absent friend

I watched Aberdeen against Gretna last Saturday and if they play like that against us, we will beat them out of the park! Gretna ended up giving as good as they were receiving and Gretna were rubbish. The Aberdeen management team hid behind the midweek game that was coming up and used that as an excuse for the poor play - well, it worked, Aberdeen won last night but it does not hide the fact that they were dire last Saturday and we will beat them in both the league and cup games!!

I would have thought that the Black report in the press this week, where he hailed MN as a team player, dressing room joker, etc - should put all the rubbish about dressing room strife due to his inflated income, to rest!!

I noticed that the singing section in Pittodrie moved this year, lower down in the Donald stand and block booked a section with an option on the seats next to this, should demand dictate. The notice I saw was urging singing fans to get in quickly before the option was lost. I accept that this takes a bit of organising by both the fans and the club but, it would appear, it can be done!

Inverness folk are all clairvoyant! Think of that well known greeting - ''How are you dooen, Dan?'' ''Och, you know yersell''

When we were playing at Pittodrie the very same feelings were being aired, on here, at Brown (I'm not sure if he was nutered at the time.!) ''Cannot command his box - Defence unsure due to his lack of confidence - does not speak to his defence - won't come off his line....'' Whilst it is difficult to make comparisons between the keepers, I suppose the manager, at training, is in the best position to judge, I do however feel that the defence problem must be a factor in the goals against and not just the keeper.

I think this is the first time that I have put into print my 'reason why' youngsters go off the rails. I feel that there is a number of factors but the main one is the lack of pride/shame. When I suffered the belt, whilst it inflicted pain, the shame I felt at having received it and the dent to my pride, is my lasting memory! In the close knit community we lived in, it was the family name that mattered(pride) and if the police car came to your door, I fancy, my Dad would have gone crazy(what would the neighbours think?) I feel that this pride has now almost gone and with it the adhesive that keeps our living together in order. Old people scared to go out - youngsters scared to play and the culprits, quite often, become the 'big men' in their locality. I often wonder if the old Grannie has children/grand children waiting for the release of the offender or maybe that is just wishful thinking! I do feel that I have too much sympathy with the victim and would therefore not make a very good Panel member but all power to the ones who can do this very difficult job!

Don't delay too long in taking Charlie to the park - it will help Blackie to see eye to eye with someone on matchdays!

I am also disappointed that Brew was taken back but I think it was the speed of return that annoyed me. So many contenders, perhaps, but who cares we will just reappoint Brew! Now that he is here, I feel that any strong criticism of players should be deferred as we all know his training regime improved players and indeed, extended their playing careers, perhaps. If he does attend to the fitness or lack of fitness in the players I feel that we could see some players emerging from the pack that are currently only holding onto their positions through lack of competition. I think McGuire, Niculas(?), Wyness and MacBain could all improve in a big way. Bayne has retained the fitness gained under Brew as has Wilson, IMHO. The main negative, I have at the moment, is a wee bird telling me that Brew/Wyness don't hit it off and I would be most disappointed if Brew was to hold back the undoubted talent Wyness has(It has been clouded by injury/lack of fitness and lack of confidence and requires help from a good manager) A fit Dennis could work wonders for us even as a super sub. Lets hope Brew is now more mature but able to instill fitness into the squad this time round as well. He is here - let's just accept it!

On Saturday he was conspectus by his absence! He hid in his hidyhole all afternoon and watched a true pro at work, taking his team from bad to excellent by pure encouragement.

I think, Scotty, it is called - human nature - don't rat on your work mate. I agree that it would be easily solved if that did happen but little chance, I'm afraid! Am I not correct in thinking that a 'large' section of the singers stood up at the Dundee United match, last Saturday and I did not see them getting harassed, but then again I was watching the match and an animated manager doing what he is paid to do - run the show from the sidelines. Our fellow(s)? I think they were in hiding!

''Ah well, that's the first game over - another 36 and I'm off to Hibs, maybe''

I still feel that each steward should have his/her number- IN LARGE PRINT - so that on here we can identify the bad ones, so that there is no doubt as to who is the jobs worth. This will create two things 1) we will be able to collectively identify them and 2) the employer will be able to take action against that particular person. 1) is difficult without a number because wee/ fat/ugly is in the eye of the beholder and their Mam thinks they are beautiful! 2) the broad-brush pre/post match talk-in they have(?), can be personalised to, 'number 7. you are the biggest wally, your fired!!' If the same number is used for the same person each week, it will be difficult for any steward to hide behind the uniform, long term.

Considering the need we have to appoint the correct person, is it possible for the Board to consider, interview and appoint someone in 72 hours?? Is it expecting too much to ask potential candidates to present themselves for interview at such short notice? It is either a case of desperation to fill the post or the post is already filled. Should it be the latter I only hope it is not a case of 'Marry in haste...........'' as i feel sure that there are many many options for an ICT manager and not just one! A further week of consideration will not harm the club if they are to appoint the right person!

None!! Went to an SPL club - pressure - couldn't hack it - end of! (Blame Miller if you like but I think it was Millers) Is he not going to be under pressure here? Nice Guy - Fosters team spirit(I will refrain from the Fosters line) How often did he attack the young players HE had put on the field, in print, following a bad result ''Not fit for playing in the Highland League'' is one quote I recall. Aye, super help to team spirit! If he was all that good he would have been snapped up even as a back room staff member, by a big outfit, long ago. He is a has been that provided us with a base to work from and lots of super memories.

Thanks for the memories Charlie! Celtic (wee Gordon) wetting themselves - Rangers in tatters. They can't take that away from your memory bank! All the best for the future.

Borough Briggs it is!! Don't quite understand why, if I employ someone on a higher wage than you, you should require a wage increase. You are being paid to contribute so why want more - what is different from the situation prior to my employing this person, as far as your income/effort is concerned? You may be peed off but the way forward for you is to achieve star rating as well and make all the rest peed off!

I find this use of higher income/better player signing, causing unrest in the camp, a load of rubbish! If I wish to employ someone new, at a higher income than my current employees, what has that to do with them?? If, by so doing, I am saving their current incomes and also allowing them to earn higher bonuses they wish to complain or worse still, reduce their workrate?? I do appreciate that football players are not always quoted, by the press. as having high IQs BUT surely anyone with half a brain would be able to see the personal benefit a star signing could bring to any organisation! If they are not happy now when they had a decent guy as manager, wait until they get their bum felt by the new boy. He will not let dressing room politics stand in his way of progressing and they may be at Bishop Briggs shortly wishing they were part of a team playing in the SPL! Water, Well and Dry comes to mind!!

I wonder if the position on offer(I assume) is accepted, on here, for what it is! This is a BIG platform for any manager to be a part of. Butcher, Malpas et al would give their right hand to be interviewed each Saturday and parade their ability for bigger clubs to see. Money or lack of it, is not the motivating factor for most managers - they need the Saturday 'rush' along with the post. A dream win against the old firm could catapult them into a very big club and as we have seen ICT are capable of doing this. Let's not get carried away, we will, now that we have lost the best, have a procession of managers, a la Brewster, working to improve their CV on the back of ICT. Some will be better for the club than others but, with them having no local connections, we will be seen as just a stepping stone for better things or a way to resurrect their careers. I would therefore hesitate to offer names as the candidates, I feel, will contain some surprises and the need to dredge the names from ICT's past will be a wasted effort. **** it, bad timing! We have just lost the opportunity to have Sven!

CHARLIE CHRISTIE RESIGNS IGNORANT FAN BASE REJOICE

Can I assume from the Mrs Pauliebee post that no blame can be attributed to Parkie for our current position? I always thought that it was a joint affair(no not that kind of joint!) with CC fronting a management(coaching) team and Parkie being part of this. To suggest that not only is Parkie absolved from any blame but that he has the potential to lead the club, concerns me.

I realise that now we have our new star forward this could spell doom(or the subs bench) for Rory anyway. Why would the management team give Rory a regular start, given the views of the people on here or most people on here? They must have options yet play him? Are they so poor at their job that they can't see his shortcomings - does he do well in training and crap during a game - and on Saturday was he playing to orders as I watched Novo come level with his 18 yard box and carry the ball into our half and was then running looking for a return pass, whilst Rory did not cover that yardage during the whole match. It may all be academic now, but I am not convinced he is SPL ready yet!

The defence, by the Rangers Board, appears to be 'It is a minority that causes this problem, what can we do'! It was a minority of Rangers supporters that occupied the ICT end and they were quickly pointed out, to the stewards/police and were evicted. Why therefore can the majority of the Rangers fans not follow this action and very quickly eradicate the problem. Don't tell me that they will not take action against their own!! I was at a final at Hampen and witnessed a Rangers 'supporter' throw an empty bottle at random, hitting a child and saw the guy being dropped from a great height HEAD FIRST, by his own support. If points are at risk, they will drop the offenders, perhaps not head first, but they will be dropped in more ways than one, in my opinion.

I do think the wind was the winner on Saturday! We did not get the football we paid to see, we only had players trying to guess the flight and bounce of the ball. I accept that Rangers ended up the winners by a long way - I'm even apprehensive about watching the highlights - but we did ourselves no favours. The high ball was a 'nono' from the start but even at the end it was still being used. Fraser continues to improve, if not in ability, very much in confidence and Rory - I was certain that he was carrying an injury, he was so leg weary and I kept waiting for the substitution to happen. I can only assume he is excellent in training or the rest are crap, before he can get his place in the starting 11.

Scotty After your wee rant above, how lucky you are to only have the one critic! Imagine if you were CC with Clacher and co gunning for you, on here, all the time!! (Work permit problem- ''It is all CC's fault'' Inferring he should be an expert in international law as are all other managers!, -''I dislike his press speak'' - He is one of the few manager with an excellent presentation whilst being interviewed.) On here some will criticise for the sake of it, in my opinion. The new site is super! Well done to the boffins!

I must say that I am impressed with the options as shown above and I do accept that 'new boys' and perhaps 'not quite fit old boys' could be in evidence, not quite performing as we would like. I would therefore like to see a very active management team on the touchline, moving players on the park/ encouraging/ substituting and being very proactive. ''He tired towards the end''...WHAT!! if he showed signs of fatigue he should not be on the field in my opinion. So I hope we hear none of that amateurish remarks following a players bad performance!