Sorted

Been doing a lot of thinking (steady now!) since the WC. Right from the start, the pundits in the know said that (thankfully ) there was no chance of Engerland winning the tournament playing such a rigid 4-4-2 formation. The lack of imagination shown by UK coaches is also often mentioned as a weakness. Spent a little time looking at our squad and have come to the conclusion that we, potentially, have a considerable number of 5-3-2 permutations which, depending on the opposition or venue could be pretty flexible. Appreciate it's very early in the season but wonder if we could have a more defensive: Esson Tokely Innes Munro Proctor Gillet Cox Duncan McBain Rooney Foran Or a more attacking: Esson Tokely Innes Munro Hayes Gillet Cox Duncan Ross Rooney Foran Am I alone in thinking that 5-3-2/3-5-2 could be the future? For me the best Scottish club side of recent times was MON's Celtic team that humped Ajax in Amsterdam. Who would have thought that Didier Agathe and Bobby Petta could have played wing back? Three solid central defenders made it possible and there pace caused problems. Am I talking shhiiiite?

Didn't make Saturday but have now watched game twice on Sky + (different perspective of course!). Like most, I thought we were great for the first 25 and should have taken the lead. From then on, pretty much dominated and could have been on the end of a doing but for Esson and the woodwork. He is a top class keeper that we picked up for nothing, perhaps one of the best pieces of business we will ever do. Why we signed JT, I'm not sure? My only point of disagreement with many posters is McCann. He doesn't do it for me at all and IMO was the most at fault for the goal, even more guilty than Cox. It was far to easy for Plastic Paddy to go past him and if his intention was to shown him the inside then surely he should have pushed him back at the same time? Contributes little going forward and offers nothing in the air. For me, I would play Bambi ahead of him every time. Gillet on the hand looked great. Granted he possibly didn't give enough protection for the CBs but he really does look pacy and a danger going forward. 5-3-2 anyone? All in all a decent enough start. Just a pity we didn't sneak one early on!

If JH isn't fit for Saturday, I would be delighted to see Nick get a start. For me, we are far too focussed on age in this country at both ends of the spectrum. Always questioning wether someone is ready for a chance due to their youth and equally, too ready to right off experienced pros because of their age. The only way a kid like Nick will ever know if he is good enough is to play. What better opportunity to test him than the first game of the season, limited expectations, no league pressures and a full house?

There is a huge difference in being confident and having totally unrealistic expectations. For me, you guys are very firmly in the latter camp and setting the season up for disappointment. If we finish anywhere from 11 up and reach the QFs of the cups, I will be delighted and view it as a fantastic first season back to build on. Of course I'm hoping for more but I don't expect it and won't be over critical if the guys don't make it.

4-4-2 Not favouite players but IMO, the best: Esson Tokley Dods Mann Hastings Wilson Cowie Robson Foran Brewster Nicaule Subs: Brown Pavels Christie Dargo McBain Want to wait to see how the likes of Tuffey, Hayes and Rooney do in the SPL before passing judgement.

Shambolic! What kind of thought process do you have to go through to think that re-signing a guy who you used to buy Lee Naylor (?600k plus Mulgrew), abject failure at his new club, humiliation at Southend on Sea and shocking in the Granite City, is a good move? Time to revist the prediction table !

Ok, I'm being a pedant but we don't have a JD Sports, JJB doesn't exist any more but we do have a DW Sports (Dave Whelan the former owner of JJB and chair of Wigan). That said, you still can't get a number on a shirt :_shocked2:

I feel confident about our ability to stay up. Anything else is a bonus!

Tremdous. Credit to the guys and the coaches. Looking through the whole squad, the stand out for me is that Rangers only have one inclusion. Who would have thought that ICT would ever have twice as many players in any Scotland squad as one of the OF?

1. Celtic 2. Rangers 3. Hibs 4. Dundee Utd 5. Hearts 6. Motherwell 7. St Johnstone 8. Aberdeen 9. ICT 10. Hamilton 11. Kilmarnock 12. St Mirren

Whilst being delighted to see a keeper of JT's ability and potential joining us (huge credit to TB) I didn't have the goalkeeping position particularly high on my list of priorities for the forthcoming season once Ryan had signed a new deal. To be honest, I would have been happy to go ahead with Ryan and a young back up in the knowledge that if injury occurs we would be able to bring in emergency cover as has been done on many instances in the past. Have we shelled out significant wages on a position we didn't need to? I would have preferred the finances went on a more experienced versatile defender and target man. All said, it is good news that we have been able to lure him North.

The issue for me is would be able to secure the likes of Rooney and Hayes on a three year deal? As I see it, the club have done exceptionally well to hold on to these young guys who will, no doubt, have huge ambition to play at a higher level and earn significantly more. If the club had try to tie them up for a longer period then it is possible that they may view this as unattractive as it increases their price should any potential buyers come in, something they may view as negative. Equally, for the club, if things go wrong this season then they are not burdened with extra worry. For me, it's a perfect situation for both parties.

I can't agree with this. I have a good friend who is a massive arab. He knew Eddie Thomson fairly well and has a few nice stories and fond memories of him. He has not got any time for his son whatsoever and has told me some stories to explain his reasons. I've not read the article but as far as I am concerned Steven Thomson is a class A phallus. I'm 100% with KB in this. ST is an attention seeking **** who has sponged of his father for years and unlike his very successful sister, has never managed to do anything of any consequence on his own in business. The story, confirmed to me by a good few Arabs, goes that when his father gave him a wad of cash on the sale of the MNN chain in the middle of the property boom, ST announced that there was no way he was putting his money into this "risky market" but instead he was going to invest in prestige cars!!!!!!! Like they don't drop in value??????? Only a matter of time before he blows it all and his greeting face disappears from the tabloids. Meantime, suggest he gets his own house in order and concentrates on generating income form his own city by encouraging a few more of the faces that went to Hampden to go to Tanadump more regularly.

Off topic I know but what were you doing at a Tory Party Conference !

Dont think we have two physio's on matchdays. normally one + a doctor. Is there any point for the club having two doctors and two physio's? Like having two goalkeepers etc it is essential for cover purposes.

That would be particularly unfair on Scott Kellacher and Ronnie Duncan who both do a first class job. Can't sack guys just because Baz got his P45!!

Whilst I would have hated to lose out to a moneybags approach from Dundee, I get absolutely no pleasure from seeing a club of their history in this mess. All fans need to take a step back and perhaps change direction in our approach. Perhaps a sensible football fan no has a go at their team for over spending as opposed to the constant harping about lack of funds? Dundee is a worry. A fair sized club with a pretty wealthy benefactor in major trouble. Not good.

Spot on CD. Had the very same conversation with my daughter about a sub for her Rock Ness ticket as she "hadn't had time to save up"!!! Kids eh?

tokelyvictorious 17 harry chibber 26 topsixnextyear 30ish IHE 50 odd Smee 70 odd all hate the C*unty. were you wearing their colours and singing their songs out of curiousity?? I couldn't make it... me and Foran were out having a picnic in Queens Park Never have worn colours at a match as never felt the need. Does this make me any less fanatical? As for the songs, they only have one and no I didn't join in. Can't believe your 26!

Appears there are two kinds of posters on here. One, mainly younger ones who crew up with ICT as a league team and were always, rightly, able to support their local team in the Scottish Football League. Two, mainly older ones who crew up supporting a "big" team as there was no league football and went to support their "wee" team in the Highland League. When ICT got into the league, and for some only when the climbed into the first division and on, a lot of guys switch there allegiance and focused solely on ICT. Category One tends to include the OFesque hatred approach of all things non ICT, fails to appreciate that other people can enjoy other football that may be seen as conflicting with their views and suffers from a severe superiority complex as "we are better supporters than you cos wee hate County/Elgin/Anyone not ICT". Category Two does not have the inbred OFesque disease and subsequently sees things differently. They can appreciate others being successful, enjoy good football and have lives that are not absorbed by hatred. Many of them can even support their neighbours in recognition that any success for the Highlands benefits their team and helps get rid of the myth promoted by the central belt media that we are a footballing backwater. For the record, 12 of us went to the game, 6 ST holders at ICT, 2 ST holders at ICT and RCFC and 4 Highland punters. We were all gutted for County, disappointed for guys on and off the pitch who had contributed to ICT in the past and extremely proud to see so many make the journey. Our lives are not absorbed by hatred. We are not happy clappys. We love football, we love the Highlands and we have no problem saying so!

He spoke with forked tongue then !

Delighted as stated previously. Not sure I can agree with the "plenty of material to suggest there was" though. Lots of "Benny Hill" type innuendo but when asked to give any example or substantive evidence that our new sponsor was so badly treated, the silence was deafening. His commitment to the club would suggest that the "innuendo merchants" were wrong and the his treatment couldn't have been that bad despite pages of posts suggesting the contrary.

Excellent news. All friends again?

Should have checked the Rumoour Mill eh ?

Apologies if this is elsewhere but heard Charles on the radio this morning saying we have a new captain for next season. Granty is being replaced by Richie Foran. Thoughts?