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People talking about him being appointed for 'staunchness' are being silly. The guy played about ten games for Rangers thirty years ago. I don't think he's particularly renowned as a Rangers guy at all, Everton are the club he's identified with. He was really considered a big disappointment by Rangers fans

Play that dirge once and I am out of here.

With Pele's team.

Some people might consider Big Dunc a bit intimidating but he’s actually very touchy feely, likes to put an arm round etc.

Lets just run out to the Z-Cars Theme.

Gardiner looks on edge here. The entire interview looks very awkward

It has been moved from Tuesday 31st October to Saturday 18th November.

Well he's one of us now so despite my negative thoughts when I first heard the news, for now I'll be backing Big Dunc!

Dunc deserves a new chant .. here's my tuppence .. to the tune of I'm a believer .. (youngsters use google) We all thought that Caley Jags were going down Seems the more we gave the less we got What's the use in turning out and feeling glum When we needed points we ended up with none But Now Fergies Blue & Black And we're all believers Doddsy got the sack No doubt in our minds We're going up ( ooooh) Now if Gardiner would just leave us That would be sublime TAXI ......

And that was it! Given 9 of the starting 11 are in the first team squad, I’d have expected a much more convincing score. Anyone who attended able to comment? But it was a clean sheet…..

Keith Bray has opened the scoring.

Arbroath bus now full. If you have booked a seat and can’t make it let us know as we now have a waiting list. BACK THE TEAM

According to the club this game has been rescheduled from 1500 on 18 November to 1500 on 18 November! I assume it is being moved to the Friday for TV but that is a guess by me. In case they correct the wording in the link, I copied this just now: GAME INFO Dunfermline Athletic v ICTFC cinch Championship Saturday 18 November 2023 3pm kick-off East End Park Our away fixture against Dunfermline Athletic will now take place on Saturday 18th November with a 3pm kick-off at East End Park https://ictfc.com/fixture-rescheduled-dunfermline-a-18-11-2023/

I am kind of in the same boat as many. This will either be a masterstroke or an unmitigated disaster. Hoping for the first, not the latter. On the plus side, he has been around some pretty big names in his roles as coach while learning the ropes over a lengthy period of time. He may have the personality and name recognition to attract players we might not have had a sniff at before and watching some of the videos I have seen over the last few days, he appears to be a different person (more likeable) than the person he was as a player. Seems highly regarded by supporters in the blue part of Liverpool. In the talksport and press conference videos he also seems to come across honest and truthfully when mentioning he has no clue about our players, or the lower leagues. Honesty and straight talking is something lacking in our recent history. On the minus side, as mentioned, he has not coached in Scotland, and his Forest Green spell didn't make good reading. Having said that, Didn't a certain Mr. Butcher have a woeful recent record before he came to us. My biggest fears are how we are affording this. He won't come cheap. He may have certain budgetary expectations that we can't meet (although I assume he knows its low as the talksport interview mentioned not blowing his budget on the hotel they put him up in). It also papers over other cracks that need looked at whether he is successful or not.

As we all now know, former Dundee United, Rangers, St Johnston and Livingston player Gary Bollan now confirmed as Duncan's assistant. He has managerial experience at these clubs: Gary Bollan Stats >>> 2009–2012 Livingston 2013–2015 Airdrieonians 2015–2017 Forfar Athletic 2017–2021 Cowdenbeath Team Nat From To Record G W D L Win % Livingston 14 August 2009 5 February 2012 108 62 22 24 57.41 Livingston: Scottish Third Division: 2009–10 Scottish Second Division: 2010–11 Forfar Athletic: Scottish League One play-offs: 2016–17 Cowdenbeath: Scottish League Two play-offs: 2017–18

Been ruminating on this since the first announcement. Not only far from my first choice, not even on my radar. Big Dunc never even came to mind as I never would have thought he’d consider a position like ours. My feelings pretty much match the pros and cons on previous posts… Biggest pro has to be his high level coaching experience, something we desperately need, and the high regard in which he was held is surely a positive. Secondly, it has to be the prospect of his connections and the chances of him being able to attract some players who would probably never have given us a second glance. I’m also hoping he’s a strong enough character to stand up to the suits in the boardroom who have been doing their best to destroy our club. My biggest concern was/is his lack of knowledge of Scottish football and our lower leagues in particular. There are some pretty savvy, well experienced managers out there who have run rings around Dodds and are quite capable of doing so against Dunc if he underestimates the opposition. The appointment of Gary Bollan as his number two is very welcome news. Gary brings the experience and knowledge to the table that Big Dunc lacks. If they can work well together then this could be a master stroke, I sincerely hope it is and I wish them well for the sake of our club.

Positives and negatives about appointing Ferguson. POSITIVES He has coaching and assistant manager experience at the highest level. He was a first team coach at Everton from 2014 to 2022, caretaker manager a couple of times. He worked with Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelloti, Rafa Benetiz. That has to be worth something. He seems to have been highly regarded by those he worked with. He has a reputation as a motivator, a positive guy who is passionate as a coach, not someone who is more analytical and measured. NEGATIVES He hasn't been involved in Scottish football for decades, he's never coached here at all. You can be certain he'll have zero knowledge of players at this level. He was interviewed by Tony Bellew for a podcast earlier this year and he said that he hasn't really paid much attention to Scottish football for years - which is understandable as he was coaching a Premier league club so knowledge of lower leagues in Scotland isn't required. He had a poor record as manager of Forest Green Rovers, who were in a similar position to us when he took over - bottom of their league. There are obviously reasons behind every failure (and success) and from what I've read about it there were underlying things wrong at the club that meant he wasn't in a position to succeed.

Ferguson on Talk Sport just now confirmed Gary Bollan as assistant manager.

Gardiner’s body language

Donald Park got us there .

Well I wasn't expecting that! Welcome big Dunc Work your magic on Harry Lodovica!

And if there was any decrease in the effort of the squad, in anyway, due to the rumours of rifts between Dodds and some of the team, a new coach with new ideas will press reset, and everyone will start with a clean slate.

I don’t think anybody (except Dodds) was saying it just needed more time. The club’s decision was based on them concluding that a different manager could get more out of the squad and better results than Dodds was getting.

Think I am being harsh on Dunc. His temporary stint at Everton was actually pretty impressive. After a run of poor form that got Marco Silva sacked he did this starting with Chelsea game. And just to put the context here's where those teams finished that season. In Dunc we trust.

That’s 4 consecutive ICT managers who were attackers for Scotland. This attacking mentality is why we are such a, erm, free scoring side?

Oh no - one of my footballing heroes who I idolised from the Gladwys Street. There were a lots of side issues at Forest Green and he was lauded as a coach at Everton. But this is an expensive ploy by Gardener. "Ambitious Club". CEO has sprung a big surprise and some would say 'coup', putting him in a strong position for the now. Will also say that three years gives him the time to get us back into the Premiership.Good excuse to keep Robbo as he will say that he will advise about Scottish football. Dunc is a very approachable and open guy and I look forward to having a wee chat. Oh I want him to succeed but I am far from confident and we need to know where the spondoolicks came for this move. We may now have one of the most expensive hierarchies in Scotland and the least expensive player budget.

A bold managerial decision doesn't change anything, even with an upturn in results. All the same questions around finances, top heavy structure and dismissive attitude towards fans all remain. Whether Dodds & Wilson has been paid off or getting paid we have now an outlay on a new managerial team on a long deal plus retaining our DoF. Even if we stay up this year financially we not strengthening so big worry if we drop to the seaside leagues.

Well that appointment took everyone by surprise,but fair play I think this appointment is what ICT need.Enough of all the excuses,now big Dunc will sort the men from the boys. I agree a 3 year contract is strange but if I was him that's what I would ask for to get time and stability to sort the mess we are in out. However funny to see club statement say they hope supporters will get behind Dunc.We will,but why dont the club now look inward at themselves review procedure and process and engage properly with fans. This divide cannot continue. SG jacket still on a shouglie peg but I doubt he ain't going anywhere. Maybe he has just saved his skin,but he needs to look at how he is running the club.

Think he'll have a big input into player diets for sure

Having slept on last night’s rumour and reacted this morning by predicting it will end in tears, I’ve had time to reflect. It is a bold appointment, and has a lot of risk about it. However, he will stand up to the CEO and Board, which must be a positive. He was highly rated as a coach at Everton and nearly went to Real Madrid in a coaching role, so he clearly has strengths. Forest Green was a disaster for him but probably would have been for whoever had the job. He’s here now, so he has my support. During the next few weeks I hope he earns my continued support. As I said after Saturday’s game, there is hope!

Very pleased and excited with this appointment !!!!.I will now renew my Season Ticket.I wonder how many of those who disagree with " Big Duncs " appointment would be jumping with joy if Scott Brown or Darren O'Dea (who are probably less qualified than Dunc?) had been given the nod. So come on Caley Jags "Up and at Em". Welcome aboard "Big Dunc"

Did the Goodison Park tour a few years back. In the dressing room the guy pointed to an upright walk in ice therapy unit and confirmed it had been used by big Duncan Ferguson ... exclusively .. no one else went near or else .. he'll wake the club up one way or the other that's for sure .. maybe he could start by locking Scot Gardiner in one of those units.

Three year deal on the face of it is bonkers but I suspect if Ferguson was to commit to us then we needed to commit to him and so that meant giving him a chunky contract to get him up here.

He became manager there five days before the transfer window closed. Not that easy to sign an entire squad in that time. And the few signings he did make included Onyango from Everton (who has been on the bench several times for the first team) and Robbie Savage's son from Man Utd, who had been considered good enough to play once for the first team there. Given our previous managers include Baltacha (first managerial job), Paterson (only managed in the Highland League), Robertson (first managerial job), Brewster (first managerial job), Christie (first managerial job), Brewster again (had been a disaster at Dundee United), Butcher (did great at Motherwell but rotten in Australia and at Brentford before coming to us), Hughes (hadn't been great at Hibs), Foran (first managerial job), Robertson (hadn't managed anyone in forever) and Dodds (first managerial job) I don't particularly see why Ferguson should be considered less qualified than so many of his predecessors.

Well I for one am hugely up for this, probably because it's the first time I've been starstruck by a managerial appointment; Dunc was one of my favourite players to watch when he was at Everton and Newcastle, one of the great target men. As for his coaching credentials, as stated previously his Forest Green stint can be taken with a pinch of salt because they were a shambles that anyone would have struggled to fix. I'm more interested in the fact that so many Everton managers thought he was worth keeping around as a coach. This is a guy who has worked for Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti, amongst others. Surely he will have picked up a few tips? And like Butcher when he was here, Ferguson should have plenty of contacts for finding players and the charisma to convince them to come here. Fingers (and toes) crossed.

Battery farm freeport big team money #ballers

Robbo will be the next to go. I can see him trying to redeem himself by stating that he is doing it for the club and not becos he has a number of things to fall in to. The radio fiasco and behind the back stabbing of Dodds puts him in my first place. I really am not sure who we will dispose of Gardiner. He appears to be more narcisstic than Butcher. He may be here for some time.

Surely we can't afford to lose the Business guru that is a legend in his own bathroom mirror aka Scot Gardiner. It was only this month he was visiting the Highland Council to share his management & leadership wisdom. Key revelations included: "Integrity is the golden thread in business" ( presumably as is incorporating separate limited companies for high risk ventures) "Don't work in silos" (unless you're a pig farmer) & "take a helicopter view" ( we did suspect he was fond of a helicopter back in the day) "Listen to others & achieve goals together" ( Blazers securing the best seats in the house at a Cup Final via on field effort is a practical example ) Perhaps we won't truly understand what he brought to the party till he be gone .. ( mainly soundbites I suspect )

I can't speak directly for Kellacher, but I doubt so many successive managers would have held on to him if they didn't value his input and contribution. You don't coach at a club for 17 years (and, FYI, that HAS included promotions and cup wins) if you're not good at your job

I recall that John Hughes said in an interview a year or two ago that Kellacher should be our next manager!

If we've got money to bring in a big name manager, and money to bring in more loan players, then why was it not available for Dodds? If they didn't trust Dodds to spend it wisely, then why give him a new 2 year deal? If we believed there is more ability in the squad than they've shown and it just needed a little more time, why sack Dodds? As has been the case since Gardiner was appointed, every action leaves us with more questions than answers.

Here’s an observation that just struck me after writing that - our happiest times have been with defenders as manager (Paterson, Butcher, Hughes). Then a succession of forwards got us to where are today.