IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER

Mee - what about a cut price package - Brew, Shearer and Mike Smiff.

I am going to drive up fer this one but I cant help thinking of the Liviscum QF.

Brew's future is always, like any manager, dependant on results and the players busting a gut for him (and for themselves for that matter). I understand your comment about losing faith in his favourites, but he has been criticised by members of this forum for doing that and relying too much on the youngsters. It just goes to demonstrate that opinion can vary among the supporters who all want the same thing - success - so there will almost always be a proportion of the fanbase that disagree with something Brew does! I don't see why last night was a repreive (I'm not aware that Brew's job was partcularly under threat prior to the game) although there is no doubt that the result was a relief for all staff and supporters alike. The forthcoming games are certainly a challenge, but I don't see why he's on a sticky wicket, anymore than he normally is! A run of bad results will always increase pressure, but lets not add to the burden by piling the pressure on before it's even got to the point of being due. The bottom line is that we're through to the QF's of the CIS Cup and we're mid-table in the league. I'm sure we'd all have taken that before the season started. If (and some will think when) we lose the next 4/5 games and end up 11th/12th and out of the CIS Cup, then start cranking the pressure up - I just can't see what possible benefit can be gained from putting the players and manager under undue pressure before the predicament merits it. What a pity this debate hasnt got a thread of its own. It is actually "nice" to have posters supporting Brewster and comong up with rational defences. Sumtimes ya just cant win - but that also comes wiv the territory. Brew is under threat and he does not have the support of some of the players. There have been these "whispers" for some time now and he only survived last season becos of financial issues and the lily livered management. This forum isnt putting the pressure on - in many ways it is self inflicted. The basic reasons that I am voicing MY concerns are becos I fear that we are heading to the position that you have alluded to - we should be thinking about changing it now before we get to that situation. Brew was one of my fave players - a joy to watch - but as a manager he has displayed appalingly naieve tactical awareness, has personalised disputes and shows an unrepenting arrogantness. If we do pull ourselves out of this it will be becos of the players not Brewster. He has not been aided by the ineptness of his management but he is being kept in blind faith and the fear that a manager with some sense will blow the shennanigans at TCS to feckin pieces. Oh how I wish Neil Warnock had given it a go !!

Whatever happened to Billy Bushell ?

As my erstwhile mentor and role model, Coinneach Odhar, once said to me - Johndo my son, you are blessed with immortality and the gift of second sight. The frustrating thing about prophecies is that they may be scoffed at and feckin ridiculed but they will come to fruition eventually So Gough and Hendry - as predicted - both have shown prior interest in the ICT post but Paul Lambert feels like the celestial favourite - but reality suggests that there is a certain Duncan Shearer enconsed in the wings in waiting - and we know how are "old school" management have acted in the past - perhaps he has even been pre-contacted ?

Melon ?

The term "lost the dressing room" is used in football (soccer) to describe the situation where a manager of a club is seemingly very near to being sacked. The team will invariably be struggling on the pitch, the manager will be under a lot of pressure and the signs may be that he has lost the faith and respect of his players. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_the_dressing_room" At the present time the future of Brew is highly dependent on results and is also dependent on the players busting a gut for him. He has to lose faith in his favourites and keep the same team and tactics. Sounds like last night was as much a reprieve and a relief as a victory. Given the run of games coming up he is - to coin another well known phrase - on a very sticky wicket.

Lets face it - none of us have a clue !! Brew may plump fer: Fraser Tokely Maguire Munro Hastings Cowie Black McBain Imrie Wood Rooney He will then play Cowie and Imrie on the wrong wing, hook Rooney before Wood and play McBain in front of Black. I am afraid that playing two up front end up in the hoof tactic. Me: Fraser Maguire Duff Munro McBain Vigurs Cowie Black Duncan Imrie Rooney That leaves us with loads of options to change it.

Dear Naelifts and Mantis, It must be an ageing thing but I agree with a lot that you say. However two wins in tricky away ties should not be totally scoffed at - we are in the QF's and if we get the luck of the draw ya never know. It is a one off game and surely the players - and the fans - can lift themselves fer that. Lets face it - the standard of the SPL has dived as well - If we had left Falkirk and Tynie having won 5-1 on both occasions we wouldnt have been overly surprised. Team selection, formation and tactics let us down on both occasions. The team and the shape appears to be relentlessly altered every week. It is clear that their are disgruntled players out there and the togetherness has been slain. We have players of similiar ilk to many other SPL clubs and, on our day, we can beat most apart from the OF. But we have a manager who has clearly lost the dressing room. Yours sincerely, A wise old man.

Poor Rory was thrown in the deep end by Brewster - and as with a few others Brew decided to stick with him in his usual blind faith style. The lad simply does not have the pace or movement to make it in the SPL - the more he is played at this level the worse his confidence will become. He simply is either cumbersome or, as is rumoured, not fit enough and possibly not motivated enuff. We should have kept to playing him at a lower level - if he started scoring on a regular basis and got his fitness levels up he may have had a chance. Fraid this is his last season at TCS.

I think the bottom line - and I could add this to several threads open at the present time - is that Brew came back to us with a "history" - I believe that there were evidently players who did not welcome his return - it is one thing when you lose the dressing room - it is even worse when you never really had it. In our first couple of seasons we only had a couple that peeple would describe as "SPL class standard" but the team ethos and spirit shone through. In many ways we had a team of journeymen and plodders. The "togetherness" aint there any more and IMHO hasnt been since the demise of Charlie Christie.

Rosscoe and Bazza are already legends but calls to bring them back together - give me a feckin break!! Ross has never been a consummate SPL player - he has always lacked a bit of pace and he has always looked awkward - but he has made up fer that by staying fit, giving 110% to the cause and bringing a breathtaking overlapping element into his and our game. He has also benefitted from the development of positional sense that simply means that he anticipates opponents more than most. IMHO Rosscoe was at his best when Darren Dods provided the cover - Rosscoe was at his best when Dods and Duncan provided the cover and allowed Rosscoe and Barry more rein. Rosscoe was at his best when other coaches hadnt sussed how to play against him, keep him on the back foot, play pace against him and stop him from powering forward where he was at the most dangerous. Opposition are now aware of his weaknesses and the teams and exploit them - The years of extreme effort on his behalf are evidently taking their toll. Ross cant play anywhere other than full back - at least not in the SPL. It wouldnt do him any damage to be rested a bit - like Bazza has been in recent seasons. That may allow him to charge up his batteries and I wouldnt wish fer anybody else in reserve if we had to turn to him. But being the proud individual that he is would he accept that role. Unfortunately I dont think he is going to have a choice.

I suppose that what I was alluding to from an away supporter point of view was that it was dismal performances all round and Kingston may have been ineffective but he had a lovely touch every now and again. If anybody had a forward it would have been a walkover.

You are beginning to sound like a feckin oriental - do ya mean fingers or figures ? By the way the chicken was rubbery.

Brew must have noticed the wee boys - he is sending Ian Black to train with them next week.

Alcohol.

That is chicken feed - even in rural Aberdeenshire.

The Academy was the Oxford / Cambridge of Scotland in those days - It would appear that the only significant difference in your aging process is yer eyesight - or perhaps it is jealousy that a mature man can maintain his good looks. Have to admit I lost it fer a second but I didnt keep it going. It was the gloss on a bad tactical day at the office - I was really quite confident pre match but when I saw the team and the formation I couldnt believe it. It was clear we had to change but we didnt until far too late and the changes were rank. That was so different to Falkirk that it was untrue. But why was it ?

Well - perhaps he is a right eejit then.

Black to be rested :018: :thumb04:

Thank **** fer that.

How about our next away game : ESSON PROCTOR DUFF MUNRO MCBAIN SUTHERLAND COWIE BLACK DUNCAN VIGURS ROONEY

Spoke to Peter Paul after the game and he probably has the photogrphic evidence.

And who could we get to manage them ? Or should I not be making false prophecies !!

Something is wrong ?