CaleyD

Pitch Update & Match Advisory Notice The pitch is currently playable and ground-staff have, and continue to take, all possible action to ensure it remains in such condition. However, there is a weather front due to hit the area which could pose a risk. For that reason, and being mindful of the fact that fans will be travelling early for the match versus Ross County, we have requested a pitch inspection at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium for 9am tomorrow morning. We will provide an update on the situation at the earliest possibly opportunity following the inspection.

At 13 minutes long, it's a bit of a monster...even by Yogi standards...but it has been a bit of a week for "news". As it covers several topics I didn't know which to post it in, so new thread for it....and maybe some revised views on various things for some after listening to it?

Not the small "k" that's concerning....it's the fact it's swollen to a big "K"

We do have a very (comparatively) young/inexperienced "development" squad (over half of them having just made the step up) and this season is being viewed as being thrown in at the deep end and results aren't the be all. The numbers, in terms of squad size, are also not as high as they have been in the past (14 players if my count is right). I believe most of the development squad are local...and whilst he is technically a local, Ferg is the only non-Scottish player in there (as per FIFA Eligibility rules he's currently Canadian)...so that's a good thing. As I understand it, there's progression planning in place in regards to how the Development Squad are set up/train etc and how the first team do things (I think they also train together sometimes as well). Yogi attends all the home Dev League matches (as do other coaches and a good few of the first team squad) and provides "feedback" from the stand during games, so in that regard he's hands on.

I will keep off the capitals so as to have a more balanced opinion ! Marsella went to Bolton then left there and has been unemployed for months and working free-lance whilst considering a position with Motherwell No guesswork just fact Hi Steve

Looking for a few more helpers to put covers on the pitch....very short notice as we're in the process of doing it now. Anyone able to assist will receive a match ticket for this weekend by way of thanks (home or away fans).

One of what?

What I find most interesting is that we have moderators questioning the acceptability of name calling at matches while taking no action to remove or chastise people for name calling on the forum.

It's more the 'T' word that gets me worked up....or the 'S' word if it's used in the wrong context.

You can't criticise someone for calling others names in one sentence and then call them "scumbag" in your next sentence...unless you're a hypocrite!

Nearly 85 mins game time tonight against Honduras. Assist for Canada's first goal and came close a couple of times...his biggest chance looked to have been thwarted by him catching a stud on the horrific playing surface. Good to see him playing up front tonight (he was played on the right previously) and did really well to last 85 minutes in what looked like extremely hot conditions.

It's Mckay....Small "k"

They caved the moment they realised that if they kept me any longer then they'd face the expense of feeding me.

Such great publicity always welcome, It was a success ! Al Jazeera transmit to 270 Million homes in over 140 countries, so it truly is one of those "money can't buy" type deals. I'll also add the Lee Wellings and his cameraman (who's name shamefully escapes me right now) are the nicest reporters I have had the pleasure of meeting. They showed a real interest in, and total respect for, what ICTFC are achieving....and had clearly done their homework....more than can be said for some of those who are more regular visitors to TCS! Granted, they did keep me hostage until 1:30am due to a tech glitch, but they were such great guys to chat with that it was far more of a pleasure than a pain to spend time with them and they have an open invite to return whenever they like.

Sorry DoofersDad, but I think you are looking for comparisons to justify your early (and some continued) thoughts on Yogi's managerial acumen. It's far too easy to pick a single match under the old managerial personnel and draw comparisons to one game under the new guy. You have to take a wider view and and there's no way you can say that Butchers philosophy of hoofing balls down the channels is anything like the way we play now. I'm not saying that they way Butcher played was right or wrong, but it wasn't nearly as enjoyable to watch as the football is now...and arguably not as successful. I also think it does the players a huge injustice to suggest they are only just getting back to where they were before in terms of performances. These are guys who have (arguably not for the first time) re-invented the way they've been playing the game and pushed themselves on to another, higher, level. What's more....we are once again a team that is improving week on week, the same team that some thought had plateaued under Butcher.

It was pretty amazing the international interest we had in the "Pay What You Can" initiative and Al Jazeera even sent a reporter to the game to do a short feature on it. Anyone make the video reel? http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2015/01/what-you-can-at-football-stadium-2015121123927397657.html

Changed my mind on this and now reckon a crowd of 2500 will be a decent turnout . Why on earth this fixture was chosen for the experiment is beyond me as IMHO it will tell us nothing that we don't already know ie the public in Inverness won't turn out in numbers on a cold Tuesday night to watch ICT v Perth even if you opened the gates and let folk in for free ! See posts #29 through #34. In terms of the "experiment", and what can be gleaned from it, the choice of game does not matter so long as you have a previously similar one with which to compare the data against. In terms of managing the financial risk for the club and delivering a benefit to fans of reducing their outlay during January. What's more, you could argue that using a game that falls at the least desirable time provides more info. After all, if you can attract extra punters along at that time, then you know it will also pay off for games played at more desirable times. The same could not be said if you did it the other way round. Surely to get maximum publicity the banner should have been hung in the high street and not in the quietest area of town ? More people pass that banner location than in any other (available) advertising spot in the city centre.

Just a wee reminder of 3 things that those attending the game can do to help avoid queues/delays at the turnstiles... 1. Come down this afternoon or tomorrow during the day (if you're able) and purchase your ticket/s in advance. 2. Arrive in good time for the game...especially if you intend paying at the gate. 3. Have whatever you intend to pay ready for when you get to the turnstiles.

The hullabaloo with Brittain's St Johnstone Pre-Contract showed they're not worth the paper they're written on.

From an actuarial point of view (in regards to looking at ticket prices) then whether or not a Season Ticket holder is in attendance is irrelevant as it's a "ticket sold" for that game. The owner of a Season Ticket has already made the decision that the average price per game they are paying falls within what they are willing to pay to attend games. As that average price per game falls in line with, or is less, than what is charged for cup matches (certainly earlier rounds) then if they are choosing not to attend these matches it doesn't leave much room to argue that they are doing so because they feel it is too expensive.

League attendances are inflated by season ticket holders. Sorry, you'll need to expand on that as I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. Are you suggesting Season Ticket holders don't attend Cup games?

Yes they are, I can't find the article, but it's something the Chairman has said is being given serious consideration.

The club aren't working on the pretence that this initiative, in and of itself, is going to add any significant number of fans to future matches. What it will do is provide them with information to use when making decisions on other initiatives they are considering. You forever hear about how football is pricing itself to death and that it's too expensive....but does the evidence support those claims? ICTFC have not increased prices in the last 4 seasons, so if you factor in inflation, it's actually cheaper to go to our games today than it was 4 years ago. Inflation from 2010 until now is about 17%. If you argue that price is directly connected to crowd sizes, then why haven't we seen that reflected in the numbers coming through the turnstiles? You then have cup games which are generally a good bit cheaper, but where crowd size doesn't increase proportionate to that reduction in pricing....sometimes crowds are even lower than an average league match. The "Pay What You Can" initiative will give the club (at least) two very important pieces of information.... - Firstly, it will tell them whether or not removing the "cost" factor actually encourages more people to comes along....i.e. what is the potential size of the clubs customer base beyond those already coming to games. - Secondly, it lets them know how much that potential customer base may be willing to pay.