starchief

And yet Foran and Tokely have been criticised all season, with posters on here urging Butcher to drop them, many saying they weren't worth a new contract - probably only Proctor has been criticised more. Amazing how so many seem to have forgotten that. The majority of Nick Ross comments too were of the getaefeck variety, how he isn't good enough, he isn't strong enough, he needs loaned out, he adds nothing etc etc. Talk about fickle.

I think that's basically what I said.

What, you rate Tokely now? When did that happen? If you'd had your way, he'd have been gone two seasons ago.

I think it was obvious why he got rid of Duncan. He'd lost his place, didn't do anything special when he got time on the park, went to a lesser division, couldn't get a game for them, dropped down more divisions. An ICT legend sure, but just like McBain, Golabeck, Wyness etc etc, eventually the time comes when he's not good enough. He'd reached that time. No blunder there. Or would you like to sign a Ross County over-30 reject who was loaned out to a 3rd division club? Munro got a lot of criticism from ICT supporters for his hoof-the-ball. I thought he was a decent player and it was a mistake. He was never international class but a decent bottom six defender. A mistake. Tokely has been criticised all season, with some saying he was fourth, fifth and even sixth choice of central defender. I heard very few shouting Ross should have had a new contract most of the season, except for the last few games. As it is, I hope he does get a new contract as, again, he is a decent but not Earth-shattering bottom six defender. I'd keep him but where are all the critics that have been shouting how he must leave all season? And who are all those other players that we're losing that are the 'heart and soul' of the club? Picked at random from 2009: Inverness CT: Esson, Tokely, Mihadjuks, Munro, Djebi-Zadi, Proctor, Black, Duncan, Foran (Hastings 87), Morais (Imrie 62), Rooney (Odhiambo 77) Couldn't afford: Mihadjuks, Black, Morais, Rooney Stayed: Esson, Tokely, Foran - both of the latter have been constantly criticised all season Left controversially: Munro, Duncan - only one of which has managed to play in a lesser division Other: Djebi-Zadi, Proctor, Hastings, Imrie, Odhiambo - which one of these is the 'heart and soul' that we shouldn't be losing? All of them were being hugely criticised.

So you are happy with the quality of the SPL then? You want the best players to leave? This perochial attitude is part of the reason why Scottish football is so low.

Weeks? GMS was out injured for the best part of six months. So, would you have taken on a player that had a history of injuries, that was given a trial but failed to finish the match, that was going to be injured for a lengthy part of the following season, with no guarantee of recovering long-term? A player that couldn't get accepted by any team in the SPL or SFL1? A player that turned down a pay-as-you-play deal becasue he quite simply wouldn't be playing enough? Would you honestly have taken that type of player on a long-term deal? On hindsight, a 5 year deal for GMS would have been a great investment but to have given that would have been madness. He hadn't shown anything to prove that he deserved that. dougal is very easy to disagree with, given that it's pretty clear through his posts that he doesn't support ICT. And we managed to almost break into the top six without GMS or Vigurs. Here's the question: given that Butcher 'bounced back' at the first time of asking, then achieved a finish that was probably a lot higher than most of us believed, should he be sacked after one mediocre season or given a chance to improve next season? He deserves that chance.

It might well be his last season, where poor defending and desperately bad finishing means we're towards the bottom of the table. Then again, it could be like last year, if Hogg gets fit, less injuries and he can find a striker. In which case, it could be like the year before, where we are heavily pushing for top six. It's way too early to be making these predictions. Two good seasons out of three means he deserves a chance. It's impossible to say what next season will bring.

I've always thought him best as a super-sub. But if not, then some big guy, like Higdon (though obviously not Higdon), would be ideal. Holding the ball up for Tade and A.Shinnie, even Tansey. Probably a player that would let the team score more, rather than be a goal machine himself.

Shouldn't have been a penalty. Hooper's goal was offside. Therefore, who scored the only legitimate goal? End of.

Well, he has been diagnosed with depression and that's usually manic depression (big swings in either direction). In all seriousness, this must be one of the worst jobs in the entire world for him to control his illness.

Looking forward to this final astronomically more than a Celtic v Aberdeen tie could ever have been.

Ditto. At the end of the game, li'l Neil chased after the referee to complain about both the weak penalty to Hearts and Celtic's offside goal. Why do poor little Celts never get the breaks ?

I wonder if people would change their minds if a new question were added asking whether Rangers should start in Div. 3 even though it would mean ICT, Killie, St Johnstone and Aberdeen becoming bankrupt (I've no idea if they would but they seem clubs that could be close to the edge). (for the record, I think the whole of Scottish football needs such a radical overhaul, I'd be inclined to close, merge and rebirth dozens of clubs for a streamlined competitive two leagies and regional leagues below that)

If there's no redistribution of money, it'll just mean Celtic pumping seven past QoS and continuing on with their trophy haul until Rangers get their act in gear. you could have a four team or a forty team league. It would be as equally uncompetitive without that money change.

It's not bickering. In the case of the most obvious poster, it's baiting at best. Trolling at worst. I'm not sure why, for that case, the ignore function isn't used more.

Good luck to him. My biggest problem was the way he left us, then came back after failing elsewhere. Just didn't feel right.

Not a bad result for ICT. I'm more disappointed with the Aberdeen score. Thought we could have caught up with them. Still a chance but more of a hope of getting above the Buddies.

I've always said Proctor would be ideal as a defensive midfielder or sweeper. He doesn't have the strength for central defence or the pace for anything other than a very defensive full-back. When Butcher came in, Proc was at right-midfield. He proved he had the ability for the midfield but not the pace. Get Foran up the park and play Proc there. He deserves a chance.

About the same as beating Aberdeen at Pittodrie or Hibs at home. There's no banker for your fixed odds with ICT.

And an SPL title to a Bottling Company - aka Neil Lennon!

Am I being deliberately mis-interpreted over Clough? My point was that saying a couple of years ago that Butcher wasn't the man for the job because he'll eventually hit the buffers, doesn't mean that aspersion was correct. If someone had said of Clough "he's no use - bet he gets us relegated", then they are only proven right if they choose to ignore all the success he had in between. I wasn't comparing success or styles of play. Simply, that you can't say what's happened at the end of a manager's reign is the be all and end all. Clough was a far better manager than virtually every one else in the game (actually, in my opinion, I'd remove that virtually). But he eventually went on the decline and got them relelgated. That doesn't prove someone who predicted that "it would all end in tears" in 1975 was correct. Butcher took us up at the first time of asking, had a year-long undefeated away run, amassed a better-than-expected points total in the first season back up, putting to shame a lot better funded teams. I believe, with a proven goalscorer and better luck with injuries, we would be higher up the table (including that Hibs match). As it is, I feel there is no chance of relegation and we will probably finish higher up than Hibs and potentially Aberdeen. Both teams with much bigger budgets than us. I'm not saying I agree with all his tactics (I don't - I think a more balanced counter-attacking approach would be best) but based on the above, Butcher deserves another season.

2 seasons ago: promotion at the first time of asking with an amazing run 1 season ago: 7th place officially, with a points total that would take us to 5th in the table.

You were against Butcher from the very start though. Butcher achieved wonderful things at ICT in the last two seasons. Where's the credit for that? You will eventually be proved right as most managers stumble at some time - even Brian Clough detractors were eventually proved right. MissICT seemingly gone and now Luke? Perhaps neither were the most incisive of posters but I welcome their unbridled support for the club amidst many men of misery. A breath of fresh air.

I just don't get how people can say he failed at Coventry. It was a major shock when he sacked as Coventry were doing well, yet bringing in money. He was sacked and they crashed into the relegation zone. In Sunderland, he was average. For Brentford and Sydney, he ony had half a season. Did pretty badly but then, didn't many ICT fans want him sacked during the first half of SFL1, when it looked like there was no way he could get us promoted with the terrible results we were having? You could argue the last two but it was a mistake by Coventry to sack him.

And yet above both Dunfermline and Hibs, whilst pushing to be above Aberdeen. Either these players aren't as bad as you're making out or Butcher's a terrific manager to get this much out of them.