Renegade

Didn't you start your own birthday thread last time?! But really, you must be pretty depressed if you need someone on a football forum to start a Happy Birthday thread to have a happy birthday! I've never had one, nor would I want one.

Gary Irvine is Brian Irvine's nephew I believe.

I see Terry Butcher's down at 8-1 to get the job on William Hill.

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

I'm still sceptical that he would actually come here but if he and Esson would be signed, that would be sensational.

Source? A good signing, but I doubt he'd come.

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

Of course he is. Unless it's to pick up a his big bag of cash of course.

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.

I suppose we can put this alongside the OP's other "rumours" of Paul Lambert coming to manage ICT and the one about the other new managerial team of John Robertson and Duncan Shearer!

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.

I see Brown's going to resign.

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.