starchief

Depends which mercenary you're talking about. Barrowman, Dargo, Cherry, Wilson, Bingham, Duncan, Cowie, Dods, Mann etc etc - all of them came here to better their career (whether that's a step up or to play on at the tail end of their careers) and play(ed) for money. Don't/didn't see any of them say 'pay me less than the going rate, I'll be staying on regardless'. It's their profession. People leave for better paid jobs all the time.

He gets a lot of criticism but I like Dailly as a player in a back 3 (or 5 if you prefer). But there's no way he or McCulloch should have been in a midfield position with Hemdani not getting a game. Pretty sure he was fit. Novo as well gets a lot of criticism. He's a pretty good striker IMHO but no way is he a winger/wide midfielder. When did he ever get to the bye-line and whip in a cross? All you get from that position is an ineffectual wide player that might get a chance to score if he can somehow get in to the goal mouth, i.e. a striker out of position. And just where are Rangers wide players? Why so much on forwards that stay on the bench? Oh, and Boyd, if you're reading. Get away from there. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too good a striker not to get a regular game.

The only thing that tempers my enjoyment is that mad Vlad will now be gloating and that's just plain wrong.

Grant's not really captain material but he's probably the best we've got, other than possibly Black. But that's our big problem. No real leader in the back four.

Steven Robb and Tom Brighton, then there's some other guy called Wyness. I mistakenly believed Brittain had been signed for the Saints but of course he's left them. Due to his injuries, I'd completely forgotten he had been signed for them!

Killie - Jefferies is an excellent manager (wish he was Scotland manager TBH) and I just think that, despite the absence of strikers, he's too much upstairs to go down. He must be tearing hid hair out though. Done well on a shoestring budget, having to sell any player that looks remotely promising. Maybe he'll get shot of Killie instead? St Mirren - I think they've made a few good signings. I don't expect them to be in relegation trouble. Hamilton - got out of a tricky division last year but can they build on it. I don't think so. ICT - need new defenders. How Brew cannot see that I don't know. Maybe they don't fit in with the aesthetically pleasing passing game he has in mind! Still, I think we'll beat Hamilton.

Surprised the Hibees are so down about their chances. Mixu's made some very astute signings. With his success in Finland and Cowdenbeath (IIRC), I'd be looking forward to next season if I were them.

Yep, a good few signings this year. Liked their style of football too, ever since Jim Jefferies was manager.

Cowie's not doing anything wrong, so why put him in the under-19s. ICT said 'we want you for two years. Maybe longer but we're not going to commit to that.' Cowie agreed to that condition. He's not leaving voluntarily before his contract is up. He showed the commitment he was asked for. Personally, I feel a club should do their homework. If they think that a player has a real good chance of making it, then a longer contract. If they won't risk the money, then the player is entitled to say he'll be here for as long as his contract. Not necessarily any longer.

Yeah it was about 29 degrees here in Egypt too, so well done Scotland. (What?! You mean daytime? Brrrrrrrrr!)

Left of centre = Labour??? How long have you been out of the country exactly?

Breakfast at 1 o'clock. Then a lunch/dinner thing at 6. Then chocolate, nuts and pepsi thereafter. Is that not how everyone does it? Women think a breakfast is good because it's low in fat, high in fibre. For men, it's good if it's so chocolatey, it turns the milk brown. - Dave Lister, Red Dwarf

My question is always if the player in question isn't good enough for someone (I'm thinking Pressley and Burchill in particular), then who should we go for that's better and within budget?

I'd definitely have him. And if you read Doncaster's announcement (Championship club by the way), then they've not given up either. In their League, with their squad, they need to be fired up straight away - no way can they allow a player to slowly become match fit, or else they'll be adrift. We don't have many options, plus, what we're needing is an organiser and leader at the back - not a bright young thing with potential. By the way, O'Dea, Wilson, Riordan, Gravesen, Donati, O'Brien, Balde, Scott and Mark Brown, Samaras, Sno, Killen, Kennedy and Caddis. None of them were first team picks at the end of the season - all of them good enough for us. We're not even in the same league as Celtic* And Pressley, after a few games, was good in his first season with Celtic - so much so, he was a frontrunner for captaincy. Then he had an injury. I suspect like David Weir, he probably relies on matches to stay fir and sharp, so getting match fit will be twice as tough (especially at a team like Celtic). Chris * well, we are but you know what I mean

Soy sauce sandwiches for me!

Completely disagree with this. We play Rangers (for instance). Naturally, we pack the defence hoping to get a scrambled goal via the few breaks we'll get. Unfortunately, the ball sclaffs off Munro's shin, leaving Fraser going the wrong way. 1-0 to the Gers after 10 minutes. I would have thought we'd have to change our game plan sooner than later. If we're only playing one striker and a linking midfielder, then subs are the ideal way to change it. Nothing to do with fitness or lack of research. Just the game changing despite the best of the coach's (ahem) ability (nuff said there!).

Actually that could be a good thing. No, bear with me...if the other SPL clubs realise they're not getting the OF cash cow, then they may be persuaded to open up a top 16 league and only play each other twice a season. That'd be a winner for me.

http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Inverne...liot.4305135.jp Looks like he's coming. Thankfully only on loan as he's really got to prove he's SPL quality.

I'd love to see Tokely at centre back myself. I remember he was interesting high-flying Leeds a few years ago when he was there. For me, he should be at least tried there again. He's big, aggressive, quick for a central defender (don't compare him to a winger, compare his to McManus, Pressley etc) and probably be a decent distributor (again for a central defender, compare him to Caldwell or Weir). Seems natural to put him there, with Proctor at right back, or defensive mid - or even sweeper if the formation changes.

Well, that's just a ridiculous comment. Dods stated he was leaving six months (at least) before the end of his contract at the start of the previous season. It's hardly going to take us over one and a half years and still to have not found a decent centre-back Ye Gods!!! It has!!

I'd love to see Ross County in the SPL. For one, I like all the ex-Highland teams, secondly, wouldn't it be great to have a rival? I'd hopes that Livi were going to be our 'love-to-hate' team but that seems to have faded (even before we were in the SPL together). Right now, that seems to be Dundee Utd but, well, I'm not too bothered about them really. It was only really Brew trying to take our best players for a pittance that was the problem but not rivalry. New Year 2008/09 season: Rangers v Celtic Hearts v Hibs Aberdeen v Dundee Utd Motherwell v Killie Hamilton v Falkirk ICT v Ross County Yeah, that would be a great day of local football squabbles. Oh, and, is it not a bit pathetic that Inverness supporters are having a go at Ross County for being in the sticks? Isn't that the best thing about the Highlands? Or, should we bow to the Central Belt teams 'coz they've got more concrete than us? :024:

McGuire - first choice :019:

I quite liked him. He was enthusiastic and very biased towards England. For me, that passion (and disappointment) is what it's all about - even when I don't support their team. As Mr Motson might say: Perhaps it is significant that Motson, known for his camel hair coat is retiring in this, the Chinese Year of the Rat. One has to wonder, is it a desert rat? Very much so I fancy. One has to wonder, is it an omen that in 1966, England also had a famous commentator that may or may not have had a brother? And there we have it, in a nutshell. SSSHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOAL!

As long as he doesn't break the bank, that's fine. He was a quality player when he left but he's gone downhill. Pay him that and I'll welcome him back as we can only believe he'll be a squad player.

Reminds me of journalists being asked who they'd like to see in a Scotland shirt (calls for Brian Martin, Philip Scott and the rest). Tam Cowan's choice? "Rhona McLeod".