of the blast and a further 60000 died within the year from the effects. If we dropped Doran from the same height would the impact wipe out Inverness?

I believe Horner can play in a few different positions, so probably viewed as a useful utility player to have as part of the squad. Rules for the U20's (now called the Development League) have changed to allow 5 players over the age of 20, so there's a bit more scope to work with players that are a little older to bring them on. Under TB we had quite a bit of divide between the younger lads and the "first team" when it came to training etc. Yogi does things very different and views them all as part of one big squad with everyone training together far more regularly. One of the main reasons we're seeing the true potential of these lads, IMO. I think the benefits of that have been apparent all pre-season. Even today we didn't have what we might consider our strongest/preferred starting squad, yet we looked in control and comfortable for the vast majority of the game. If you work on the premiss that the other team can only score when they have the ball...and we limit that possession...then logic dictates that you'll concede fewer goals and in turn, lose fewer games. You then build on that and look to turn that additional possession into additional chances and the logic follows through to dictate that we should win more games. We've got the first bit in place and are building on the second part. Having seen all but one of the pre-season games, there's been a progression in terms of how direct we're being when getting into the final third and that will continue to improve.

Is sacrificing the creation of an identifiable club identity worth it to sell a few more jerseys? A shame if that's the case. If so, what is ICT? A business yes, but is this a football club or just some franchise? If stripes look so terrible, why do you see kids many kids in Barcelona kits? Stripes have never done the likes of Newcastle or Sunderland or Argentina any harm and until now, I didn't realise it had done us any harm either! In fact here's an idea, maybe if say, St Mirren or even Juventus switched to say white tops they'd sell more kits and thus make more money. After all, kids like them and making money is the only thing the matters apparently!

Although he does seem a prospect, It would be premature to place too high an expectation on the boy. Playing for Canada U19's is maybe not 'a really high level'. With due resect to Canadian football, we've recently had strikers who've played at the same level, or higher, for more 'established' international teams. All of them got punted without really making the grade with us. Toby Agdestein, U21 for Norway; Adam Evans, U19 for Republic of Ireland; Philip Roberts U19 for Republic of Ireland; Curtis Allen, U21 for Northern Ireland.

It is interesting, but not surprising, that if you show yourself to be hopeless in every respect, it recommends lawn bowls.

Christie is definitely a player with potential. Many nice touches and has good vision. Doran looked like he was carrying some excess weight but maybe it is that new strip. Their number seven definitely outran him a few times when he tried to break with the ball. The passing game at times looks good especially when players find their man but at times it exposed us both at the back and when trying to find the killer pass in the final third after a multitude of short passes. It all nearly went awry in the first few minutes with Brill getting away with it and again a couple of times in the second half when passes across the back went astray. The most frustrating though is when the ball is played out and the break is on only for the ball to be played back - across - back - across - and then the opposition have got themselves all back behind the ball and reorganised. The passing game although effective at times will not work against all opposition and we need an alternative to be executed throughout games. There is nothing wrong with passes out to the widemen who can then run at the defence go past their man and put in a decent cross. I thought we looked most dangerous on the couple of occasions we executed that. Also the shooting routine being practised before the game was not put into practise during the match with the players continually looking for the next pass instead when in about at the edge of the box. Having said all that the team performance was far better than I expected and hopefully the new season will not be as bad as many seem to be predicting.

I wonder if Mr Bannerman has anything to say about this latest success for our "athletes"!

After a gold in the bowls we have now surpassed our all time record for gold medals. We are also only two medals of our all time record haul of all medals. We have a very good chance of adding quite a few more before the end of the games.

Ben Greenhalgh is on trial at Concord Rangers apparently.

OK, IHE, I'll provide a very brief report of how I remember yesterday's game: Cracking weather greeted a powerful looking team from Fleetwood and a small band of visiting fans. The main stand was about half full by kick off. The first half started with long spells of possession for ICT - Fleetwood struggled to get hold of possession and were reliant on long thumps up to their striker. Against the run of play, however, they put the ball in the net from an attack down the right and a low cross, but the offside flag was raised - tight call! ICT played some neat football in midfield and were combining particularly well down the left, with Shinnie always making himself available. However, they created few goalscoring opportunities, the best of which were a free kick from Tansey which deflected off the wall after Christie was brought down and a shot from Billy from 10 yards after his put in behind by Christie's pass. Fleetwood forced a couple of corners on the break before an excellent run and cross from Raven was converted by McKay from 6 yards just before half time. Fleetwood started the second half better than the first and had some possession of their own. Watkins and Ross came on with about 30 min to go (replacing Doran and Christie) and the threat switched to the right, where Watkins made several dangerous breaks from midfield but failed to find the final pass. Fleetwood always looked dangerous from the set-piece and scored mid-way through the half from a free kick on the left that was neatly headed past Brill. Shortly afterwards, another break from Watkins was missed by everybody, but was pinged back in by Williams: his shot was saved/hit the post and the rebound put in by Vincent. Vincent and Williams gave way to Polworth and the trialist. The only chance of great note came from Fleetwood on account of a mistake by Tremarco in a dangerous spot - the resulting low cross was put narrowly wide of the near post. The match finished tamely. A good workout, but few chances for either side.

Baptie

That would be because it's the new strip and the only home strip on sale.

I have already seen quite a few emotionless drones at the TCS so this would be nothing new....

Went in to buy another shirt today (my wife has claimed the first one) and a guy dressed head to foot in Celtic gear came in the shop. I thought to my self " They better not be selling him tickets for the Celtic game". Imagine my shock when he bought a new shirt for his ICT supporting son. Fair cheered me up.

Who precisely apart from some agitating journalists predicted that the English team was going to get booed ? That was never going to happen. One man's merciless caricaturing is another man's wry humour and the ability of an increasingly confident nation to be able to self deprecate.

Great song and tune! The tune was chosen by the athletes and the updated version will played when Scotland are on the podium to collect their medals, hope they win many