starchief

What 'views' are we talking about? That some, including me, don't think that Hughes is the man for the job based on results and past history? I still hope I'm wrong. There is no conspiracy. I also don't expect Yogi to be sacked. Even if we're rock bottom at Xmas, I suspect the Board will strongly hesitate. Doesn't stop me (and everyone else) having a view if that's right or wrong. How many can honestly say that they weren't shouting for Brewster to go before the week that he did? It's not disloyal or a conspiracy, just an opinion. Sometimes right, sometimes wrong but we haven't been infiltrtated by a load of Hearts supporters that simply hate Hughes. I quite like the guy. Just not as a manager. Warren might well enjoy training and playing under Hughes. The question is: can Warren play total football? I just can't see it. Results also suggest he can't. Maybe he needs time to develop into an Alan Hansen but I doubt it. He looks more like a Terry Butcher or a John Hughes type of player to me. And that's no bad thing. It's some bizarre argument that those who are worried about Yogi are somehow football inepts. Most of the talk is about tactics, after all. Practical suggestions on how the team should be going forward have been put time and time again. It's not a case of knocking or being dismissive at all. If I was being cynical, I'd say that was being overlooked because it didn't fit with certain views...!!! Do I think ICT will improve with Hughes at the helm? No. Do you? Whatever the answer, I'm sure it's based upon what's best for the club, even if you disagree with me. And all views should be treated as such, instead of this vitriol.

Can we keep it at 222,223 then?

Is it? I wouldn't know. After all, I'm no comedy expert.

You may think you like your malts but like caleyboy says, you don't actually know what you ike unless you are a professional whisky taster. So let's not think we know what whisky tastes like and leave it to the professionals to tell us what we like.

Who should be relegated ? Hearts and...don't think Partick have anything special enough. Who will it be ? Hearts only. Partick still better than the Division 1. If it was up to you ? Prefer Ross County to stay up for the derby and St Mirren for old times sake. Definitely Hibs though. Can't think why.... Who should be promoted ? Prefer Falkirk as it's just up the road. Who will it be ? Dundee If I was up to you ? Yep, Falkirk for the same reason.

Well Chief, if you think a wee club like ICT, with our limited resources and geographical position, can attract a 'great' manager you are indeed deluded. Yes we could maybe have attracted Hartley but there is no way of knowing if he would have been a 'fit' for ICT. Yet again, we get we should accept Yogi because we can't get Mourinho. Please see my point: "even the best we could have" - that doesn't mean a great manager. See the New Manager thread for reasonable affordable names. Given that I was the one that first named Butcher on this forum as a potential manager before he joined, it doesn't count for me. No need to be so personal or angry though. All I'm doing is disagreeing with you that Hughes is a long-term solution. I'm sure we both want what's best for ICT. You have one view, I have the other. I'll be happy to be wrong with Hughes. But, when he leaves, I also think we will be shouting "why did we even take him on?" I don't dislike the guy, I was a fan of his style of play as a player (which definitely wasn't passing from the back), I wrote an article about how he could take Hibs to be the new third force in football but I also see I was wrong there and his style of football was neither entertaining nor successful. Hopefully, I'm wrong again. I just don't think I am and it will cause us damage short, medium and long-term.

One swallow doesn't make a summer. absent friend: you seemed to think all the criticism was because of one lost match in the cup. It's not. Nor is it about one derby. Yogi deserves his moment but that doesn't make him a great manager. Or even the best we could have. Hughes has to 'educate' himself from this win. If he learns from this, fantastic. Everyone's happy. I continue to have my severe doubts. But why not let the team and manager have their moment without this 'they one a single match so it proves Yogi is the new Fergie' argument?

I've been a big fan of Carey for a while and thought he did well yesterday too. Thing is though, we've no need for another left-back.

Ref's hilarious. He's like a schoolboy reffing for the first time.

A winger scores and we work their keeper more in 45 mins than in the last 5 games of 'total football'. He'd better not change next week!

Well done Robbo. "It's not about the players, it's about educating yourself about the club and what makes the players tick"

Think Hughes knows how much pressure he is under, hence the switch back to 4-2-3-1. Bet next time, suddenly, it's changed back. Thing is, you can't just switch results and confidence. Nevertheless, we have a good team. Play the right formation and we should do it.

Like everyone else, I'd go for a 4-2-3-1 but, let's just try to select a 4-1-4-1 system at gunpoint. Esson in goal probably. I'd still value Raven as he can pass as well as defend. We have little choice in central defence. None can pass. Maybe Meekings is the best but you can't drop Warren. Tremarco out left to get Shinnie in midfield. I don't see that Draper fits this system at all, despite being one of our best players. Tansey would be the main man to get things started. I'd drop Vincent back for passing link ups and have Shinnie in there for some pass and moves (not what he's great at but better than everyone else). Ross would be in as he is pretty adaptable and can play a sweet short pass, or else one of our wingers would have to shift to being a central mid. I'm really not sure who the extra body would be. Actually, it would probably be Raven , meaning Meekings switches to RB. We only have one striker. So: Esson Meekings Devine Warren Tremarco Tansey Raven Vincent Shinnie Ross McKay Now, is that more promising than: Brill Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie Tansey Draper Watkins Christie Doran McKay I think not.

Here's a reason: players. The only player we have that can pass a ball is Tansey. But he ain't quick. We therefore need to get rid of Brill, Esson, Warren, Meekings, Draper, Foran, McKay and Vincent. Doran, Williams and Watkins have to change to go more inward. we then need to bring in a whole load of players for free and on low wages that can pass and move quickly, using intelligence and guile to undo the opposition. We have no chance of getting those kind of players on our budget. We don't have a single player on our books that suita that style. Danny Lennon also wants to play that way but has a little more money. How many of his players would improve ICT? Or should we stick with the players and system that got us to 2nd place with games in hand? Can we get a poll on this thread? A simple Yes or No, that allows changes so we can see if results go up or down.

Doubt he'd get it. (I'm not even joking)

Why Christie bottom? Got us to 7th in the table, with a points total above 4th, then 8th in his second. That's got to be better than Baltacha and Brewster 2 at least.

1. Pele: built the squad. He was our Bill Shankly. Didn't achieve as much at the top (obviously) but we were still playing 'his team' for years in the SPL. 2. Butcher: a serious challenge for European football via the League? Not something I thought ICT could do. 3. Christie: Remember when the top six was just a pipe dream? Charlie got us believing. 4. Robbo: more the mystery-man. Got us to the SPL but would he have got us higher? Impossible to know. 5. Brewster (1st): Good eye for a player. Strong team and played that way. I can't decided between Hughes, Baltacha and Brewster (2nd). All of them have been much poorer than the team deserved.

Would we really do worse with an ICT dream trio of Robbo, Shearer and Christie taking over, either temporarily or permanently? I think not. Even getting Pele on board as a scout or advisor? Can't see it being overly costly if we're short of cash and make an appeal to the heart. If it works, then a contract. If not, then we are no worse off than that guid laddie at the moment.

So the style doesn't suit McKay, Doran, Williams or Watkins. I'd also suggest it doesn't suit Foran or Warren either. Giving Hughes 'time' would mean these players underperform or we get rid of them. Or we get rid of him!

He's not the man for the job. Why wait until it is an absolute disaster when we can see it is going that way? Best cut your losses early. No, I don't see Yogi getting sacked but that's a mistake. Not something that should be supported. The 'who do you want?' thread contained a lot of good, affordable suggestions. How this sustaining and improving working out? Yogi isn't the man. I very much doubt it, with Hughes in charge. Cannot see it for next season. Of course it's a success. But you're saying we shouldn't expect to improve in that sentence. 20 years ago, we would have been happy being in Division One. But then, we didn't have this team. With Hughes struggling to get a job, I'd be astonished if the Board hadn't taken that into account with a get out of jail free card. Hughes would have come with a contract that meant he could be got rid of without a huge pay-off. Any businessman could see that. Actually it was when Hughes came in. Shearer and Foran did just fine before that. I completely agree with this. Managers need time to get established but we can see this is going so wrong. We've got a good team signed up for next season that just needs a decent manager. Not one with a perilous track record determined to change a winning philosophy to his old failed one.

It's actually 2363, plus three fit and available wingers.

I remember the very same thing being said with McBain out on the right and Vigurs on the left under Brewster.

I liked this comment from the Daily Record phonein: John Steven, East Kilbride, said: “If ever a manager made the wrong decision in life, surely it has to be Butcher going to Hibs.”

Don't need to be demoralised. It's down to tactics. Before Yogi: 2 central defenders + 2 defensive midfielders + a commitment to getting the ball up to wingers quicly. After Yogi: 2 central defenders + varying amounts of central midfielders + defenders encouraged to tippy-tap. Our defenders are more Alex McLeish than Alan Hansen. Wholehearted but not skillful passers.

Almost correct, except... I have faith in the players but not the management. I've written him off, as you rightly say. His stamp will be damaging. I'd rather not give him time to do that. However, be gladdened. Yogi will be here for a long time. Then we can look back and say, what a disaster! And... The Chairman can have his opinion, as can I. He has no more right than me and blindly cheering every successive failure will not help ICT. After all, were you glad ICT waited so long to get rid of Brewster when it was so obvious he wasn't the man for the job?