Scarlet Pimple

Brewster appears to be certainly trying. The action on the transfer front can only be described as a flurry of activity--even slightly bewildering since there are now more options available to him than ever before; at least in the forward positions. It seems as if he is a shade reluctant to throw ICT's youngsters in at the deep end yet but hopes to blood them during the season to test them and give them more experience in the first team-- which is prudent . To achieve this, however, I think that he will have to solidify the position of the team in the league in the early months to allow him to relax a little and to have a "platform" from which to experiment with these team changes .Meantime , initially I think he will go with as much experience as possible to avoid the possibility of a potentially poor start to the campaign. Even if the team scores goals regularly from the start if the defence is woeful all his plans may come to naught so that will also have to be his priority now. Remember ICT did very well because of the better defence over the past few years and a solid replacement for Dods is still critical for solidifying the league positionThat will not happen folks until money is available to invest in such a player. In this connectiuon Marius may be the key to the whole future of ICT! Brewster has his hands full right now I am quite sure so I am for backing him to the hilt until mid season at least to allow the new playesrs to bed-in, the changes to evolve and the results to improve the spirit and position of the team. When I read some of the posts on here which are so negative and almost vitriolic towards Brewster , even before the man has had half a chance to benefit from his own changes , I just shake my head and wonder what the poster hopes to achieve that possibly can benefit the team by uttering such unbalanced drivel ........ eh?

King Beastie likes to intone about moaning in the whin bushes (must be the moan of the wind he hears) and ------ Manfer..tut,tut, you started a new sentence without a capital letter, whilst whinning about your mis-spelled name and misjudge our Absent without understanding that he was just trying to save letters, and trees in Canada. Do you need some help my dear?Once you try my new "help" manual it might become required reading in Manfer Hall and...."an acquired taste" .. :015: :004: What is this forum coming tooooooo? Petty bickering over pedantics, misplaced words or grammar and poor spellnig. What abart some real meat and potatoes...like? :sillywave: from Mooseville, B.C.

It's not good to hear some of you knowledgeable punters slagging off East Fife as if they were only formed yesterday.East Fife has been around the block in their day dear friends. Do you now that East Fife many years ago were the top team in Scotland, so successful that acceptance of the many invitations to play in England just wore them out and their performance then started to suffer so that they never regained their former glory. If you are a true football fan please have a look at their website and read their long and quite illustrious history and you will realise that this team has not only a history but a great tradition and pride. I followed them for a few years when I lived in Leven and Methil and saw many a great game at Bayview --games filled with effort and excitement. As for their current position in Scottish football did you notice how they were really flying last season and maybe also somebody like Crawford might think--"ahem...they can win the 2nd Division this year" whilst equally thinking..." ahem ,and Caley Thistle might just be unlucky enough not to do too well this year.." :022:

Caley D --referencing your comments it occurs to me that reading this thread is like sifting through a lot of rather inoffensive but meaningless chit chat. :002:

Caley D--your dry wit made me chuckle. :003:

Reserve judgement until he is on the team and plays. Even a disaffected player can come good and be dynamic if the atmosphere at the club and amongst the players is conducive to his settling in and positive towards his contribution. Then talent can blossom. But only a real tough nut can continue to forge ahead in the face of constant nagativity....oops, I meant negativity. :023: Patience friends, patience. Still you have to admit Brew is trying..... :014:

Manfer--but once you acquire the taste you will never lose it. :001:

Sorry noggie but that was a quote from "My Fair Lydie" wasn't it? Rex baby was King in that one. Audrey Hepburn was never at the races and who on earth is Marnie Niixon? :023: Now, moving right along...geez, where was I ? :003:

I agree with what you write Yngwie-that does seem to be the logical explanation. However, it makes more sense to think that the club is trying to ensure that Marius does not sustain an injury than it does from the point of view that other clubs STILL don't know or understand his talent--to believe that is a longshot I think. And if you agree with my opinion then it does seem more and more likely that the club management feels that a "realistic" bid will shortly turn into a positively acceptable bid followed shortly thereafter by an accepted bid. Otherwise it is very strange that one of the top players in the team is not joining his mates in training and pre-season games especially since we know that he took a whiley to get to a finely tuned fitnmess level when he came here first. Sorry folks, but IMO he is toast (Canadian slang for "gone with the wind" )--sooner rather than later methinks. :011:

A looooooong time ago I watched Hibs slauter Kaiserslautern at easter Road. The score was 4-0 and Hibs were literally rampant. I think it was Eddie Turnbull who scored a terrific goal from 40 yards -went like a rocket--goalie never even saw it. Man, was that a thing of beauty. Enough to demoralise any team. So maybe Kaiserslautern are still in need of Marius' talent. Good luck to both. :011:

If we could get him for a song then that would not be wrong. In fact, as Rex Harrison might have intoned .."ooh, wouldn't that be Lovell-y" ? :001: Another quick quip from the quaint, quiet, but querulous Scarlet.... :002:

I don't quite see how Marius' career will be enhanced by playing for Hearts--if he doesn't go insane, his head will certainly be spinning within a year (after several more Manager changes maybe) and the nervous tension and turmoil will persuade him to go as quickly as possible. The problem with such a move for Marius is , however, will be he in a position to play well amidst the mayhem? When it is help, murder, polis all the time the atmosphere is terrible. And if he goes to Hearts in exchange for a much younger player then that new incomer better be very enthusiastic and also very pleased to come North otherwise I feel strongly that the youn up-and-coming lads here at ICT should be given their chance before anyone who may not be fully commi :crazy07:tted to Caleyt Thistle. As far as the "gay"comment is concerned :018:--basically what he does on the field is all that matters. --I mean , look at Hart playing a great game against County and he could easily have been in the ICT team with a little bit of common sense thrown into the mix. I have always liked Hart's bustling, energetic style and his transfer to County Wwas a real LOSS in my humble opinion. I don't care if he is gay, fey, or a bird of prey --but if he is a "gay blade" that's O.K. :crazy07:

Ah..Caley D -- Displaying your customary knack of hitting nails squarely on the heid ,I note. :003:

Ahhhhhh! Perceptive as always .......what a guy! Geez..hope I fall into the good category., JE .. :004:

What a good idea! :003: My that man is a thinker. :023:

Jam on cheese on toast does it for the Pimple. An odd choice for an odd-ball--a red one. :001:

Nice to hear your dulcet tones Jailender and that you still gravitate to a class act--ICT. I guess this may be the most excitement you will have this coming season but congratulations on's County's fine performance anyway. :021: Come back soon--The Pimple likes your (generally-informed) patter Ha! :002:

"Oh what a tangled web we weave others to deceive" :014: Patience , dear friends, patience . All will be revealed when IHE posts . Thne Seer will talketh. :003:

Ross P Did you bring back Amber from the beach. Or did you leave your jacket with her? :016:

Buckett--you have a history! :002: Sounds like you are VENTing your spleen and SPILling the beans --now we know why you went to Ventspils. :001: I never went there but I have heard of Daugvapils in that vicinity. Something happened there with Hitler's army but ...heck--lots of things happened with his SS didn't they..... :008: You are a rich Brit ripe for the picking it seemed..... :015: Happens to all of us I can assure you. A Latvian burd did it to me a few years ago but since I am a generous soul I told the immigration officer who 'phoned me about her that nurses were needed in Canada since most of the local ones had gone to the U.S.A. for more money. So she was allowed to stay in canada. Last report I received from my resident spy, Paul, here in Vancouver was that he had seen her with a seedy looking character dressed in a black leather jacket who spoke Russian and probably came from the Ford Dealership across from the coffee shop they were in. Paul is amazing, worth his weight in gold, knows every businessman in town and then some, every bird in every social club in town and every new business in town over a radius of 50 miles. Are we back on track Mantis? :023:

I BUILT A LARGE NEW HOUSE HERE IN CANADA ON A BUSY CORNER BECAUSE THE LOT WAS CHEAPER THAN ALL THE OTHERS AND I COULD NOT AFFORD ANOTHER $10,000. THEN I HEARD THAT THE ROADWAY ADJACENT TO OUR LOT WAS GOING TO BE EXPANDED IN WIDTH DUE TO THE ONSET OF A NEW BRIDGE BEING BUILT IN THE AREA and I became nervous. We loved our new place but finally we decided to move on--the new home and location was very nice and offered advantages other than the large size of home to which we had become acustomed. The first house stood on the market for four months without an offer--depite very nice comments from all and sundry about it--the majority cited the location near a busy corner as the reason why they did not want to buy it.Then we got 3 low offers on one day and accepted one with alacrity despite the fact that we felt the house was worth another $30,000. To summarise, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and we decided that greed was not an option. We still made a very handsome profit and this allowed us to invest in another upscale townhouse in a peaceful location which itself has now increased by $100,000 in value over the past 2 1/2 years.! Marius is currently worth a lot of money but have any offers actually been received for him that were close to his value in the market? His value to ICT is precisely only what they can actually get for him, no more. And he appears to be , in real terms, the most valuable asset they have ever had. A golden opportunity to obtain much needed cash to invest in two new players.To shine he needs experienced and quality players around him not Division 1 players without a proven track record in the SPL. This business is now all about money and the business-people who provide it to keep even a modicum of quality in the team to allow it to remain in the SPL. And good businesspeople face facts--they have a declining asset with current upside but future prospects are unclear.And what if he gets injured--do they have insurance to cover this contingency? A bird in the hand is worth two hands in the bush :004:.....so, I say sell him on, thank him and spend part of the money on two strong grafters --one in defence and one in the forward line with proven ability . I also think that the people who provide the money for ICT will think the same way and in due course ----slow but steady----ICT will do better and better and attain a higher level than that which they have currently attained with limited resources. And I feel that the controversial salary issue will then not be of such proportions after a sale possibly leading to a more settled team with more spirit perhaps? Final thought--have the crowds steadily increased at Tulloch just because Marius was in the team? I don't think so --it seems that the only time the stadium was full was at the visit of either Celtic or Aberdeen. Just my opinion folks--hope Brew has plan A, Plan B and Plan C on the drawing board though otherwise it may be all for nought. :011:

Hamilton--depends on what they produce this season? At the very least if they start to prop up the Division then a repeat of the Gretna "do" may assist ICT to stay up, otherwise......? I mean thiis is not a settled team of great players at this point . But--optimism should rule. :023:

Yes--their crowds are incredible. Houston can also get crowds up to 30,000 apparently. Hmmm.

Charles ! :015: You are awful---but I like you. :002: Brilliant but human..Yesssss! :cdn: :doh2:

Charles--you seem to have had your moments! Ha! :001: Compared to the dentist's rtechnique in Canada for th epast 34 years I have to say that things have improved greatly in comparison to the likes of Mr Nixon'a performance . I could , somehow, stand the pain but when he brusqely told me "sit still boy" that broke my spirit. As if I had no right to be there and I was not helping him to make a living. Do you think his stipend at the end of the month was greatly augmented by not adminstering a wee shot of anaesthetic to the young and vulnerable. As it was, since I was slipping lower and lower in the chair I was faced by his assault up top and my short pants were also grabbing tighter and tighter between the patients's legs such that the poor wee lad's tentacles were in the grip of unreasonable and growing pain. It was at that point thjat my right eye caught sight of the left just over the bridge of my nose! :002: That was indeed called a visit to remember :008: :029: Hoch! Hoch!