Renegade

In regards to last season's financial strategy, budgeting for seventh is fair enough, but it's how you use it. Bare in mind, the likes of Lewis Horner and Dean Ebbe were probably on buttons, so what on Earth were some of the others on?! I'm sure I recollect hearing that Scott Boden was somewhere in the region of £2,000 a week! If he had whacked in 30 goals a season then that would be one thing, but he was absolutely useless. To give Foran some benefit of the doubt, some of his signings looked good in theory but didn't turn out as expected. Big things were obviously expected from the aforementioned Boden, while Billy King was looked upon as a very good signing that summer but never really hit the heights expected. I imagine a lot of hope was put on Kevin McNaughton (and he may have been a big player for us) before he missed almost the full season through injury. Larnell Cole came with experience of the English Premier League but usually blew cold. Doumbouya was pretty hopeless as well, while Henri Anier had had a couple of purple patches in the past but was absolutely terrible. Other players didn't have the best of seasons. Fon Williams was often injured and on a poor run of form, Raven and Warren weren't at their best, Meekings and Doran got injured, Tansey and Draper weren't fantastic while Billy Mckay returned as the player he was when he first arrived at the club in 2011 and was nowhere near as good as the player he was when he joined Wigan. In saying that though, Foran did have a team that was altogether not actually that bad. We certainly didn't have the worst squad in the league and unquestionably, man for man, had a better squad than Hamilton Academical. On top of that, we probably had a side equal to, or better, than Kilmarnock, Dundee and Motherwell. Despite this though, it was poor management and poor tactics that killed us. Foran was tactically naive, began playing a very primitive desperate long ball game and his petty falling out with Alex Fisher (who was clearly the best striker we had) was the main reason we were relegated.

It'd be nice if the club clarified this. I've noticed a few people ask on Twitter who are travelling from further afield to no reply. The club manages to tweet for the 50th time this week about the shirt discount though...

Let's go Caley let's go! Let's go Caley let's go! Hopefully there'll be no kneeling during the Star Spangled Flower of Scotland either.

Based on what though? Nostalgia? If you want a World Cup with Europe's elite nations, then Italy isn't one of them.

I've spoken to quite a few fans over the last years who've panned the catering, yet these same people can be seen waddling for a pie sometimes even before the whistle blows for half time. If it's that bad, don't use it, it's as simple as that. Don't criticise and then justify it's existence. I think the catering at the stadium is vastly overpriced rubbish, so I haven't used it since we were in the First Division last time.

It might not do it for you, but it certainly would for them. Even if it is a Celtic youth team, that's players playing for the first team who otherwise would and it would also bring a big cash injection for smaller clubs, which teams like Fort William desperately need. Football needs more variety and having everyone, or most clubs big and small, entering at the same level would undoubtedly do this. I've heard people say in the past that having everyone enter in the first round would mean you'd see some demolitions. Maybe so, but you'd certainly see some giant killings too.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, every club eligible for the Scottish Cup should go in at round 1. It'd be brilliant!

*Ouch* Who's the genius though? Kenny Cameron or Yogi Hughes? The latter of course attempted to flog him in every interview he could.

Heard over the weekend that he is currently on trial at Czech side FC Slovako.

I'd like a Highland League away trip. Fraserburgh or Formartine would be good, while Brora would be carnage! County home or away might be more of an occasion, but we've played them loads of times over the last few years. It'd be nice to have something different.

Have we ever played a Highland League side (home or away) in a competitive fixture (obviously discounting the Inverness Cup etc.)? I can't think of any, certainly not in years anyway.

With no game tomorrow, it's a shame the game isn't this weekend.

Time we built a wall around Merkinch IMO. And who's going to pay for the wall? That's right the Merkinchers are going to pay for the wall!

They eat cars in Merkinch? People from the Ferry are weird.

And I'm sure the people of many of these silly little countries who are there on merit will be absolutely crestfallen to find out that Laurence's imperial arrogance means that he'll be watching snooker or cricket... Italy and the Netherlands have been absolutely garbage for the last couple of years. You though would rather watch them than more deserving teams though, as you're a snob.

£48 for a goalie top?!

Which smaller nations are those? What regional qualifying system? Why are a poor Italy side deserving of a place over 'smaller nations' who are there on merit?

Was it just me or did the tannoy seem a lot clearer on Saturday? I have heard in the past that part of the issue is not the tannoy in and of itself but also the settings the user has it on.

Should we get TNS, chances are the game will be on a Sunday at 3ish for S4C. Should the roads be clear, and with a 20 minute stop every couple of hours, the journey could be made in about eight hours. If the game is at three, the bus could leave at 6am and make it with about an hour to spare. If the game finished about 5 (as long as there's no extra time), we could get back to Inverness about 1 or 2am. Providing D&E lease the coach for that distance (and we'd probably need two drivers) but it could be done in one day. For those looking at making their own way down, taking the train looks more trouble than it's worth (and would take over twelve hours!). Contrary to popular belief, TNS do not play in Wales, but a few miles on the other side of the English border. From Inverness, it'd be three trains, walking and then a bus journey! Another option is to fly direct from Inverness to Manchester and then travel down but again it could be quite difficult as Oswestry has no railway station due to the Beeching Cuts in the 1960s.

Seemingly he was linked with a move to Azerbaijan at one point. Whether he turned them down or they turned him down I don't know.

Now I really want to go!

Isn't it? Cooper has played football all his life, must have had thousands of hours using the ball yet isn't even adequate with his weaker foot. I think that's absolutely ridiculous. He's a professional footballer...for now anyway.

Don't have to if they don't want to.

With Doran and Elbouzedi back, you'd imagine it's the end of Cooper's time here. I for one won't be too disappointed to see him go, he was powderpuff again tonight.

What we learned - Esson is past it. I think I'd have Cameron Mackay in the pecking order ahead of him at this rate. Seedorf is dodgy at centre-back. Far better at right back or in midfield. Calder is reasonable enough but needs to work on his crossing. Looks far better on the wing. Oakley is powderpuff. No strong or skillful enough to play as a lone striker. Doran looked decent and should be a good player in the Championship. Elbouzedi has potential. Cooper was decent but only has one foot - that's unacceptable for a professional footballer. Nick Ross would be a very good signing. His passing and moving is something we lack in midfield.