starchief

He probably could but why? Strikers cost a lot more money than left-backs normally for a very good reason. Foran would be wasted there.

Esson Proctor - Munro - Bully - Shinnie Cox - Duff Ross - Sanchez - Foran Rooney Have to find out how good Ross and Shinnie are for any possible new contract. Cox should be a regular and a new contract offered for the long-term good. And if they're not going to be here next season, time to offload Duff and Foran, then use the money for other long-term contracts. I know they're arguably our best players but we're not going to get promoted or relegated so let's get a good long-term team started now.

What's the point if he's not signing for longer. I'd rather use that to get Cox, Proctor, Rooney or Hayes on a longer contract.

Are you winding us up "starchief"? I must have been asleep when the transfer figures were announced! Eh try ?100k for rankin, 100k for Cowie, nothing for black (bosman) nothing for Vigurs (released therefore not entitled to compensation) Rankin Black and Cowie easily worth a million if sold at premium. Sorry, I credited some posters with too much sense of subtlety ...it's like bronzey and goldey, except made of iron...

Quite nice. Even if it's a bit 'shellsuity'!

We should be fine with the money we banked in transfer fees for Vigurs (?75k), Black (?250k), Cowie (?250k), Marius (?400k) and Rankin (?250k). I know we should have got more but rather that than nothing.

I doubt he'll walk. Infact, he probably will still think 'we can win this'. That's how these players reach the top. I would like it made clear whether he's staying or going though. We need long-term planning to get on a sound footing again.

But would you want to keep him or get a more natural central defender like Dods in. Maybe not Dods himself but perhaps someone from a higher up team that's looking for a break. I doubt we can have both. That's the financial decision that has to be made. What do you choose?

Ravenscraig was the most economic steel mill in Western Europe. That's not even taking into account (after all, Thatcher didn't) the increase in social security that would have had to come without closing such a large place in an otherwise deprived area. 4M unemployed, employment figure calculations changed over 30 times, interest rates at 15%. Had it not been for the Falklands, there was no way Thatcher would have survived her first re-election. After that, who to vote for? The Left was in chaos with extremist infiltrators, the modernisers were either battling with them or leaving for the SDP. It was like Blair's last re-election. That time, the Tories were so inept, with their back-biting and internal pro and anti EU battles, plus other issues, that they stood no hope of forming a cohesive government. A goverment that has got over 30% of the electorate (including those that didn't vote) hasn't been formed in decades, much less one that got over 50%.

so whats bull then? and lets be honest, hes starting to find his feet in a really good way!! Until the last couple of weeks or so, he's been getting criticised left right and centre. Most people's transfer wish is for a new centre-back. Are you happy with the centre-backs? Would you prefer to move Munro out than Bully?

Just like George Burley, who was also a much better manager at club level (took Hearts to the top and got Ipswich into Europe). I think we need a master tactician, rather than a talent spotter or youth development officer. Still, despite the media spin, Gordon Smith has some pretty forward thinking ideas for restructuring youth training and playing summer football, so maybe we'll get something done. Despite the nonsense that some newspapers talk, Smith and Levein have some pretty close ideas.

Is Munro not having a tough time because he's playing with two wing-backs (Tokely and DZ) and no central defensive partner since Dods left? Got to take a toll surely?

I think it's very wrong of a news channel to have a campaign. They should be impartial and only report the news. Not make it. They do. They're called hustings. Usually not televised but keep a look out in your library and you'll see them come up.

How are the residents of Inverness-shire going to find out how those little cats were rescued from those ever so tall trees?

I'll be surprised if Levein is interested in sitting around for months doing nothing. Especially with the World Cup next year. I don't think he's right for the job. Levein like Burley, is someone that can spot talent. Really, that's no use in the national game. The player has to be Scottish and there's only so many of them around. I would have preferred someone like Jim Jefferies or George Graham. The right age for the job. They've both done their bit, had a fair share of success, know when to play and when to win. I fundamentally disagree with foreign managers of national teams, although I guess those are the rules we have to play with. Could England win the World Cup with an England manager? Very doubtful. Could England win the World Cup with an Italian manager? Possibly...but then, how can that be classed as an English victory if it's an Italian that made the difference? If the players have to have some connection, why don't the managers?

Mine is: Key Players Ryan Esson David Proctor Grant Munro Ross Tokely Russell Duncan unless we get Gary Mason or Stuart Duff - both much better Richie Foran yes, but I doubt he'll stay Jonny Hayes Adam Rooney Danni Sanchez Dougie Imrie I suspect he'd rather play in the SPL Squad Players Lee Cox promoted to key player. He's still young but could go far. Stuart Golabek only needed as an emergency. Let's look to younger players at lower clubs Eric Odhiambo Nauris Bulvitis Kyle Allison Nick Ross - yes, but give him a lot more games. He looked good pre-season. Jamie Duff Gavin Morrison Graeme Shinnie - should be given more of a chance now Shane Sutherland Free to go? Lionel Djebi-Zadi Daniel Stratford Andrew Barrowman Robert Eagle Roy McBain

I agree with most. Not only do Dundee have to start dropping points, they have to do that, whilst somehow not giving points to all the teams above us too. Do what Rangers did in Walter Smith's last season. Start talking to the next manager now, or offer Butcher a longer contract. I'd prefer the former but could live with the latter. We need long-term planning to get out of this hole. But if we start now, then it's all to play for next season. There's no Dundee and Falkirk will have lost a lot of players.

a tenner is more realistic :P Ten million :huh: are you mad? I'd say we'd be lucky to get 2 million for him :D

How much can the likes of Hayes, Cox etc be on considering they had never played a professional game before they joined us? I sincerely doubt they can be on that much, or that our replacements from the Scottish 1st or 2nd will be that much cheaper. They aren't that good for the the most part. They have potential to be so. I doubt Cox, Hayes, Eric or Rooney would get a regular SPL game (or equivalent), so can they do better? Offer them virtually guaranteed first-team football and at the heart of the rebuilding and you might see a different answer. Which is why the next manager should be speaking to the club about players he'd want to keep on. Besides, every single manger in history has had to work with players from a previous manager. Bringing in an entirely new team is insane.

For a purser???? Install HotSpotShield then. A free VPN. The Beeb will think you're in the USA or Germany.

That makes me feel quite nostalgic :11doh: The first pic only, natch

No, as they were definitely pushing for promotion in a tough league. I thought he was lucky to stay in his job when struggling in the EPL against poorer teams mind you. And yet, only two wins from 11 matches, a 3-0 stuffing by Spurs* and a failure to better what Sven achieved with significantly less cash. If Man City put in modest investment in an attempt to build, then fair enough. But instead, they put in fortunes to compete in the top 4. So that's what they have to be judged against. *I know bad results happen occasionally but Fergie can say that sure he was stuffed today but look at what he has achieved. Hughes hasn't done anything spectacular with that money.

Yes, Hughes has always supported Inverness, even back in the Highland League. He had a Highland terrier as a dog as a child and that sealed it. He did try to play for Scotland but FIFA knocked him back, so he reluctantly went back to Wales, much to his great disappointment. You can see that he never gave his all in matches as a protest. That's why he was so disliked by the Welsh fans. I suspect he'll make Tokely his assistant as he's always said he had a great footballing brain and was easily Premiership quality.

I agree with Rig but I also agree that Sven should never have been sacked.

I never got the impression that they would be title contenders and that's what all the money was for. I detest football by chequebook but that's what Hughes was playing under. No surprise in the decision other than it took so long.