Caley Stan

in theHighland News It seems that he's concerned about the way the club's being run as well going by these two quotes: "The breaking of the current wage structure with Marius Niculae with support from Orion Engineering is something which I think needs to be reassessed in the future in pursuit of sustainability." "Currently there are thoughts by the board to develop a new stand. I don't think they should do that. It would be better to direct any money they have in the direction of Craig Brewster and the team."

Quote from Brewster on the official website, posted 6 days ago: "I am desperate to keep both players at the Club. Dennis is very close to agreeing a 2 year deal, he has done well for the Club. He had a spell away from the Club at Hearts and since he came back he has performed well and is very much part of my future plans. Dennis has experienced the good times at ICT and hopefully he has a few more to come yet. He hasn't featured has much this season, firstly due to a hamstring problem and then because we have only been playing with one striker but I know Dennis can come on at anytime and have an impact." Quote from today's Courier: "We'll see where we are by the end of the season with Dennis' contract. There has been no problem as such. I just feel it would be better to delay that one until the end of the season." I think we could do with a better explanation than that Mr Brewster. In fact, by failing to provide one the club are treating us like idiots.

Denzil deserves a thread of his own. Along with Wilson, Mann, Stewart and Christie, he's one of the true ICT legends. For months we've been told that the club want him to sign a new contract and now, just as the deal was about to be finalised the contract has been withdrawn (anyone who knows more than this please tell us). Many people think that Dennis hasn't cut it in the SPL but there have been times when we've seen just how capable he is of scoring and creating goals at this level. His spell playing with Dargo was incredible. The two of them could outwit a back four and create a goal without any help. Unfortunately, injuries and poor team selections meant that they rarely played together. Then Dargo left. It was clear that that we needed to sign a pacey striker to replace him and play with Dennis - but the suits brought in Marius instead. Now Dennis is being chucked. What kind of club is this that throws their legends away like this?

Will they Scotty? We haven't heard a peep from the media about the internal problems at the club. I've heard far more about the departures of Rankin and Park and the arrival of Niculae on this site and in the pub than i've ever read in the papers or heard from the BBC. Some folk on this site are going to have to blow their sources and tell us all what's going on for the good of ICT. I'm fed up reading between lines - WHAT THE **** IS GOING ON.

Here's the squad: Goalkeepers Craig Gordon (Sunderland) David Marshall (Norwich City) Allan McGregor (Rangers) Defenders Graham Alexander (Burnley) Russell Anderson (Sunderland) Christophe Berra (Heart of Midlothian) Gary Caldwell (Celtic) Christian Dailly (Rangers) Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur) James McEveley (Derby County) Stephen McManus (Celtic) Gary Naysmith (Sheffield United) Midfield Scott Brown (Celtic) Barry Ferguson (Rangers) Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) Paul Hartley (Celtic) Lee McCulloch (Rangers) Stephen Pearson (Derby County) Barry Robson (Celtic) Gary Teale (Derby County) Forwards Kris Boyd (Rangers) Steven Fletcher (Hibernian) James McFadden (Birmingham City) Shaun Maloney (Aston Villa) Kenny Miller (Derby County) Garry O?Connor (Birmingham City)

They promised to give him a chance to prove himself before the Euros and they're sticking to their word. The Romanians will however see what we have seen - a classy player who continues to be hampered the serious injuries he sustained in the past, and who may never return to his best.

Playing teams four times a season is boring for players and fans. SPL teams will never vote to reduce the number games they have against the old firm. The old firm will never vote to reduce the number games they have against each other. So we're stuck with what we've got, 10 teams, 12 teams, slit, no split - it's all a variation on the same thing. My preference is also to have bigger league with teams playing each other twice like most European countries - but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

From what i can gather from Charles' report, current SPL rules say that if a team folds then another team has to be relegated i.e if Gretna go bust then we're in a relegation scrap. Grassa thinks that the rules will be changed if this happens.

At last!!!!! It's been said clearly. Somebody needs to start asking the board about these issues. If IHE's information is correct then the wrong people are running our club and fans need to wake up to that.

We played 4-4-2 against Motherwell and Hibs recently and it didn't work. This back 4 needs protection.

Fair play to all you happy people for being able to see the bigger picture but i can't see things that way. I'm not happy because in the last nine games we've won just once, going out of the cup and dropping to ninth in the table in the process. I'm still unhappy about the failure to replace Dods and Dargo, the signing of Niculae and it's implications for the wage structure, the shocking treatment of Barry Wilson and the rumours of player discontent that have plagued us all season. Looking at the SPL table and seeing us safe doesn't make me happy in itself - watching the club and the team fulfil its potential does and we haven't been doing that recently.

Marius was great today. Plenty of shots on goal, one sublime piece of skill in the second half, and lots running (some of of even quite fast!). As i've said many times on this site, we should never have signed this guy, but let's get the best out of him while he's here. More performances like today and he might even win us some points away from home.

I'm not happy.

This doesn't make any (footballing) sense. Only a fortnight ago, Barry came of the bench at Love Street and looked full of hunger and energy. He definitely still has a contribution to make at this level.

Given some of the rumours that have been sweeping around this week, i find it surprising that neither the press nor the BBC have attempted to address these issues. Regardless of the rumours, the very fact that Blackie was on the bench and Marius was dropped from the squad on Wednesday should've provoked some serious questioning. Instead what we got was the shock revelation in the Courier that we are sh1te away from home (only 18 months late in picking that story up boys!), and the usual anodyne quotes from Brewster in the P&J. In fairness to the BBC, they have posted an interview with Malky in which Charles Bannerman asks why Marius Niculae was not in the squad. There was more than a hint of discomfort to be detected in his rambling response. The media in the central belt don't give a toss about what's happening in Inverness, and most clubs based down there have their affairs scrutinised to much a higher extent. It's time for the reporters in the north to start getting some answers out of the club, or at least to show that they're trying.

The club could've shown their ambition by re-signing Dods and Dargo or at least replacing them with players who displayed similar qualities. During pre-season it was clear to everyone that we needed a pacy goalscorer and a centre-half who leads and organises - instead they brought in Marius in an attempt to start toying with the transfer market. It's a classic example of what happens when businessman rather than football managers dictate which players come to a club and it's going to blow up in their faces.

COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE COWIE This is the team we played tonight and only lost 3-1. If these players get some time to gel then i predict a bright future for ICT. Unfortunately, someone will probably sign Don Cowie in the summer and the team will fall apart before it's had the chance to fulfill it's potential.

ONE DON COWIE, THERE'S ONLY ONE DON COWIE, ONE DON COOOOOOOOOWIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE.............. ....................and there was feck all else in our team tonight.

From the P & J: CALEY THISTLE TRIO EXPECTED TO SIGN NEW CONTRACTS IN THE NEXT 10 DAYS 08:50 - 06 February 2008 Inverness expect Russell Duncan, Ross Tokely and Dennis Wyness to sign new contracts with the club next week. The trio have been innegotiations with Caley Thistle for the last three weeks without agreeing new deals at the Caledonian Stadium. But manager Craig Brewster is hopeful all three will commit themselves to the Highland club after they were offered improved terms to stay beyond the end of the season when their current contracts run out. Midfielder Duncan hadalready said he would leave Caley Jags unless they offered him a new deal in line with the higher wage earners at the club such as Romanian Marius Niculae. Tokely and Wyness are also seeking an upgrade to their deals to prevent them agreeing a pre-contract arrangement with other clubs. Brewster said: "Hopefully, we will tie all three up within the next 10 days. We are just trying to structure things in different ways. "They want more money and it is about trying to come to an agreement as soon as possible. "Sometimes it is par for the course when agents get involved that it takes a wee bit longer to talk to players about contracts. "I hope they sign and I am sure the supporters do as well."

Return of the B.E.N.I.? Let's do it in style by singing for 90 minutes at Love Street.

Calder is set to play for Huntly at home to Brora tomorrow if the game goes ahead - he's 47!

A Charles Bannerman exclusive on Through the Window. Does anyone know how much they offered?

....and Barry Wilson.

Richard Hastings is also closing in on 10 years of broken service. Will he get a testimonial?

Correct. And it's them that should be taking a slagging on this thread rather than Marius who, for all his deficiencies, gives his all and has improved over the season. If Duncan walks, i hope he holds another press conference to tell us exactly what effect this signing has had on the rest of the squad.