Scotty

3639 - yup higher than I expected too ... went for 3312 in the NPL which included an allowance for extra 'kids for a quid'

"training mentality" - Irvine has mentioned this a few times now and seems to describe how we are playing. just denied a penalty claim :008: :008: :008:

Before anyone asks ......... Imrie's goal is the second earliest for ICT in the league ICT FASTEST GOALS FOR: 31 seconds – Craig Dargo – SPL v Celtic 18.12.05 37 seconds - Dougie Imrie - SPL v Gretna 3.5.08 40 Seconds – Barry Robson – League v Ross County 9.11.02 54 Seconds – Craig Dargo v Livingston 8.11.05 56 Seconds – Steve Hislop - League v Brechin 29.11.03

[li]Discuss the game in this very thread right here :004:[/li] [li]Get to the chatroom HERE[/li] [li]See the subs / bookings / report - after the game starts - HERE[/li] [li]See the stats etc after the game has ended by choosing today's game from HERE[/li] [li]At the game ? - Dont forget to vote in the POLL after the game has ended. HERE [/li] [li]At the game ? SUBMIT A MATCH REPORT [/li] LINEUPS ICT [attach=1] GRETNA [attach=2]

We really should let IHE create a legitimate second identity called Johndo :004: .... his posts as "Johndo" are usually articulate, well thought out and based on reason and fact whereas IHE, being immortal and perhaps suffering from conditions that can affect the elderly can be somewhat more challenging to read or believe :004:

I have removed the off-topic and abusive posts that followed this one. if you cant stay vaguely on topic in this (or any other) thread or feel the need to abuse someone then please dont bother posting.

Chris, you raise a very good point !!!! I think things surrounding ICT can be very blinkered at times and it was only in leaving the town that i myself picked up on it. Despite the fact that there is actually a sizeable out of town support for ICT, they have done nothing to encourage these fans or market themselves outside the highlands. In fact for many years they did nothing to market themselves outside the longman industrial estate !!!! County on the other hand were doing all sorts of community based stuff and trying to gain more fans. OK it didnt quite work out for County and they havent been as successful as ICT on the park but they **** well tried and that for me speaks volumes. Its my hobby horse - as you will discover if you stay around long enough - but one prime example of the short sightedness of the club is their approach to internet broadcasting. Their website provider has a service that would allow them to broadcast live audio globally and live video outside the UK (although I concede video service might cost them too much) as well as highlights packages and exclusive interviews and stuff like that to subscribers. The majority of SPL clubs have a service like this (or are at least in serious planning stages) but ICT dont seem to see how it could enhance their profile. There seems to be a fair number of people willing to pay for this service but its nowhere on the agenda. I was promised an update/response to my initial questions about this in February/March but nothing, nada, zip. Hopefully our new chairman is both web-savvy and progressive ... maybe then we might see some progress.

Gordon - thanks for this one ..... there was nothing said about his Toronto trial over here as he was one of many on trial in the pre-season and from my own point of view, knowing who was available at the time in the first team it disappointed me that he didnt get a look in. your response goes a long way to explaining it. I think most fans want him to do well, lets hope he can have a less traumatic 2008 season and maybe push his way into Brewster's plans.

not even a "kelly clarkson, kelly clarkson .....?" :015:

Getting back to Dean .... I havent seen him play other than in the youtube links we saw when he signed which made him look excellent. This opinion - based on video - is probably similar to many of us on here other than those who go to reserve games. I believe he has done reasonably well in the reserves but he has now had two or three trials elsewhere and not seen anything come of them. In his Toronto FC trial he didnt even make the squad for any of the pre-season games and believe me when I say that TFC going into pre-season was definitely severely lacking in wide midfield and up front. Maybe the new manager had a plan or knew he was going to get certain players and this screwed things up for Dean but to not get any game time whatsoever seems to suggest that he didnt exactly set the heather on fire ! I wish him well, I would like to see him get a chance if he can prove he is worth it but think he may be cut loose .....

:015: :015:

1m for Moravcik and Larsson has got to go down as two of the greatest deals in history ..... but lets not mention "Rafael" :015: :015:

In terms of achievement, Barry Robson is probably the most gifted player to have been at ICT so far - He's now at one half of the OF, getting at least a semi-regular game, and there or thereabouts when it comes to the national side. Always talented - even when we sent him to Forfar - I think the only complaint most of us have about him is his moaning. Of our previous (or 'older') players - If they were in their prime when we arrived in the SPL I feel that Charlie Christie, Jim Calder, Barry Wilson, Iain Stewart and even old timers (and natural goalscorers) like Hercher and Urquhart could have done a good job for us (or in Barry's case - continue to do so). You could probably add Bingham, Shearer, Mann and Dods to that list too. Of our current crop of players obviously there is Niculae, but you also have to look at players like Blackie (if he gets back in favour and stays), Don Cowie, Dougie Imrie (lots of raw potential), and although I havent seen them in person both Garry Wood and Zander are getting rave reviews for their loan spells ...... When you think about it, we have had a large number of players who we have enjoyed watching at ICT and many of these in their prime could have been good (or very good) SPL players

I cant blame Brew for not having Charlie as his #2 ... it would be a strange state of affairs to have the (immediate) former boss as an assistant to the current boss. Likewise having Pele, Robbo or Sergei (or Brewster) in the frame as an assistant to any future boss would also be strange. I have a lot of respect for CC and am glad to hear that his first stint has not put him off. I would like to see him at the helm of ICT some time in the future but for now perhaps it is better if he gets all his coaching badges and maybe does a stint managing at a lower level (or even P/T at a HFL club combined with his ICT duties). That way he can hone his skills pretty much out of the public eye and be a better manager if/when he does come back to the hotseat. Incidentally - to comment on one thing he said in the article .... I saw him for all of 30 seconds when I was down at the stadium and I have to say he DOES look better and far more relaxed than he ever did in pictures when he was ICT boss !!!

Yes McCoist played at Tannadice as did Laudrup, Gascoigne, Goram et all ..... a good Rangers team but Laudrup just oozed class that day. Henrik Larsson is probably in the same bracket as him on the Celtic side and pound for pound is probably the best value player to have ever played in Scotland but I dont think he ever played that well against ICT reminder: the topic is who is the most skillful opposition player you've seen

Laudrup when we played Rangers at Tannadice was the best player I have seen

You are preaching to the converted my friend .... I am in Toronto so have the same problems accessing ICT games. I have spoken to the club about it but dont think its that far up the agenda right now !!!! CaleyD - Try this link for TFC games. They have a matchday thread same as us but also allow certain types of links that we do not :004: http://s15.invisionfree.com/U_Sector/index.php

Gonna hear bugger all here today as this game will be blocked .... and even better, Toronto FC is playing today but last night at midnight our public transit workers went on strike so I have to take the car to today's game so no drinking either :009:

Why? We shouldn't assume that just because the man has ideas that they are neccessarily good for the club. Savage wanted to develop the current stadium while the rest of the board (under the influence of Sutherland) felt that a community stadium in the Bught is the best thing to look at in the long term. Savage wanted to "introduce boutique football to showcase other players", whatever the feck that means, but the board rejected the plan. That's why we have a board. I'd be more concerned if they just went along with whatever Savage was suggesting without questioning it. I never said all his ideas were good for the club, nor do I think the board should merely rubber stamp the ideas of ANY chairman (or for that matter any "major shareholder"). They should discuss things, come to a consensus and do what is best FOR THE CLUB. That is what we as shareholders (irrespective of whether you have 250 shares or 43% of the shares) have elected them to do. However, what I am saying is that it appears that some of his "no-brainer" good ideas - such as getting rid of the eyesore we call a club shop appear to have been blocked for no good reason (some might even say for spite). Can anyone seriously say that this big blue box looks good or even professional ? As CaleyD mentioned, there were also quite a few 'smaller' things he wanted to do which would have improved the whole environment for fans and he more or less said as much in the Q&A session we did a while back. However, for whatever reason these were blocked/resisted at various levels within the club and enough appears to have been enough for the man. I like David Sutherland, I think he was good for the club in both his terms as chairman and he certainly did bring us back from the brink but this spat with Savage does neither one of them or the club any favours. There will be a lot more mileage in this story before it finishes ..... unfortunately.

IF the article is true and Savage has legitimately tried to do things that would bring the club forward but been blocked at every turn then that is scandalous. What comes across is extremely plausible but the one niggle that keeps popping into my head is the comment made to Caley100 in the Heathmount that fans should be greatful just to be in the SPL. I have a feeling that this one is going to give us a lot of close season talking points !!!

indeed.

Losing Niculae is unlikely to free up wages to pay for 5 or 6 players. You might manage to replace this one skillful but expensive international class player with two journeymen or maybe three youngsters at a push !!

That statement does not miss and hit the wall !!!!!

i would prefer to say "too trusting" ......

totally agree. In the days of "boardroom banter" we got some decent communication with the club (not just the board) and supporters were encouraged to ask questions or raise concerns. Not all were answered and some things could not be answered for business or confidentiality reasons but it was pretty good all round. A fair bit of BB was written with a positive bias towards the club but there were usually enough straight answers to straight questions to keep most people happy. The board were quite skeptical at first but I think in the end it also gave them a monthly benchmark of what the issues were and how the fans were feeling about things so everyone was a winner !!!! Shame it was discontinued by his successor when Kenny C stepped down from the board ......