Scarlet Pimple

In that case J.R. should ensure that he gets a game or two. Otherwise he won't be any good to himself in the long run and if our current main goalie gets injured then who would we be able to count on? Dunno !! I'm only an "out-of-touch" Canuck. Smile.

Hi Scotty I am not a devotee of North American football since I live at least 45 odd miles away from the Vancouver Whitecaps stadium, having moved out of the Vancouver area and going Eastwards because the house prices in the city were getting utterly ridiculous. Joined by many others of course. But that's very interesting so thank you and we shall see what transpires.

Manfer's comments flow from wisdom and a touch of irony still left in his bones and not from any desire to put-down anybody else's comments. Watch out for that wily old fox and pay attention, Corporal. "Ja mein Herr! Das ist gut "

Not quite sure what you mean BDU. But my thoughts are running along the lines that the Vancouver Whitecaps new management might have difficulty in finding good players at the drop of a hat and might wish for players with at least NASL experience since a new Manager has his or her hands full right from the word go. Also I would expect that they would be quite prepared to buy out any residual contract affecting ICT' so that our Inverness team will not suffer. Having seen the films of roaring fans in their thousands I doubt that that club is running on monetary fumes! Have I answered your rather deprecatory and cynical thoughts now? Frankly I really don't give a hoot for the Vancouver team but thought an opportunity might be there for both OFW and Caley Thistle to benefit. Now, you have a merry Christmas tomorrow, BDU, and also New Year when it arrives. And the same to all loyal ICT fans and friends.

The Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada) are in turmoil right now due to their sacking of their Manager--an Englishman.-- who has been there for at least 3-4 years. Anyway, if OFW needs a new club he could do a lot worse. It's a beautiful place to live and their fan base is massive (upwards of 100,000) in a growing sport and they have had quite a lot of past success. What also matters is that they appear to have the money to pay him a very good wage. This transfer would also reduce ICT's wage bill and if the Whitecaps need a spare goalie then the transfer fee would be good for the ICT bottom line as well. Hope someone suggests this to him?

Home Sweet Home Scotty very soon. Wheeee!

Foul!! You mean you went all the way to North America to see that kind of ball -play? Takes all kinds.... WHEE--Off topic. …………. But thanks for showing that nice picture of La-La Land.

Rest in Peace, Johndo.

My wife has bad cancer and I am about to personally visit the Uro;logist --in some trepidation I do admit. So my heart is with you Scotty. Hope all goes very well. Scarlet

From your name "Polly appreciation" we are in no doubt that you like him but what other players and/or moves can you suggest that JR could play or make to get this team focused and non-dormant. Please say something positive as if talking to J R and enough of the banal negativity. --ALL.

https://oilersnation.com/2018/12/16/gdb-game-notes-oilers-canucks/ Yes this is a very nice picture. It's of Vancouver in British Columbia and this one looks across the water to North Vancouver which is almost as "Pukka" as farther left into West Vancouver where the cider apples grow and houses cost well over 2-3 million dollars or more It's hard to deny the reasons why we want to stay in this realm of beauty. Every sport is available here and some even enjoy just paddling their feet in the water. And the mountains behind North Van are ski hills in the Winter which is very handy if you are into such great activities. So we don't have SFA football but the Vancouver Canucks are a very nice substitute(won last night 5-1).n'est ce pas? Tonight they entertain the Edmonton Oilers and will be lucky to get a win since the Oilers have at least 3 terrific goal-scoring machines on their roster. 3 periods of hockey each of 45 minutes can flow past really fast when the excitement builds.. ...Enjoy the picture..

Now there you go. David and Goliath. I do hope youse yins will nae become kissing cousins though. That would start a furryroar all right. Weekend Hacker.. take a step in my shoes and just play the fool as you age, That way people's eyes glaze over and they generally tend to ignore you. Except that a glint of pity can enters their eyes too and then they lower their guard,.Then you are in like Flynn and ….VICTORY looms. Yes! And always remember Oh Gad, retirement bores me so. But when you are a top banana life can be sweet, Right IHE ? But the rookie's motto is …"See all, hear all, and say nowt.".And then just hope and pray that some of the stuff coming at you sticks. Happy Christmas from Beautiful British Columbia, Canada where the Sasquatch is lingering behind yonder clump of trees. And to quote that wonderful lead male singer who died young but whose name , like many another memory link, escapes me.. "Nothing really matters at all."

IHE -- Very good summing up m'lad. And if there is one thing that we should, have learned from all this up -and- down history is that unless the coffers are full enough to withstand adversity, and a really professional team can be assembled that can hold their own in the Premiership, all the money in China will not allow us to hold our own for long and remain in the Premiership. There must be knowledge, footie wisdom and realism shared by the majority of the Board so that they can steer the ship in accordance with well-worn past principles . Right now there does not seem to be this in place and therefore who is going to steer the ship if we do enter the rarefied atmosphere of the Premiership? After all, it is the Board who must make the decisions and the fans can't do this for them. Neither can J R who appears to have his own hands full at this time and is doing as well ad he can with, frankly, limited resources. Thank goodness he is here to shoulder much of the responsibility because from my standpoint I honestly can't say that I have seen much of anything from the Board to assure us all that they know what is needed, how and when this process of upward advancement can be hastened and what their future plans are for this to succeed.? And has any one of our current Board had any past association with any professional football team at any time in their past lives? If John R were to quit who would they bring in to replace him? And, if they simply did not have a clue as to where to start, then to whom would they turn? Santa Clause is getting old and past it and the Bank will not suggest anything of value other than " fold up the tent and pay us back dearies. The spirit in this team appears to stem from John Robertson and the enthusiasm of youth who want success for the team but probably do not yet have the ingrained wisdom and management capabilities that normally can only be gleaned by direct exposure to the charms and disappointments of wrapping the management blanket round their young and robust shoulders. This situation troubles me and I hope my worst fears never come to fruition.

If that is the young man (A Barrowman) whom I met at a footie park one evening in Vancouver a number of years ago when his team came over to play a couple of games or something, well, his type of non-charm won't sell too many outfits I don't think. He just walked past me without his smile. But anyway, good luck to Richie Foran since he is at least trying to achieve something worthwhile .

for Manfer.

So we don't end up winning the league? So.....? Let's grin and bear it. But, if the fans don't start appearing in the stadium in larger numbers, then I have that sinking feeling in my gut that things are unlikely to get significantly better in the short term. IMHO, what this team needs is some form of other entertainment at half time to bring in more family members. That will make it a more rounded day-out for families. And if the retort to that is .."we don't have the money to spend on alternative entertainment," then for goodness sake please start a raffle or some other way of bringing in some money specifically to be spent on half-time stuff. Because if this club does not introduce even one thing that is different then the fans will continue to drift away.... You may laugh at the Yanks, etc., but, boy, do they know how to entertain the troops and make money. A new North American Ice hockey league franchise has been agreed to in the coastal city of Seattle just 100 miles down the road from Vancouver (100 miles) and just to set it up so that they can start their games within 3 years the cost is going to be over 300 million dollars. So far they have already sold 30,000 season tickets!!!!!! And excitement is bubbling over for all parties in the league. Seattle and Vancouver will be direct rivals again, as they once were in days gone by, and everybody is very excited about it. As it appears, I have to say with considerable regret, that the Board does not seem to have any similar ideas and remains undynamic , not to mention unaware of what they must do to entertain the fans that are good enough to appear at all. Question? "Has any member of the Board sunk any money into the advancement of this team? If not, in what way are they planning to make a difference from their lofty power peak? Do they have the slightest idea as to how to entertain the fans who do show up .What about selling raffle tickets amongst 6tyhe crowds weekly as well? This club needs money; otherwise ……………………………….?

YNGWIE--- Quote... "You Know Guys, We Instigate Excellence"

What a fine young team we have. I sincerely hope that the fans turn out in Greta numbers to support them. These youngsters are our future stars in the !st team. Congratulations on superb footie performances to date. Wish I could be there to see the matches.

Big trees from little acorns grow.. This win should boost the confidence all right. That;s a lot of goals for Caley T to be NOT missing. Onward !

Oops! Looks like "Least said, soonest mended" might apply in this situation. But when the City comes to town our team must be really professional and put this team and the match to bed quickly and efficiently. A lot of money night be riding on this and a slip up at this point will really leave a sour taste in the mouth .

Got your point, but let's just wait and see.A break-even point would also be half decent since it keeps the club and its name in the limelight..especially if we win! It also affords the club the opportunity of being very courteous and hospitable to the "little" City team which can do no harm to our reputation in places like Edinburgh and Glasgow...specially if we win! Let's stay positive ladies et gentihommes . Smile. Brrr. getting rainy and cold here today in Maple Ridge , Canada. Frosty at night and the snow is not far away, I can feel it.

More money for the club from the replay!! That's the ticket! And the possibility of a home win must loom large now as Well, onward and upward. Be positive. Caley Thistle will win at home surely?

And What is your answer to the problem? Say nothing , do nothing, don't push the Board who are supposed to be in charge of running the whole show and have close access to anything , everything and to the playing and managing staff on a daily basis? The buck or quid stops at their desks , no question about that and the fate of the club rests entirely in their hands when "push comes to shove". Should you rely solely on the fans who keep the club afloat since you imply that none of the management puts any money into the club? How do you suggest strong changes can be made without the input of instant money when needed? And you don't want to hurt anybody's feelings by asking direct questions of the upper levels of the Board etc.? The Board Members are not Gods. They have major responsibilities and must protect the assets of the club. Usually, as top dogs, they have already invested in the club by means , probably , of shareholder loans which they realise may, or may not , be repaid if things go West. However, if they have not individually invested a penny in the club, what do they have to lose in the event of liquidation? AND, why are they sitting there at all? Have they ever told the fanbase openly that the bank(s) won't lend the club any more money without the provision of Guarantees from all the Board Members, almost certainly supported by the deposition of securities from each Board Member that can easily be converted into cash in the event of the club having to default on the club's loan repayment obligations? Perhaps these Board members have already gone through that trial by fire when the Bank(s) have demanded repayment and these folks don't ever want to get embroiled in these matters again. Then, if the loans can't be fully repaid, that leaves the banks to have only one avenue to get full repayment and that is the sale of Assets--which effectively could mean the end of the club. In short, serious business and that's why the fanbase should politely ask the Board Chairman for further information about their financial involvement, or not. Plus, since the club is most certainly a public company, you can obtain and look at the Balance Sheets and Profit and Loss accounts of the club (for successive years ) to follow the ups AND DOWNS and see where the money has been, and is, going. I think it very likely indeed that the Bank(s) involved with the club have adequately secured their own financial position very well but that does not directly affect the ongoing financial matters on a daily basis within the club itself...so long, of course, that the club continues to operate within the strictures or rules laid down by the Banks when they approved the loans to the club in the first place.

Now there's a man who is thinking . An Oldie but Goodie living in Canada is not a Twitterer 'cos he's past it and no longer young and beautiful in mind and spirit so thanks Mannie.. I can't say it often enough.."You'll be a man afore yer mither, Aye".