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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/31/2015 in all areas

  1. I still have prize money waiting for 5 winners of the ‘Time of First Goal competitions’ from the bus convoy. I know two of their names are Shona MacGillivray and James Vallano and the other 3 should have winning slips with the 0-0 result printed on them. Can anyone that knows Shona, James or any of the other 3 who did not get their prize money in Romania please get in touch with me so I can get their money to them. We managed to reduce the cost of the coaches so we have £640 left over which, after discussion with CJT, we have decided to donate to a Romanian charity on behalf of ICT fans. We are currently trying to establish which is the best charity to give the money to but it will be one that helps homeless children or orphans - I will let you know the name of the charity as soon as we decide and will make sure that ICT fans get some recognition for the donation. Finally – thanks to everyone who made the trip and contributed to a fantastic few days in Romania. Hopefully we can do it all again next year – maybe someone else will be stupid enough to book the first minibus next time……
  2. They are gone....and in one of those "couldn't make it up" moments....they have now set up camp in Dingwall.
  3. I dislike Aberdeen probably more than anyone on here having lived there for so long but even I can't bring myself to deny the fact that they have an excellent squad of players and a superb starting XI now. The Dons thoroughly deserved second spot last season. Our one poor spell was basically three months without a win in the league - there is no way you can expect to secure second spot with that kind of form. Their team is excellent and they showed that on plenty of occasions last season - their long unbeaten run, often coming from behind to win games something previous Aberdeen sides hadn't been doing, winning games despite not playing well etc. Aberdeen appear to have improved on what they achieved last season with some of their signings and some strong showings in Europe whereas we have lost some of our best players and it can be argued that they've not really been replaced though time will tell on that one. I'm away to wash my hands. I feel dirty after typing up a positive post on Aberdeen.
  4. Aberdeen beat us for second place by ten points, had a much better goal difference and beat us four games out of four last season. Since then they have acquired our best player. I know you see things through heavily tinted red and blue spectacles but Aberdeen are likely to fare better than us this season which is not surprising since their turnover is twice ours. If anyone is going to challenge Celtic it will be the Dons. I admire your optimism but, in suggesting that we will be in second place, you seem to be the only poster on this thread with unrealistic expectations. As I said in my previous post, top six would be a fine achievement given our resources and the key players we have lost. Last season was remarkable and a great credit to all concerned but there were factors in our favour which are unlikely to be repeated and to suggest that we might be pushing Celtic for the title this year on the strength of it puts places an unreasonable burden of expectation on manager and players alike. If this time next season we are still in the Premiership the club will have achieved success and the majority of fans will be content.
  5. I hope those who were saying Astra were a poor side and we should have beaten them take note. They are a well organised team with some dangerous players, and with European experience. That we came within a whisker of getting something out of the away game does us a huge amount of credit, imho.
  6. I find the above by DD quite puzzling. If there was ever a beautiful illustration of taking a collection of unattributed and, in some cases only half utilised, stats to illustrate what amounts to a delusion (a preconcieved idea, fixed and not amenable to rational examination or alteration) regarding Hughes, that's it. Please, please abandon the anti-Hughes agenda DD, almost everyone else has. Or give me a rational basis to agree on. Let's look at this; our success flattered us. Over the course of a season, you get the success you deserve - luck eventually runs out. That's what makes a league competition so difficult, and success in one prized. You don't get lucky. Hughes happened to be "in the right place at the right time" Has he done nothing to influence matters? Actually, he completely altered the style of play from the Butcher era and initially the team suffered. He brought in people who could play that style and is building on that - managing. It's his side, not Latapy's. His signings are no more or less successful than his predecessors. I could dig out the excoriating criticism levelled at Billy Mckay on this forum as an example of this. However, on the basis of a couple of pre-season games you are willing to categorise recent signings as a "mixed bag". I'll wait. There are genuine questions as to us requiring an out and out striker (on the grounds that one might have capitalised on the many chances we created against Astra) but one of sufficient quality to gel quickly, be fully match fit and be guaranteed to hit the ground scoring would be beyond our means. They generally cost in excess of £250K minimum. You quote 52% possession averages as being "hardly what you would expect" Can you tell me where that figure lies in relation to all other clubs in the league? In isolation, it means nothing. I know that you are worried by the dearth of goals that we score, but I'm sure that you will agree that the difference that you identify between 1.36 and 1.67 goals per game, averaged over a season, is statistically insignificant. You also can't compare a "year and a bit" against a season. It has to be like for like. As for this year's league, it may or may not be stronger and we may or may not suffer injuries. Neither you nor I know. Hughes has added to the squad - Wedderburn, for instance looks like adequate cover for Draper, a player previously seen as indispensable and that will help when injuries intervene. By the way, you omitted to mention injuries to Brill, Vincent and Raven that impacted upon their seasons and ours. Overall, we were lucky, but not that lucky. I agree that Ryan Christie is a marvellous talent, to be nurtured and progressed. He is not, however, a one man band - if you recall there were games that he struggled to impact upon and that was to be expected. Finally, the league was what it was. You can only play the teams that are there and I'm sure that supporters of Aberdeen, Hamilton, Dundee and Celtic would disagree that any of the teams that you mention would have offered more than them. Hamilton, for instance,were in the league because they beat Hibs fair and square for the privilege. And please, Rangers making the league stronger? Did you see them last year? They were nothing more than a tired old orthodoxy struggling vainly for any kind of relevance in a game that has passed them by. They would bring nothing to the premiership. There you are DD - they are my thoughts, nothing more. I'll await this season in expectation, hope and a genuine belief that we can replicate the league achievements of last year. And I'll give Hughes the credit he deserves if it happens.
  7. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-33719976 Mental!!!!!
  8. I'd have thought an aficionado like yourself would be familiar with the tactical benefits of playing someone in the "false 28" role.
  9. I thought Williams played really well at Astra. He was consistently winning the ball and looking to create chances. Of course his finest moment was that perfectly placed across the box, which Lopez should have been anticipating and already running on to, instead of waiting and watching. All it needed was a touch and it was in the back of the net. That was very frustrating to watch, as we could all see it coming. If he hadn't have done anything else in that match that was the one moment when he needed to. What also surprised me was how good Raven was at left back, so knowing Hughes penchant for mixing it up, it wouldn't surprise me to see that again.
  10. Back to business The domestic season opener arrives this Saturday with Motherwell the visitors to the Caledonian Stadium for a three o'clock kick off. Much has changed since Inverness won the Scottish Cup in May. Gone are second in command Russell Latapy, captain Graeme Shinnie, pacey frontman and Cup Final hero Marley Watkins, stopgap striker Edward Ofere and bit part midfielder and local lad Nick Ross. We also lost the services for the latter part of the season of striker Billy 'small k' Mckay. That's three strikers that have moved on and so far we have struggled to replace them. Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo is the man targeted with filling the role vacated by our front three. Dani Lopez has shown that he is not an out and out striker and Yogi will turn his attention to the Congolese Belgian in a bid to find the goals that were missing in the Europa qualifiers against FC Astra. Motherwell did well to trounce the Rangers in the Premiership play-offs and retain their top league status. They have sealed the services of Scott McDonald for the season, not a bad bit of business for the Steelmen. David Clarkson is another returnee at Fir Park having left Dundee. Striker Wes Fletcher has signed from York City and will get the number 9 jersey left behind by John Sutton who is off to Perth. They have also added a pair of Louis' to the squad; striker Moult from Wrexham, who scored 23 goals in the Conference last season, and defender Laing from Nottingham Forest. Another defender Keiran Kennedy joins from Leicester City. They have also drafted in 22 year old keeper Connor Ripley from Middlesbrough, and he looks certain to go straight into the squad for Saturday. Motherwell will be looking to get off to a more promising start after last season saw them flirt with relegation before eventually seeing off the Ibrox club in the play-off. Inverness failed to progress in Europe mainly due to a lack of presence in the final third, however their build up play has shown the same qualities that we possessed last year and if we can add a proven striker to the squad then it should be another interesting season. Yogi's squad has changed and this will be a massive test of his drawing power as his trophy winning team is being rebuilt. Keeper Owain Fon Williams played in the Europa games at the expense of Cup winner Ryan Esson. Injuries to Carl Tremarco, David Raven, James Vincent and Dean Brill has curtailed our ability to cover all positions as we would have liked, but in has come the gigantic Ned Wedderburn from the Blue Brazil and he has acquitted himself well so far. Jordan Roberts has also been brought in although injuries have interrupted his participation, and Dani Lopez has been tried as a front man, but that needs addressing. Richie Foran has made a welcome return to the squad, but is far from the do or die player we once knew. All of these players need more time to get up to speed, but it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. Inverness have secured the services of attacking midfielder Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo and he will be in the squad on Saturday. However, Jordan Roberts is struggling, along with Carl Tremarco and James Vincent. Richie Foran will be like a new addition and he will get stronger as his fitness returns to full throttle. Motherwell will be without Lionel Ainsworth who is carrying a two match suspension, and Craig Reid, but late addition, keeper Connor Ripley will be here. One man we all love to hate will be missing. Iain Vigurs has left Fir Park and was last heard of playing as a trialist for Inverurie Locos. Now that's a fall from grace. Incidentally, another former Motherwell player, Paul Lawson was trying his luck at Formartine. tm4tj prediction:- It's early doors as the league gets underway this weekend and with little to go on, I will be sitting on the fence for the season opener. No scoring draw on the cards, with Inverness strikerless and Motherwell looking to find their form. Go on, surprise me.
  11. Going by the quotes by Yogi and Andrea in that article, it suggests to me that the idea is that Lopez is going to be Ofere's replacement and then Mutombo will be Watkins' replacement - which isn't a bad shout IMO. Hopefully once both players are fully match fit then the idea pays off. I still think we could do with a back up striker for competition and incase of any injury of Lopez.
  12. Andy Shinnie has been given a 2 year contract extension by Birmingham, taking him to summer 2018.
  13. I was on your bus DBJ and want to thank you again for all your work. Everything went so smoothly and we all had a great laugh, we're all very grateful. And a lot of money being donated on behalf of ICT supporters, just like the trip - this leaves me with a smile! Thank you. Next game I see you at there will be a beer with your name on it. YOU CAN'T SAY THAT WORD!!! I'm reporting you to the t'interweb police SP. I'm soooooooooo offended.
  14. Anthony Stokes on loan? He's been told he has no future at celtic......connection with Yogi when he was at Falkirk
  15. Accept 10th. Expect better. Hope top 6. Dream the rest. Were still not firing on all cylinders but have just closely lost out in pre-season europa. And I think an injury free Carl tremarco could have a big season for us.
  16. Now 2-2 away to West Ham. Perhaps puts our performance in perspective.
  17. Put a bit of distance between us and 11th and 12th and see what happens. Make more noise at the ground and get more fans in.
  18. I would be happy with Finishing above c*unty Finish top 6 Have a nice cup run Bring in some more youth players through our system
  19. While i do see where you are coming from in a lot of that post I think calling Yogi "lucky" is a bit harsh. At the end of the day whatever team you inherit you need to get the best out of them, keep team spirits up and get them winning games. Our best season to date proved he did that. I also have concerns for this season but I also had them for last season, lets hope we are pleasantly surprised once again.
  20. Avoid relegation is the primary aim. Top 6 should be an achievable target Top 3 or 4 & a Euro place I think is beyond us A cup semi would be another great bonus but cant be seen as expected
  21. sad attitude towards someone trying to create a bit more noise at the games.good on you ellio
  22. Ah Kingsmills your glass is so unfilled, it is such a shame, you must be missing out in a lot of pleasurable moments but don't get too upset, age, with a little bit of luck, may change your perception of life and our aspiring Team...............I hope so for your sake. As Alex says It is very hard to judge until such times as we see just what the other teams have to offer this and he is right the signs are that it will be a much more competitive league this season. However knowing the usual negative comments would be coming in from the 'few' I thought I would put in a positive, though not an entirely unrealistic comment at this stage of the season. given as Rig points out we had such a long unproductive spell last season. Do you really think that I am pressurising the players and the manager, lol with what I have said. I am sure their personalities are much stronger than you imagine but thanks for the compliment I am surprised you think my words would have that much sway. Incidentally with my eyesight, I am afraid most times my glasses are pretty dark, it is only my attitude that is bright and realistic. Enjoy the season.
  23. Should have went to the game last night. We had drums, flags and bags of bantz. You rocket
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