starchief

Great in the first season, not worthy of the jersey in the second just about sums it up. Known to us as an attacking midfielder (centre and right, mainly) but known to Ross County as a defensive midfielder. Could be a bargain but needs to get a bit more focussed than he is right now.

We didn't even have GBP not EUR in the deal

Butcher was excellent at Motherwell. what are you talking about?! Take a look at his record in the league and the cup, as well as bringing young players on. That's the whole reason we've signed him up? You think ICT looked at his time in Burnley and thought 'raging success'? No, it was because of his record at Motherwell.

I'd be surprised if Craig Dargo wasn't on the radar going by ralphmilne's posts.

I think that's negative, not a fact (and not likely)

Richard Cadette, Simon Stainrod and Andy Rhodes. They all looked something special. Wasn't it Jim Jefferies' Falkirk?

Butcher did great things with both Coventry and Motherwell. Both had no money, yet with Motherwell he did well both in the league and cup. Coventry he kept in the EPL (as is) despite having to sell players. I remembered the comment at the time was that Butcher and Phil Neal deserved a medal not the sack. Atkinson and Strachan then came in. Spent far more than Coventry ever had with no improvement - even eventual relegation. Can he do it? I think it's possible. I'll certainly not be calling for his head - even if we are relegated. Give him a chance to put his stamp on the club. Much more than he had with Brentford's revolving door policy and the Sydney director calling for his head after a fortnight (yep, a fortnight!). I get the feeling this job could really make or break Butcher. He'll almost certainly have the time to rebuild. He's both succeeded and failed before. This time will be a gargantuan success or abysmal failure. I wonder which?

Yeah, but should he have to learn English first? ...hang on....

Terry Yorath was coaching with Leeds and did brilliantly with Wales.

Malpas could well be a Steve McLaren. World class assistant but clueless manager. Actually that's probably similar to what Brewster would be. I can imagine him a decent coach.

Think I may have been on of the first to tout him on the old board so many moons ago but I can't agree with this decision. Full-time is needed. If doesn't have the confidence to keep us up, DON'T BECOME A MANAGER! No way should it be a case of "well, if all goes wrong, at least I've got something to fall back on".

Knox has so much experience, I would like us to get him. But at the same time, I don't know if he'd want to stay with a Division 1 club, and I think that's where we may be heading. I know people can point to him being an assistant manager but I've heard he did well at Dundee before Fergie snapped him up. Aside from spectacular success with Aberdeen, Rangers and Man U, I don't think he did as bad as people may think at Everton - and they're my English club! At the time, Walter Smith both kept us in the EPL and made a profit. Moyes has done terrificly well but he's had different pressures and I don't think anyone could have made it into Europe whilst having to make a few million at the same time. Also, Knox has been helping out rookie managers since then. He's not really had a long run (especially with Bolton and Blackburn, where he was probably still on emergency tax) but I thought Gough and Knox did well with a mad chairman at Livi. Despite this, I'd be happy with either Knox or Robbo. If Butcher isn't fully committed, at least until the summer, then it's bye-bye (IMHO).

The opposition is harder but the players at their disposal are better.

You could see a situation where Butcher or Knox take it short-term, fail but have no interest in a first division team. Back comes Robbo after the summer with his track record of getting ICT promoted.

"Statistics are just like mini-skirts, they give you good ideas but hide the most important thing." Ebbe Skovdahl

Why was Robbo 'rubbish' when he left? In November 2004 he returned to Hearts as head coach and despite two cup semi-finals and a good season in Europe as well as finishing 5th in the league, he was sacked in May 2005. He was appointed manager of Scottish First Division team Ross County in June 2005, but left by mutual consent after four months, after being asked to sack 8 players immediately despite being told at start of season that clubs finances were fine and not under threat he left rather than having to sack the players as he felt let down by the Ross County chairman. He was appointed manager of Livingston in February 2006,. Robertson was sacked by Livingston in April 2007 after finishing 6th in the First Division. He was appointed by League of Ireland side Derry City in July 2007.He took club out of the relegation battle to a safe mid table position and also won the FAI League Cup and qualified for the prestigous Setanta cup

I could see Robbo as assistant. Allows him to stay in Inverness, whilst building his reputation as a coach to the board. It's also not easy to get back in to football, so better a coach than Orion's PR or whatever. Especially if, in Butcher's case, he'll probably not be there for years to come, or, with knox, he maybe looking to retirement sooner rather than later. Who knows about the money.

I'm another who's happy with all three candidates. Or even a dream team of two from three!

He should be playing the team to keep us up. If he doesn't there'll be a lot more players moving on than Black. Plus, if we got a chance to sign Wayne Rooney til the end of the season, would we turn it down 'coz he won't be playing next year?

Heart of Midlothian would just change it's name to Hearts or something and continue on in perhaps a lower division, maybe at Murrayfield. There's no way a club that big and important would be allowed to just disappear. Trust me on this one.

Yeah, whatever happened to Wally Smith and Lex Ferguson?

I grew up in the Central Belt myself. It's strange how little Glaswegians travel. Even Edinburgh isn't done that often, whilst Dumfries and Galloway (beautiful part of the country) is rarely explored. Yet, when they do, they love it. Weird!

Is there a link to this interview. I've always found him to be an interesting commentator.

yes but look at the cash he was given at blackburn,he didnt do much at newcastle guys like dalglish might be reasonable at blackburn but a job at ict or similar where he had little cash he wouldnt survive Look at the cash Ramos was given at Spurs. Souness at Liverpool. And they didn't have to start from the Championship as it is now. As for Newcastle, Dalglish was given money to spend, then sacked a couple of weeks later. He was playing with someone else's team prior to that. And what happened to Newcastle after him? Impatient fans and chairman. There's no chance we'll ever know what he'll do at ICT.

when you say reputation,what do u mean ? reputation for what? dalglish i would say certainly hasnt been a hugely sucessful manager Kenny Dalglish not a successful manager? Liverpool * Football League First Division o winner(3): 1985/86, 1987/88, 1989/90 o runner-up(3): 1986/87, 1988/89, 1990/1991 * FA Cup o winner(2): 1986, 1989 o runner-up(1): 1988 * League Cup o runner-up(1): 1987 * Charity Shield o winner(5): 1988, 1989, 1990, (Shared): 1991, 1987 Blackburn Rovers * FA Premier League o winner(1): 1994/1995 o runner-up(1): 1993/1994 * Football League Second Division Play Off o winner(1): 1991/1992 * Charity Shield o runner-up(1):1994/95 Newcastle United * FA Premier League o runner-up(1)1996/97 * FA Cup o runner-up(1):1998 Celtic * Scottish Premier League o runner-up: 1999/00 * Scottish League Cup o winner: 2000 * 1985/86 Manager of the year award * 1987/88 Manager of the year award * 1989/90 Manager of the year award * 1996/97 Manager of the year award Yeah, let's hope we don't get someone like him in!?