starchief

If you don't like the thread, no need to read it, much less respond. You don't want to give your opinion? Ignore the thread - but don't tell anyone else they're not entitled to air their views either. There's nothing we can do about last Saturday's game. Hell, there's nothing we can do about next Saturday's either unless we're Butcher and Malpas disguised, so what's the point of talking about pretty much anything ICT related at all? (the answer is of course: we're interested in the club and are chewing the cud)

Esson Cox Tokely Munro Golabek Proctor McBain Hayes Imrie Foran Rooney Bully can't go on in that position. In his few games last year, Tokely did well until the Falkirk game. Proctor was too lightweight there in the SPL and I fear he would be worse in the SFL, where physique is a bigger factor often than skill. DZ can only be played wide left in a 5-man defence, so Golly has to stay where he is. So, no other option than moving Tokely in IMHO. McBain can at least pass the ball, allowing Proctor to do the spade work - he seems to be having a better season than either Duncan or Stratford. If it's not quite working down the right, then Cox (played at Leicester as a RB) and Proctor can switch. I've been saying this since the end of the SPL but we're desperately lacking a passing midfielder. Plenty of wide players (Hayes, Imrie, McBain, Ross, Foran) and defensive mids (Duncan, Proctor, Cox, Stratford) but only Sanchez could possibly fill that void (and he can't really).

Well, his record was poor when he wasn't playing for ICT first time around, he then almost got a good team relegated in Dundee Utd, then did get a decent team relegated, bar the shouting, in Inverness, so....no. County have a fairly settled team with some good acquisitions, especially in Vigurs and Brittain (spelling?). di Gacomo also seems to have found his level. Don't really know if Adams is any good yet or not. Not seen much of County over the past two years but always helps to have a settled management team.

Yep, re-appointing Brew. Very few wanted him back and he made some serious errors. To think we could have tied down a midfield trio of Black, Rankin (both were made little effort to attempt to keep them) and Cowie (jumping from SFL2 IIRC to SPL - would probably have jumped at a longer contract) if a manager with a bit of vision would have come in then.

"Kenny Miller spurned a great chance from six yards." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/low/football/europe/8339063.stm) :D Anyone expect anything different to happen?

There was also a long-standing problem between McCann and Pressley. From what I can understand it was personal but I don't know anything about it.

Why is Owen(s) (sic) a mercenary more than any other player? He moved to Real. Did very well but didn't get on with the manager. Tried to move back to Liverpool but 'pool didn't have the money demanded by Madrid, so had to go somewhere else. Likewise, when his contract ran out with Newcastle, Liverpool didn't come in for him, so he moved somewhere else. What's he supposed to do? Not play for any other club? Turn down the chance to play for the English Champions in the very top flight but instead go to the likes of Hull because the club he wanted to go to didn't want him back? Madness! I await your hammering of Dennis Wyness or Barry Wilson, who both did much the same with Hearts and Livi, i.e. move on for a challenge and better money. And how dare they sign for a fellow relegation struggler in St Mirren (so Denzil tried to get ICT relegated) and QoS (plays for the north then goes as far south as he can and deliberately plays to win thus denying ICT points as they attempt to go back up).

I think Hastings was (unfairly) criticised when Dods left and, until Mihadjuks (when Djebi-Zadi took over anyway), we had no central defender apart from Munro, who wasn't always at his best. I can remember Richard being roundly hammered on this forum for not covering the likes of Proctor well enough, even though that meant Hastings was doing both his job and a sweeper's. I never really understood the criticism. A good full-back. Not eye-catching like Tokely or DZ but a lot safer. Virtually every goal we seem to lose towards the end of last season was down the left. Even when DZ was playing one of his good games, he was always liable to be exploited. Hastings didn't provide as much attack. Mainly that was due to him covering his lines. Y'know...a full-back's main priority...

I wouldn't get too excited about Eric just yet. Even more to prove than Barrowman to me. At least we know Barrowman can score in SFL2 but Eric has yet to do anything.

Why exactly did he leave? IIRC it was for Ayr United? He seemed to bang in a few goals for us, plus a number of assists at the time. I remember being surprised he went to a team that didn't seem to be doing much.

I don't know what the hell Butcher means by that. I've barely seen ICT this season but Barrowman certainly lacked confidence last season and didn't always work very hard for the team either. Very surprised Barrowman's being mentioned at all in fact. I can only presume that his legendary confidence HAS fallen and this is a way of boosting it. Adam Rooney = Kris Boyd of the SFL. He might not be the complete player and miss a few but he will get goals and that's all that matters.

...and that's why I can slag off Ross Tokely. He's started way more games than me this year, yet we're level on goals :)

If AC and Inter Milan can ground share....?

It seems to be forgotten, but he was successful with Coventry City too. You have to look beyond a simple sacking - took them in to the top half of the EPL whilst SAVING money. Did better than his followers and predeccesor, including the Ron Atkinson/Gordon Strachan teams who had millions to spend.

He's not a troll. He's been quite civilised. Heilandee has continually said about supporting Dundee (or is it United, damn, forgot), plus there have been a few Watford (Don Cowie) fans. As long as they're behaving themselves, then why not a few foreign supporters occasionally.

It's kinda difficult to score with a broken foot. :D But Odhiambo used his head for the only one he's scored B) I think he used his feet to get there though As far as I recall, he's only scored one goal in his entire career, so I doubt he'll suddenly become the next Ian Rush anytime soon after his injury (which I was aware of BTW). Oh, and also, how many starts Sanchez, how many Rooney. I think Sanchez might be more of a provider than a goalscorer.

Isn't this fairly close to the type of formation Butcher played when he took over in the SPL?

Foran can score. Rooney can score. Sanchez struggles. Barrowman can't. Imrie can't. Odhiambho (spelling?) can't. Got to give him more of a chance.

I'd be pretty hacked off if I got dropped after a performance like that. Perhaps a different line up might have been needed if we were, say, away to Dundee but same team next time for me.

That's a disgraceful thing to say! Everyone knows it's by the hour

McBain work his socks off? I think he should be in the team but he's hardly known for his 100% effort.

Just thought I'd quickly say yes. I was in the Highlands late Jul til early Sep on a contract. Unfortunately now, only get the occasional BBC Alba of ICT (but still get the SPL matches - obviously no ICT there).

But not instigating a transfer. Just a preference. Niculae (and anyone else) doesn't have to go to the highest bidder. He can either ride out his contract or, if the club says they want rid, go to a club he prefers. No one is saying Marius had no preference in which club he wanted to go to. But if you're managing director (basically) says that he's looking to sell, then I can't see the player gets blamed for instigating.

Given how much Boro Chairman Steve Gibson has supported the likes of Bryan Robson and Gareth Southgate during poor times, I was pretty shocked to see Southgate sacked when only 1 point of the top of the league. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/t...ugh/8317621.stm

I think a team should change its formation according to who you're playing - even Man Utd do this. But I also don't think we've got the players for 4-3-3. Who would feed the front players when we've no passing midfielders? Hayes you've got in midfield, when he would be better placed as one of the front three. You also have a sitting front three, rather than (at least) one of them playing wide. If Hayes is to be the wide player then that's 4-2-4, but again top heavy with little width down one side and no passing midfielder.