Renegade

What's this going to do for his ego?!

I've said it before and I'll say it again - anything can happen in life.

I see in the Sunday Mail last weekend that Hayes was about to move to Rochester before ICT came in for him. That'll be the Rochester Rhinos then. Personally I think they should of kept their old name. Why can't British teams have names like that?!

Don't forget Darren Huckerby!

Just a shame Mr Alexander's just signed a new deal with Burnley then ain't it?

Not this again.

Is Foran not now the first foreign captain, or even non-Scottish captain of ICT? I think he could well be.

From the lot that's been released - Kyle Allison - I saw him play a few times and he wasn't very good. The last time I saw him was in the Inverness Cup game at Grant Street and he could barely kick the ball beyond the half way line. Can't say I'm sad to see him go. Maybe now he'll get his move to his beloved Ross County! Nauris Bulvitis - Hot and cold really, at times he was good and at times he was very very bad. Was good going forward but if he was on the ball and was put under pressure, he didn't know what to do. Lionel Djebi-Zadi - Sometimes he was great, sometimes he was rubbish. I always thought he would make a good winger but at the back he could drop some awful clangers. Robert Eagle - Had a good cross, but was awfully slow and his passing wasn't the best. He scored a couple of nice goals, such as the one against Albion Rovers and had a very good performance at the second Derby in Dingwall. I perhaps would've kept him but he wasn't particularly anything special. Jamie Duff - Had bad his injury was and how well it healed must of been a factor. A shame really, as I rated him the handful of times I saw him play but obviously his injury did him no favours. Daniel Stratford - Never rated him at all. Too slow, couldn't pass, couldn't tackle, wouldn't shoot. Can't say I'm sad to see him go. Not a good player and the games just seem to pass him by. The only time I thought he had a good game was when he played right back against Clach in the Inverness Cup. Says it all really.

Not bothered about the results of either. I find all this hatred and rivalry stuff a bit pathetic and a bit cringeworthy.

Perhaps another thing to note. It seems to be the case a lot of the time that some of the best captains have streak of ruthlessness and passion about them. People like Butcher, Keane and Oliver Kahn come to mind. I reckon Foran has a bit of that too. On another note, does anyone feel that some other players may look down on this decision. Perhaps a couple of renegade players may feel that it's favouritism on Butcher's part, after all, he does seem very fond of him and seems to be one of his favourites. I'm not sure though.

Of course, with the changes being brought in, it could be that no-one is relegated from the SPL next season.

You always hear of how teams need to change their tactics for the SPL, so what tactics do you think ICT need to employ for next season and how big a change are they from before? Would the 4-2-3-1 system work or would it need to be shelved? Would an out-and-out winger like Johnny Hayes be as effective as he has been? For me, I think some changes could be needed. Obviously some new signings need to be made, I feel a more counter-attacking style may be the best option. I think the 4-2-3-1 may have run it's course and perhaps a 4-3-3 or even a switch back to 4-4-2 maybe the way forward, with ICT bringing teams onto them, and then hitting them on the break. Playing the continuous long ball, or playing a park-the-bus style would be a mistake. I believe it was one of the factors that cost ICT in season 08/09 and the team perhaps would've stayed up, had it not been for Craig Brewster's god-awful style of getting ICT to punt the ball long at every opportunity. For away games I'd favour a return to 4-4-2 or the current system of 4-2-3-1 (should it be a team that needs to be contained). What's needed for next season - 1 Back Up Goalkeeper 1 Right Back 1 Centre-Back 1 Left Back 1 Right Winger 1 Creative Midfielder 1 Striker What style and tactics do you think ICT should deploy next season?

It's a daft rule IMO. Surely a player under 21 would get more experience from being loaned out to say a Division 3 side than to sit on an SPL side's bench every week with no chance of getting a game.

What a state the SPL must be in from him to win it! He's good but he's not that good.

Pretty much, I think I was one of the last to leave I was sitting. All the players had gone (bar Tokely I think who was just about done) and Butcher.

Does anyone actually know when the new home shirt is likely to be revealed?

I can tell you what was the worst game of the season. That 1-0 home win against Morton. Perhaps the worst game I have been to.

Agreed, of course teams should try and win, but within reason, (obviously needing a win to stay up should try to do so by any means) teams should also try to play football as well. Both. I'm a ICT supporter, I like to see the club win and do well. I pay money to go to games, I jump around when the goals go in. I don't need to answer about how good a supporter I am to anybody.

The good thing about this of course, is the last time Orion/Savage were involved, new ideas seemed more likely to happen and a more progressive stance in running things was taken up. Remember it wasn't that long ago Savage wanted to build a real shop at Caley Park.

The home top will be a new design and will sport the Orion logo. The away kit will be the same as last seasons one but will have the Orion name on it instead of Flybe.com.

Whilst it is true that on the continent, the captaincy is not such a big deal (in fact it is said that in Italy the players meet up in the dressing room and decide themselves), in this country it seems to have more influence. As I said in the other thread, I think Grant Munro is a good player and played well throughout last season, but for me he was not and never has been a captain. In all the games I went to last season (which was every home league game, a couple of cup games and the two Dingwall Derbys), I say him shouting...............once. ICT have not had a real captain since Darren Dods left, though I believe that Richie Foran is a good choice and will lead ICT passionately and decisively next season.

Not a chance. There has been sides of course though that have played good attacking football, Carlos Bilardo's Argentina being one of them. If it's scores that you're interested in, then maybe it's the NFL or Dominos that you should take more of an interest in. The name of the game is football, not scoreball. As fan of a team, when I go to a game, I do not ask for a win. I'd like one, but it is not the be all and end all for me. All I ask is to see an entertaining game. It's called the beautiful game for a reason and there is no distinction between style and substance because in football, style is substance. It was Johan Cryuff who said that there was no greater compliment that being revered for your style, and that is why manager who played a fantastic style of football, like Pep Guardiola, Gusztav Sebes and most of all Rinus Michels (said to be the greatest manager of all time) will go down in history, while others fade into the mists of time.

Attractive football doesn't change the scoreline (all the time), but it should be something that teams aim to do. It's interesting though that over the course of time, it's often the case that teams that play the best football seem to get the better results. Rinus Michels' Netherlands and Gusztav Sebes' Hungary being too prime examples. It'll be interesting to see how well Chile do this World Cup. Apparently they play a very exciting game, heavily based on the 3-4-3 formation.

I hope the first game's at home.

I don't know, but I don't think that photo has anything to do with it!