RiG

Yeah it'll almost always be Non Old Frim Team v One of the OF teams for TV but we just don't know. Anyway, away to Partick first up followed by a Highland Derby in Inverness the week after.

Hopefully the fixtures also include the first lot of games selected for TV coverage as well so we don't need to wait even longer before sorting out travel to games.

Devine has signed for Partick

Mutumbo and Ryan Williams officially away as well.

Wait, are you genuinely suggesting that it would have been better to retain Hughes in that situation? His position had become utterly untenable.

Maybe one more midweek friendly before the League Cup kicks off? Not sure we'd be looking to play friendlies in June but I could be totally wrong especially given I have no 'evidence' to support that notion!

Yup. Based on what Raven says Hughes wanted him out long ago. He continuously falls out with players and seems to frequently stoke up grudges with players. Whilst it's of course not unusual for players and managers to fall out it does seem strange that Hughes has done this at pretty much every club he has managed. He just doesn't learn.

When a manager falls out with a player or players then either the player or the manager have to go. a bit different if the manager falls out with the supporters. Only one camp is going to be exiting the scene then.

http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/David-Ravens-relief-as-Yogis-departure-prompted-new-Caley-Thistle-contract-09062016.htm Some interesting comments from Raven there...

Mutumbo - silence. Roberts - silence although apparently the club did have a one year option on him. Whatever that means. Devine - apparently offered a contract. Nothing signed. Rumoured to be attracting interest from Colchester (?) Williams - story in the Courier or P & J suggesting that he might be offered a deal by Foran. Nothing more on that.

Motherwell are rumoured to have offered him a deal but apparently he is back in France deciding what to do.

Looks like the revamped League Cup has really captured the attention of ICT fans

Sat 16 July Cowdenbeath v ICT 15:00 Sat 23 July ICT v Dundee United 15:00 Tues 26 July Dunfermline v ICT 19:45 Sun 31 July ICT v Arbroath 15:00 No TV games for us. Shockingly, every Rangers game is on BT Sport.

I think I've renewed mine. I elected to pay by finance and I've received an email with the credit agreement attached but when I completed my order I think it's just charged me the £299.50 out right bypassing the fact that I wanted to pay by finance. Anyone any idea if I've cocked this up? Yes is the likely answer.... EDIT: Sent the club an email and got a phone call back just over 10 minutes later confirming that I hadn't cocked it up. Great customer service!

I agree. I think he's a good coach. Some significant chinks in his armour as a manager though as Hibs have found out in the past when he fell out with Petrie and a lot of the players. Just like he did at Falkirk and just like he did at ICT. It's been mentioned before but Houston has already said that the Falkirk job is almost certainly his last gig in football. What about Latapy? Actually, why do we care? Diddy lower league outfit that they are...

Hopefully they also confirm the first tranche of fixtures for TV at the same time so people can start arranging travel for the games rather than have to wait another few weeks for Sky and BT to decide what Rangers and Celtic games they want to show. Also, we should be getting the League Cup fixtures this week as well.

I wonder if Devine is considering whether he wants to stay now that Raven is back. You'd imagine that Foran would also want to play with a CB pairing of Meekings and Warren thus relegating Devine to a sub at a time he will be wanting to play week in week out so he might decide to explore pastures new. Still hoping that Roberts will be retained although the rumour suggests that this won't happen.

Definitely caleyboy

Latapy for Hibs?

Ah right. I hadn't seen that one. Seems a bit not to just mention that in the initial statement but whatever. I'd be surprised if he ended up back at Hibs. I'd be quite tempted to go to ER should he be appointed there to see if he continues to go with his dull as dishwater passing the opposition to death style of play. EDIT: He's favourite for the Hibs job

One thing we never had confirmed is whether or not Hughes is still employed with the club. The statement the other week was basically a non statement that didn't clarify anything other than Hughes wasn't going to be manager any more. No mention of him being sacked. Is he on 'gardening leave' like McCoist was with Rangers? Would he therefore be precluded from joining Hibs or anyone else?

Apparently Lawless, Bannigan and Slater (ex of Killie) are heading to Pittodrie. Would liked to have seen Lawless at ICT but if Aberdeen really are interested we would struggle to match the wages on offer but he'd probably have more of a chance of playing most weeks with us.

Bit of a difference between giving someone a chance after 2 minutes and well over 2 years.

Anyway, being absolutely honest yes I am a bit reserved about appointing Foran. It's hard not to look past his lack of experience. That said, other managers have come into ICT with little experience and done just fine. Completely agree with what alternative maryhill says about retaining current players, having a good team ethos / spine which will help Foran no end whilst he gets to grips with his new role. We've got a solid back line and some good quality in midfield (lets hope we hold on to Tansey) but we definitely need reinforcements up front. With Doran back that will be like a new signing but hopefully we can get Roberts signed up again and play them with Polworth behind a striker (is Mckay too much to hope for?) That would be a pretty damn good starting XI although it might not end up like that! I think expectations for next season will need to be tempered significantly but hopefully we at least see a return to some more attacking football. As pointed out it's ridiculous that we finished where we did despite having as little as 2 shots on target in games. We were awfully dull to watch for a vast majority of the campaign. A return to the style of play we saw in the 4 - 1 rout of Partick would be good. Hopefully Foran takes us there. Personally, I am already looking forward to him giving a Rock Bottom to Willie Collum if he gives a penalty against us.

Looking forward to the fixtures for this coming out. I don't think the setup is great but may as well have a bash at it and see how it goes. What are the chances of any of our games being on BT Sport then? I suspect they'll select pretty much all the Rangers ties if they can.