I actually happen to think that the OP makes a valid point. The long ball is garbage and I do happen to think that it is a trait that Butcher does seem to favour. At Coventry, Butcher was fired with a FA Cup Replay still to play, and due apparently to Butcher's fondness of the long ball, it was an easier decision to boot him. Sydney FC was much the same thing. Gone were the sharp brown suits, passing-based football and A League title of Pierre Littbarski, and in was the training suited, punt-it-up-park football of Terry Butcher. The Sydney trophy cabinet was also noticeably empty that season.
Like many others on this forum, I've been to more games in my life than I can think of and I will categorically say that ICT are unquestionably a better side when the ball is on the deck. Look at the facts. ICT are an attacking side, who have always benefited from using the width of the pitch to get the ball wide. It's no coincidence that ICT's greatest ever manager - Steve Paterson - made his success using ultra-attacking football. It's also no coincidence that ICT's worst two managers, Sergie Baltacha and Craig Brewster, failed with ICT, while using a defensive, long ball system in the process. It's also interesting to note that season, Terry Butcher's ICT only began their road to success, when a more attacking approach was taken. When ICT defend they lose, when they attack, they win. ICT should aim to attack - that's a fact.