starchief

I'd also love to see him as a sitting midfielder (or sweeper if we ever play that way). Tidy in the tackle, good vision, not strong enough in the air for a central defender but good enough in the midfield, lacks both pace and a non-stop engine. Sounds like defensive mid to me.

Christie took ICT to their highest position in the table with 7th (although more points than 6th place due to the split and 40 points above the drop zone) in 2005-06, then 8th in 2006-07 (18 points above the last placed team and 3 points below the 6th). Yeah, a real disaster. Let's hope we never get as bad as a hair's breadth away from the SPL split again. A disaster!? What would be success for you then?

I think it shows how badly Dundee United handled him. It seemed clear to me at the time, the lad had talent and I was always surprised he so rarely got a game. I don't think the committee can say "we'll give you a permit even though you obviously don't think he's good enough for your club"

You're assuming with current squads. Both the OF teams would attract massive sponsorship - Celtic being arguably the best supported team in the world, and Rangers already being amongst the richest, despite playing in the SPL and generally being less than average in Europe. Aberdeen might have the chance to cash in on it's connections with the oil companies looking at a high profile means of advertising. Hearts and/or Hibs could really profit as well due to their location - which is considerably more appealing than Burnley, Stoke, Hull, etc etc. In fact, it wouldn't be a big surprise to see a Russian magnate (not a mad one) see an Edinburgh team as an opportunity for a real coup. There's no guarantees in football but I fancy these teams could be major players eventually. And I wouldn't see Inverness v Plymouth as a problem with the airport. Plymouth v Carlisle is much more a problem.

Ah yes, the Atlantic League. You can just see the fans flock to Belgium to watch Standard Leige play Celtic for a 5th place spot after the first couple of years of novelty value. And who wouldn't want to watch Porto v Rangers if they aren't in with a reasonable chance of winning the league. A stale idea. At least Edinburgh's only a train fare away.

Spot on

...and Eriksson possibly going to that doyen of freedom and justice, North Korea. I struggle to believe anyone with the slightest hint of ethics would consider anything to do with this regime for a bit of money. I'm usually above sport and politics but not in this case. It'd be like managing Nazi Germany.

Reading between the lines, it seems to be ICT didn't want Niculae for another year. But Marius, rather than the club, arranged the transfer. If, in my completely ignorant opinion based on sheer presumption, that is the case, then the court probably got it right. Pretty poor business management that in this day and age, we can't even do a transfer - the liefeblood of football - properly.

It's a little like the formation at the end of the SPL run.

Short-termism of contracts, so we had no chance of keeping the likes of Black, Rankin and Cowie but instead let two of three go for nowt. It happened, and will happen, with others too.

So you put Proctor in as sweeper and then include Lionel, who's confidence will no doubt be shot leaving him more likely to be shakier than ever before, if that is possible.. :wacko: Yep. The defence needs shored up. We can't buy, so I'm going for a five man defence. Proctor seems the natural for the sweeper position in our squad. A back line of experienced players in Munro and Golabek. Both Tokely and Djebi-Zadi can then play a bit more freely knowing that there's extra cover in a sweeper. Your alternative? Bully back in the heart of a four-man defence that's leaking goals No thanks! How many times does that need to be played to be shown it doesn't work? The only other option is shifting Tokely inside and putting Proctor in at the right but I favour the sweeper right now. Two natural wing-backs, experienced stoppers and a stop-gap for a team that's leaking goals.

Esson Tokely Munro Duff Hastings Ross Proctor Vigurs McBain Foran Wood Subs: Allison; Duncan; Shinnie; Golabek; Wyness Only two 'foreigners' in Esson and Foran but not a bad team. Draft in Imrie, one of our many strikers (for me it's Rooney but pick from Eric, Barrowman or Sanchez), plus a centre-back (not John Terry or Mihadjuks, just a reliable SFL1/lower SPL central defender) and that looks like a stable squad, capable of doing something.

Don't see McBain as a defensive mid. He's more a touch player. Never one to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in (don't mean he's lazy, just not that type of player). Rather, he's best playing off Duncan or Cox, or out on the left.

Nah, wouldn't work having Foran as the attacking mid. Need someone with a bit of vision in there, not a striker/wide midfielder convert. Should be Vigurs but failing that McBain. Desperately need someone better in that position, so Cox can drop back in to Duncan's role.

Esson Proctor Tokely - Munro - Golabek - Djebi-Zadi Imrie - Cox - McBain - Hayes Foran Desperately need to stop the rot in the defence, so gone for the sweeper with two wing-backs that can bomb forward, with some cover. Cox is the defensive minded player, although how I wish Vigurs was alongside him. Hayes and Imrie to support Foran. We're still getting the odd goal, so that's why I think defending is the weakest part of the game, rather than the lone striker. Get us Mihadjuks or someone similar, then two up front.

Wouldn't mind seeing Tokely and Djebi-Zadi as wing backs in a back five. If we stick to a four, then, yeah Golly at left-back as he's more reliable. In that case, I'd also prefer Tokely at centre and either Bulvitis or Proctor at right. It's not ideal but until we make a centre back signing, then I'd prefer that to Bulvitis or Proctor in the centre.

Not too bothered who wins but this'll be a close one. Rangers have no firepower if Boyd is dropped (which he will be), plus he's not on form. Likewise Celtic's only goalscorer in MacDonald hasn't looked on fire either. Celtic have the wingers, with some good workers in there too but Rangers pretty strong in midfield also. They both get pelters but McCulloch and Caldwell are talented defenders. Such a tight match. I'm going for...ooh...I just don't know... Tempted to say Rangers as they seem more cohesive in OF games even though very off-form at the moment. I can see McGeady or Maloney snatching it but I'm giving it to Rangers as I think Smith is the better manager. But very close. One goal in it.

Losing some silly goals but able to score a few. This says to me, shut up shop at the back, then we should be able to sneak one up front. So: Esson Proctor Bulvitis - Munro Ross - Cox - Duncan - McBain - Hayes Rooney - Foran If Golly is fit, then put him in for Bulvitis. Proctor sweeping up with Ross and Hayes as wing-backs (though more wing than backs). Cox and McBain need to cover Ross and Hayes as they bomb forward. Pretty experimental but I think it'll get the goals in a one-off, whilst taking care of business at the back.

Is Mihadjuks still looking for a club?

What would be your back four then if no Bulvitis and Proctor, plus without Tokely, Duff and possibly Golabek? Djebi-Zadi partnering Munro in the heart of defence with Shinnie and, who, McBain or Stratford as full-backs? Is that an improvement?

Shows how low we are when Duncan and McBain are our saviours. Central mid has always been my biggest concern.

Scottish football is now on al-Jazeera Sports plus (subscription). If, like me, you're still waiting for the al-Jazeera Sports agents to finish Eid so you can get you viewing card, then there's free Scottish football on Abu Dhabi Sports 2. Arabic commentary though. Watching St Mirren v Celtic as I type. ART's lost the franchise, plus it doesn't seem to be on Libya Sport 2 any more. Al Jazeera Sports also get the English Cups and Champions/Europa leagues.

I think it'll be Esson Proctor - Bulvitis - Munro - Golabek - Djebi-Zadi Stratford - Cox Hayes - Barrowman - Foran although it's not the team I would have picked, which would be: Esson Proctor - Bulvitis - Munro - Golabek Hayes - Duncan - Cox - McBain Rooney - Foran

Bet we would have finished second. We weren't up against Italy and Germany. We struggled against Norway, Iceland and Macedonia. Teams we are all ranked higher than. There aren't many of their players that would get in our squad, even though Scotland is nothing special. He also made some pretty poor tactical decisions IMHO, such as playing a defensive midfielder instead of an extra central defender against long ball Norway. I've gone in to more detail on this in my blog. Burley may not have had something to drink but he did allow the players to go for a late-night drinking session. I also felt the punishment for sticking two fingers up at journos (it wasn't the fans, it was so obviously the media) was too severe. Boyd did throw his toys out the pram but let's not forget that, despite an impressive international scoring record, Burley chose the rookies of Iwelumo and S.Fletcher above him. I don't agree with Boyd's decision but it doesn't take anything away from terrible decision making on Burley's part. Also, Burley doesn't seem to have learned from his mistakes. Smith and McLeish learned from Brown and Vogts by playing a good solid defensive style. Burley, like Vogts, tries to play a more expansive game. But the likes of our flair players like Commons aren't with Derby by accident. We're best when we're boring. Sad but true. I don't think in any way Burley maximised the squad at his disposal against pretty average opposition.

It would also make Bobby Moore top drawer but he was rank. Likewise, Mourinho and Sacchi never played professionally (pretty much anyway), whilst the likes of Walter Smith was decidedly below average.