Renegade

I see Hughes reckons that "we've played some right good football", "were the better team throughout" yesterday and probably won't make any non-enforced changes for Saturday. What planet is he on?!

Signs for Glentoran - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25579390 No he didn't.

You'd think so but no, bar the goal, Toby's volley over and Mckay's glorious chance in the opening minutes, Fraser had nothing more than routine saves to make throughout. It also helps that from outside the box, Nick Ross and Aaron Doran couldn't finish their breakfast! History repeating itself if that's the case then (not sure if it is tho). Remember our feeble performance in the 1st derby after we got relegated. Think Butcher and the guys got it after that! Hughes should be the most fired up of everyone for a derby. He's participated in many of the big ones in his career. I wonder if he thought "Ach it's jus Rosh Cunty and Invernesh in tha wee Heelans, no a big yun lak Embra aw tha Auld Furim". The players didn't look up for it at all and the fire they had under Butcher is no longer there. People can say we're missing Foran and that's true, but that's still no reason to collapse into the garbage we've become. Foran's a good captain now, but nonetheless, it's Hughes' job to motivate the players and come up with some good tactics (and he's been found wanting in that regard so far). If Foran is now a bigger player at this club than the manager and means more to the players, then you really have to question what Hughes is really here for.

Does anyone else get the impression that Hughes totally underestimated the spectacle of the Highland Derby? He seemed to approached that game as it was any other, while County went out all pumped and ready. Did Hughes think the game was nothing more than a slightly bigger, say Hibernian v Dunfermline match? Certainly wouldn't be surprised if that's the case.

How good he is on the wing remains to be seen. I've only seen him there towards the end of matches when the play is stretched, but from the U20 matches I've seen from him there and the game down at Charlton, I thought he looked quite quiet. Again, how good a winger he'll turn out to be remains to be seen. One thing that is for certain, is that he is not and will never be a central midfielder. It looks like exactly what he is, a player being played out of position. For the Morton game, Shearer and Kellacher went for Polworth over him and waxed lyrical about him afterwards. It thus must be very much Hughes's choice to play and it is unfair to continually play there, knowing full well that he'll struggle. If Williams' confidence is taking a bashing, it will not be down to fans critical comments, rather the foolishness of his manager.

I had put Polworth in (he did play quite well compared to the rest of them - not difficult mind!), but then took him out again, thinking that the '2' in the middle of him and Ross might be a bit lightweight, thus putting Tremarco in as a more robust figure.

Brill Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie Ross Tremarco Doran Watkins* Greenhalgh Mckay Subs - Esson, Devine, Polworth, Agdestein, Williams, Pepper, Christie * If Watkins is out, put Christie in there and Evans onto the bench. If Toby's left the building by that time as well, put Ferguson on the bench. If Warren's out, stick Gorman on the bench.

I can't believe we paid £10,000 for Danny Williams. The last few weeks he's looked like he's worth about 10 pence!

One of the most lifeless and unspirited performances. I left the stadium disgusted and embarrassed. What they heck was Hughes thinking?! Shinnie on the right ran it's course ages ago. Still no Raven. Danny Williams has done nothing since he came into the team and was utter trash yet again. Toby is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. Doran has never been good on the left ever FACT. Is it just a coincide that his slump in form coincides with Butcher leaving? He doesn't look like a man who wants to be here anymore. No fight, no passion, no spirit, no hope. Hughes tactically makes Terry Butcher look like Jose Mourinho. Wrong team selection, wrong tactics, and the wrong choice as manager, on the recent showings. Things need to change and change soon. Hughes's job is not untouchable.

HT - ICT 3-0 Ross County FT - ICT 6-1 Ross County ICT 1st scorer - Warren Ross County 1st scorer - Ross Time of 1st goal - 7 Corners - 8 First Yellow - Draper

Brill Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie Draper Doran---------------------Watkins Ross Agdestein Mckay Subs - Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Williams, Greenhalgh, Polworth, Christie

While it wasn't a bad performance against Celtic, I see we had our first real taste of the John Hughes Signature Tactic Spectacular! You know, that tactic he used at Falkirk and Livingston (and probably others), where we earned the title of playing 'good football'. That tactic is as follow - Goalkeeper passes a goal-kick along the ground to the full-back......who passes it back to the keeper.......who passes it to a centre back....who passes it back to the other centre back.....who passes it back to the keeper......who passes to the other full-back......who passes it to a centre-back......who passes it back to the full-back.....who passes it back to the keeper....who launches it up the park! Not really 'good football' is it, and we knew it was going to happen. We all want to see the ball on the deck, but I really was on the brink of pulling my hair-out at times, with this going nowhere passing, particularly when we were a goal down and needing to be a bit more direct.

Absolutely not. He was released because he's a fat, lazy, useless, little moron, who was absolute rubbish against us a few weeks ago. We should stay well clear of this wee troll.

I first saw him play a good few years ago and have always maintained that he will go on to be a massive player for us, if not one of our best ever. A Jim McLean-esque 10 year deal please!

What about Farid El Alagui? Fallen out of favour at Brentford apparently. Proven goalscorer in Division One at Falkirk, and offers something to Mckay. Don't know if he'd come here, but he'd be a good signing I think.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Aaron Doran is not a left winger. He was really good at the start of the season dribbling down the right and crossing from the byline. This plan (and it was Butcher who started it) of playing as a cutting-inside and shooting Jonny Hayes type is not and will never work. His shooting is pretty hopeless for a start. Watkins seems the more ambidextrous of the two anyway, so moving him into the left shouldn't be too much of a problem. We looked a far better team on the attack earlier in the season where we had Doran attacking down the right and Raven overlapping. We should go back to that IMO.

I actually thought that on the whole we played alright, though probably gave Celtic way too much respect. The days when they were miles better are long gone by the looks of things. Thought Williams was garbage yet again, while Doran doesn't seem up for it anymore at all. I thought the defence on the whole was pretty good, but I'd like to see Raven coming back in. Watkins impressed me also, and I wouldn't have hooked him for Christie (who looked the business by the way).

Ben Greenhalgh ‏@BenGreenhalgh1h Can't get my head round this one bit, #headloss Make of that what you will. Presume he didn't make the squad and wasn't injured as some folk speculated at the game. Surprising, considering he apparently played well against Partick.

HT - ICT 0-2 Celtic FT - ICT 0-3 Celtic ICT 1st scorer - Mckay Celtic 1st scorer - Stokes Time of 1st goal - 12 1st yellow - Draper

Wonder if this means the Watkins rumour has legs on it?

Does Butcher not write for the Mirror? Can't see them making a rumour up that involves one of their employees with no basis whatsoever.

As I said before, next season we'll find out how good Hughes really is and it's far too early to be too judgmental. There were some parts though of the whole managerial saga, that I did find a little odd. For one, why was Hughes offered a two and a half year deal? That's an awful long time for a manager who has, and lets be honest, a rather mediocre managerial record. Also, what was it about Hughes that sent him over the top? Did Yogi pull off the usual superlatives of hard-working, boilersuits, spirit, passion and his epic banter with those behind the dugout?! Did this sound better to Cameron than the dour drawls of Levein etc.? Was it Hughes's promise to carry on as normal that was the music to the chairman's ears? Some of us speculated at the time that perhaps Hughes had lined-up John Collins as assistant or Director of Football, or someone of that ilk, was what put him over the top, but it now seems to be that he had no plan of who his assistant would be whatsoever. Why wasn't that considered at the time? Not for one moment do I believe that Hughes was the first choice with the players or the board. When have to ever heard of a man who was unemployed being the first choice, yet taking four weeks to appoint him? If Hughes was the first choice and the outstanding candidate from the start, why was Hartley approached? Let's be honest here - he wasn't. I also claimed a while back that Foran's face didn't match what he was saying when Hughes was appointed - I still think that's so. Foran also claimed that Hughes was the favourite with all the players from the start, yet goes on to say that some had never heard of him! Was he really the first choice with all the players? I rather doubt it. Kenny Cameron claimed that Hughes was the "unanimous choice by the board". While that may have been true, you've got to look at who the other choice was. That person was Paul Telfer. Not exactly a difficult decision. Which brings me on to another point; How on Earth did Paul Telfer wind up as second choice?! The guy didn't exactly have a playing career that set the heather alight and his only coaching experience is as player/coach of Sutton United! I mean, how on Earth did that happen?! What does it say about the investigation process, when he can be deemed worthy of an interview? Obviously, Hughes is now our man and we're stuck with him for the time being. As I said earlier in the thread, it's too early to judge him, and he was by no means the man the majority wanted, but nor was he the worst candidate suggested. Next season we'll find out how good he really is, but there were some parts of the whole saga which were a little strange to say the least.

Brill Shinnie Warren Meekings Tremarco Draper Williams Watkins Ross Doran Mckay Subs - Esson, Pepper, Agdestein, Greenhalgh, Polworth, Raven, Devine I believe this is the set-up for today.

HT - Partick 0-0 ICT FT - Partick 0-0 ICT Partick Thistle 1st scorer - Doolan ICT 1st scorer - Mckay Time of 1st goal - 63 Corners - 7

Anyone who's already decided that Hughes is amazing and beyond all criticism or on the other hand, believe he's utterly terrible, is nothing more than a fool. I, like the majority of people on here, did not have Hughes down as the man I wanted, nor was I happy with the appointment, nor was do I still really have any idea what it was about the man, that made the board appoint him. From my general feel about his appointment, would I be surprised if Hughes is out the door by mutual consent in 18 months? Not really. Would I be surprised if Hughes is a relative success at ICT? Not really. Would I be surprised if Hughes in the end was a huge success? In all honesty, I would be. Next season, we'll find out well and truly how good this guy really is. Anyone who has already decided that he's an incredible choice and beyond all and any criticism until the end of time, or those who believe he's horrendous and should be punted ASAP though, are nothing more than fools.