Sneckboy

Here we go...

Caley Thistle manager John Hughes will step up talks to secure the future of seven players who will be out of contract at the end of the season. Defenders Josh Meekings, David Raven and Danny Devine and midfielders Marley Watkins, Nick Ross, Liam Polworth and Lewis Horner will be free agents at the end of the campaign. The Caley Jags lost leading-scorer Billy Mckay to Wigan Athletic for £150,000 last month, while captain Graeme Shinnie agreed a pre-contract with Aberdeen. Hughes’ priority is to ensure no more players move on and he said: “It’s about time, within the next week or so, that we get down to business. We need to know where we’re going and the players need to know where they’re going. “It works both ways. They might say someone has offered them a deal. We don’t want that. “The players have been very hard-working. We know what we’ve got and that’s important.” Although the transfer window is closed Hughes remains keen to add to his squad, but must now look to the free agent market. He will not be rushing any deals and added: “We’re still working very hard to add one or two. “I look for good footballers. If any of our players want to sit back and rest on their laurels and I see a better footballer, no matter what position, I’ll try to bring him to my club. “I like good footballers, but character is massively important and I know how hard these players train. I need to bring in people with the right character. “It’s a special squad and I don’t want to bring a bad apple in. “We have to be very careful, but we’re getting there. The strategy is in place. “My phone’s been red hot. As soon as I identify a player, the first thing I do is a look at his history. Ten times out of 10, I will find someone who he’s worked or played with and get on the phone for a character reference.”

If the rumours are correct, suggesting Kilmarnock's Allan Johnston will be sacked this morning, John Hughes will remarkably be the current 5th longest-serving Premiership manager at just one-year and two-months!

Dani Sanchez has moved to Florida and signed for Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Their website describe him as 'veteran' - he's recently just turned 30! http://www.strikers.com/news/detail/uuid/cai8al05d2df1j8xf9rdjflr9/strikers-sign-spanish-midfielder-dani-sanchez#.VNNydWdybDc

The home team keeps the gate receipts in the Europa League. I'm sure we'd get a big turnout for the first ever European tie in Inverness/Highlands. But, it seems UEFA no longer regionalise the draw, so we could end up with a trip to the likes of Armenia or Azerbaijan - who share a border with Iran, or a trek to Kazakhstan who have a communal land border with China! Motherwell and St Johnstone were 'hit' last season with unfortunate pairings. Some interesting quotes from the mamagers here: Motherwell manager Stuart McCall believes the Europa League should be regionalised to minimise travel costs for smaller clubs. The Fir Park side travel to Russia to face Kuban Krasnodar for next Thursday's third qualifying round second leg. St Johnstone have had a similar trip to Belarus for their tie with Minsk. "To be having to charter planes, it's going to cost more than we're going to receive from the ties," said McCall. "Something that's been put forward is regionalising. Certainly, in the early stages of the Europa League, it makes sense. "I'll just concentrate on the football side of it, but it is a point that we'll possibly be losing money. St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright agrees with McCall's concerns and believes that small clubs are being "financially punished" by long-haul Europa League trips. The McDiarmid men flew out to Belarus on Wednesday for Thursday's first leg against Minsk in the city of Grodno, 140 miles west of the former Soviet state's capital, while Minsk's Dinamo Stadium is redeveloped. Saints chairman Steve Brown has been forced to pay out a £4,500 bill to cover the cost of fast-tracked visas for his squad, while a larger sum will be due after the club had to charter its own plane and then pay to keep the tiny Grodno Airport open until after the game so they can return home. "I know from my time in the Irish League some of the trips that part-time clubs are asked to make and financially it was costly," said Wright. "Getting into Europe should be looked upon as a reward for doing well. But it's as if you're being financially punished because you get some horrendous trips."A lot of the time there is no chance of going through either, because of the clubs you are up against. "So I do agree with Stuart, it should be regionalised. But then again, we only work in the game, we don't run it." "For the players and the staff, these things don't affect us," he added. "Would all the hassle it put me off getting to this stage again? No. It might put the chairman off but not me."

Well said, sir.

If booze is allowed back for consumption in football grounds there could be a great drinking game when Collum is ref. (hypothetically, PC brigade!) Down a nip (or a half pint) for a booking, and double (or a pint) for a red card! Safe to say, you'd be 'refreshed' by full-time! But seriously, I'd forgotten about his 'flea-in-the-ear' from the SFA and a two-week suspension for (I assume) 'over-zealous' use of cards! Since his return, he's officiated twice - and as opposed to his usual, he's only put his hand in his pocket for a card, once! Once in two games - Willie Collum!! But, now he's shown 'remorse', he'll be itching to send someone off on Saturday!!

It's frustrating, as fans, being 'left in the dark' with the progress or otherwise of the contract negotiations. But, I can understand how little is revealed until anything concrete has been decided. However, while I can appreciate the lack of transparency there, I feel the club could be doing more in letting us know the current injury status of Foran and Brill. Will the 'keeper be back this weekend or is his injury long-term? The club captain hasn't played in nearly a year - is he anywhere near a comeback or will he miss the rest of the season? Is his injury career-threatening? If so will his long-term contract be honoured? etc! The second most recent 'team item' posted on the website was in October - Ibra Sekajja signs! We're 3rd top of the Premiership, yet some Highland League and Junior teams keep their fans better posted. It's not being told what's going on that's causing this wave of unease. But, for balance, there's still a lot the club does right. For example, just yesterday, CaleyD posted on here a timely acknowledgement that the Development game was postponed - even though it would likely only affect a few folk. Kudos where it's due.

Can't be that, as Andreu is still at the top!

There probably never was a contingency plan. It was just a cheap soundbite to appease the fans. Perhaps it was anticipated that we'd get someone in and the chairman could claim "told you so". He'll possibly now claim that the plan was to promote from within - i.e. integrate our two young strikers into the first team. Ali Sutherland and Calum Ferguson.

How can you just name another club's player so dismissively, and call it a 'punt'? As if it's a right to take who you want! It's not Football Manager or whatever it's called these days! Would you be pleased to read on the Hamilton Forum a speculative post suggesting - Draper at inverness - should we take him?...worth a punt? Disgraceful post. Edit. And another poster has jumped-on with the arrogant assumption that he can be our player if we simply snap our fingers!

Great posts. Absolutely right that's a record fee for an ex-Inverness player, £2,000,000!!! Indeed, despite having just 4,% of the population of Scotland, it seems that today's transfer deadline-day has seen the most column-inches taken-up by Highland boys - Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven!!

I think the step up from Highland league to Premiership might be too big for a stop-gap replacement. Not sure if Yogi personally knows Steve Paterson, but 'Pele' knows the Highland League scene inside-out and is in a great position to recommend who could likely 'make it' jumping to such a high level from the semi-pro Highland League - but it's unlikely there are any ready-made players there who could instantly adapt. But that's just my opinion!

Despite the 'window' being open for a month, most of the activity happens between now and midnight! Let's hope we get someone in. There is the possibility of still getting-in players after today - if they're 'free-agents' as no transfer is actually done. But, to be honest, they're usually 'free-agents' for a reason! Realistically, any strengthening of the squad, for the rest of the season, needs to be done in the next 8 hours. Something will happen at the Caledonian stadium shortly - I should really start being a ****...(assuming that's the name given to folk who tweet?) **** = That Word Assuming Twittership

I'm still chuckling at a post I read yesterday on another forum about a player being booked for reminiscing with the referee! I assume the poster meant 'remonstrating'! 'Hey ref, mind those sherbet dips, black-jacks and fruit-salad chews we used to get for a penny - great days!' You can't talk to me about that! It's 'funny' when we reminisce on our favourite games - that semi-final probably holds more memories than the final itself. And despite having seen Inverness in semi-finals, a good number of Quarters and numerous last 16 ties, my favourite ever Scottish Cup game was the win at Parkhead - despite it being a 'modest' last-32 tie!

I don't normally like to criticise referees but I thought the whistler at Hampden yesterday was poor. I imagine the SFA put their 'top' ref in for the potentially heated Celtic-Rangers game but I thought he made some basic errors and strange decisions. I dislike both the Glasgow teams so was able to observe it from a neutral perspective. Perhaps the assistant-refs (linesmen or lineswomen, nowadays!) should also be held to account, as they can raise their flag if they spot something the ref has missed). As for our own 'penalty' incident with Watkins - after seeing it last night on TV, particularly the behind-the-goals angle, I apologise if I inferred in a previous post that I thought Watkins had 'made a meal of it'. I assume the ref would have awarded a penalty if Marley had gone down instantly at the contact. But, in an instant, he had to make a decision and in his mind 'played advantage' to give Marley the chance to slot the ball in, but after he tumbled, the 'advantage' had gone. Interestingly, in rugby, (I think), when the ref signals a penalty, he allows the attacking team to play-on for the current passage of play, allowing any advantage to stand - like a try, for example. But, if the move comes to nothing, they go back and take the penalty. In yesterdays prominent incident, (Rangers-Celtic), when Brown was fouled but still managed to release Griffiths one-on-one with the 'keeper, he could have allowed the move to play-out - and if Celtic hadn't scored or in his opinion hadn't gained and advantage, brought play back to the half-way line and a free-kick to Celtic.

Let's hope he wasn't the contingency plan!

Who?!

I'd overlooked that the Dundee United game id scheduled for the week they're now in the League Cup final. That leaves us only one definite home game from yesterday, 31st January, to 4th April!

Ignorance and incompetence.

Dean Brill's enforced absence means that Josh Meekings is now our only ever-present in all-games this season. Notably, for a centre-back, in all these 27 games, he's only picked-up one yellow-card. Well done Josh! As for the game, I thought Esson looked a bit match rusty, but he made an important reflex save at 0-0 to keep us from going behind. I didn't realise County's goal was a handball at the time although Raven was complaining to the ref about something... The Watkins incident I need to see again before calling it a 'dive', but in real-time it appeared he fell too late! I admit I'm no referee, but as mentioned already in this thread, It's puzzling how the game can just resume after such an incident as if nothing happened. It should have been a penalty or booking! But what do I know. The pitch is in poor condition but fortunately we've only one home game in the next six weeks. (barring a replay against Partick Thistle). However, we've got 3 or 4 Development games due at home in that time frame - although only this Tuesday's fixture has a confirmed venue - the TCS at 2pm! That should surely be moved! I have to say, County may not yet be doomed. They were better than I expected but are now detached now at the bottom - but I was looking at their recent results and was intrigued to see that they've only lost one of their last 7 away league games. If they can start winning a few games at home, the Highland derby could remain on the fixture list for next season!

Yes, I agree with you. I'm sure we do put clauses in place, for number of games played or future sell-on fees - it's just that we don't always hear about them. I think we got a 'windfall' (although the actual figure wasn't disclosed) when Barry Robson moved to Celtic from Dundee United.

I don't think we can take any credit in 'nurturing' Billy! Sure, he found the best form of his career with us, but he'd already been with 2 clubs in England before he came to us. Shinnie's moving to Aberdeen - at the age of 23 - I'm sure you'd agree that if he moved on in 3 years time, the Dons wouldn't/shouldn't be entitled to compensation for 'nurturing' him. It's the same age Billy came to us at. I suppose it could be a grey-area which is why FIFA have ruled that compensation for 'nurturing' ends at 23. I doubt we'll be privy to the finer details of the transfer or future clauses. There's a lot of 'undisclosed fees' etc nowadays - who knows, perhaps Northampton Town or even Leicester City were due a decent slice of the reputed 150k we got for Billy!

He got on in the 78th minute for his debut, but I'm sure his next target will be a starting berth.