Renegade

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.

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.

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.

I've been impressed with him almost every time I've seen him. He can play all over the place as well, up-front, right and left wings and at left back I think.

I think we could do with another striker as well. And by that, I don't mean Derek Riordan!

I wasn't aware John Hughes was still the Hibernian manager!

I can't believe there's people who would keep Williams in, after his "performance" yesterday. He was horrendous!

Brill Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco Ross Doran-----------------------Shinnie Watkins* Agdestein Mckay Subs - Esson, Devine, Greenhalgh, Polworth, Pepper, Williams, Cooper * Should Watkins be out again, go with Ross behind the front two, and Polworth in-front of the defence, with Christie coming onto the bench.

I suppose in the end, you can only take positives from the second half display - you can't fault the fact that we looked a different team, after making it look to easy for Aberdeen in the first half. Raven though, has to come back in. We looked a miles better team with him in there and I'd like to see Toby signed a bit longer. In saying that though, I thought Danny Williams was worse than useless (what a waste of £10,000!), and Doran's heart didn't seem in it at all - he had a great chance to challenge an on-rushing Langfield in the second half and gave up. I'd have liked to have seen Williams off instead of Ross as well, and possibly even Greenhalgh coming on as well (do we need another striker?). Under Butcher, we'd have probably been utterly humped, but Hughes must be saying something right to get that reaction. On another day we'd have come away with a point.

Sometimes it can be to do with games played as well. For example, player X has signed a new one year deal, with the choice of a second being activated should player X play X amount of games that season. It was a clause like that, that kept Ross Tokely here one year longer than Butcher wanted (who wanted to punt him along with Munro and Duncan, but couldn't due to this type of clause).

One extra point that could be added is that Ben Greenhalgh (and possibly one or two others) are on one year deals, with the option of a second (I believe).

Watkins is on a two year deal. http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Watkins-wants-European-bid-with-ICT-17062013.htm Butcher's keen to take him to Hibs apparently. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/hibernian-boss-terry-butcher-targets-2946339

As mentioned elsewhere, Curtis Allen has left the building after making no appearances for ICT.

Just to bring this up to date - that proposed move to India never materialised, and Sanchez has instead been playing for Tuen Mun SA (ground capacity 2,200) in Hong Kong's 1st division. Wikipedia shows him having 6 appearances and 1 goal for them. Older fans might recall that this is the same league that Paul Ritchie played in, for Happy Valley, right before joining us in 2001. Steve Paterson used to play for Hong Kong Rangers who are in that league as well.

One thing I noticed when I was at the game, was how good an interceptor of the ball Nick Ross is - far better than anyone else is, and I wish we'd see more of that throughout the team. I do also believe, that the time has come to rotate Watkins and Doran, even during the game as we used to do with Hayes and Imrie (and sometimes Eagle). Butcher, in the past and also this season, seemed to be trying to turn Doran into a right footed Hayes. The thing is though, they're not the same players - Hayes was far more direct for a start. I thought Doran was better at the start of this season on the right, skinning the full-backs and crossing from the by-line. Watkins seems just as comfortable on either side as well.

Not sure that we ever appointed a keeper coach before Marsella. We did - Stuart Garden. He was made redundant after got relegated and now manages Montrose.

I've heard the Burke and Hare near the Grassmarket is another fine establishment.