CELTIC1CALEY3

With 36 games to go, Derek has started with three compelling excuses: 'Defeat (2-1) not fair result' , 'we are obviously disappointed that they have beaten us 4-0', 'individual mistakes were the difference between Ross County and Kilmarnock' ................beaten 2-1 again. Who thinks next week it will be 'Dundee United edged it because they were smarting from their thrashing at Celtic Park'?

Only 36 games in the league to go and County are probably now working on which 6 players to get rid of in January....

Bad day for County - Obadeyi

http://liga-zwei.de/fsv-frankfurt-nordire-billy-mckay-im-visier-offenbar-angebot-ueber-250-000-euro/35299

If he becomes a subject of an exceptional bid before the end of August we will blame it on this video. Having said that, his volley against County is my favourite so leaving that out might keep the likes of Rotherham at bay..

''Ronny Deila has told UEFA they are out of order forcing Celtic to begin their Champions League campaign in mid-July.'' Result Celtic lose 6-1 to Tottenham in a friendly and are out of Europe (unless the ineligible player thing materialises)!! As Scotty and others say, Yogi is not over egging our chances but privately will be working the players hard for the season ahead.

Ryan Christie is just one option to support Billy. If more Inverness people supported the club we might be in a better position to find a new striker to join the club. Billy and Ryan and the other options we have actually give us a strong starting position. Let us be very positive going to Hamilton.

Rory plans to work in Bath but does not like easyjets.

Celtic Aberdeen Dundee United St Johnstone Dundee ICT Motherwell Hamilton St Mirren Kilmarnock Ross County Partick

Lesson number one - don't give Imrie space to shoot early on!!

Birmingham had not conceded in any friendly this season. They were home. According to the Herald, the result flattered them. We will have our best team available out next Saturday so can be judged then. To me we have a very difficult start in the SPFL so I hope we get some of the negativity out of the way by 5 pm next Saturday.

Calum is different from Agdestein, Evans, Roberts and Allen in that he has more roots in Inverness. He should be seen in the same light as Christie and Polworth able to use this club to reach the first team. If Dundee United can develop talent, then so can we.

As usual some fairly negative comments on what after all was a pre-season friendly against very motivated opponents. Some people seem to lack an appreciation of the financial constraints ICT operate under. There was plenty of evidence yesterday that other players are capable of supporting Billy upfront. Christie is very talented. We see Dundee United youngsters being sold for £2m but on our doorstep we have a very talented and improving goalscorer. From midfield we have players who will be expected to score goals. Watkins looked sharp up front in his spell. People wrote Nick off yesterday and yet he created problems with his control and pace. Aaron looked sharp in the first half. Shinnie was pretty outstanding. All players yesterday put in performances that provide optimism that this club with modest financial resources and a smallish support can once again compete against all those clubs better placed geographically and financially for Scotland's premier league.

BBC reporting ''England squad arrive in Brazil...''.................................just in case people have not heard.

Leanne might well smack Butcher over the head and draw blood just before the World Cup starts. If that happens and Malpass and Marsella follow him out the door I am sure their family and friends will not take to wearing bloodied bandages and saying what a great inspiration he was. After all, he is the only Manager in Britain who damaged the dreams of one club in the first half of the season, and then annihilated the dreams of another in the second half. Would you put your trust in Butcher if you were Leanne? When ICT were promoted from Division 1 after relegation, they had a very strong squad. Hibs hardly have a squad let alone one driven by a determination to right a wrong of being relegated on a high points total and the thinnest of margins. Hibs is a club in turmoil at present and Butcher has proved already that he is a de-motivator at Easter Road.

http://www.hmfckickback.co.uk/index.php?/topic/140971-hibs-fans-declare-all-out-attack-on-petrie-and-butcher/page__st__50 Number 69 is just one of the great posts!!

Spare a thought for Lewis Barnes.................................................. http://www.theawayend.net/opinion/club-columnists/hibernian/2039-what-has-terry-butcher-changed-at-hibs

The tie is definitely not over. Hearts thought that against us. The problem for Hibs is that being 2-0 up is something they cannot cope with. Cummings is unlikely to have another two chances. Hamilton underestimated Hibs so Sunday is one where they will be better prepared. They do have some good goal scorers and with Hibs worried about conceding it will be interesting to see if Hibs hold their nerve. The danger for them is that they believe they have survived. Enter Willie Collum as match referee..............................

Terry did get his wind up in after his victory celebrations - he called them a 'good little team'.

The BBC plan to show the Uruquay game live so hopefully we will see Billy on the telly scoring his first goal for his country.

Stewart Milne has real wealth. However, he is very tight with it. If it is true they offered a five figure sum, this is a complete insult to Graeme and his skill/potential and also to ICT as a club. Aberdeen currently has three ex-ICT players although to be fair we put the curse on Pele and Shearer! I do not recall Aberdeen paying a sensible transfer fee in recent years and I doubt if they are going to break that policy. Hibs spent £200k on a dud so when our Chairman talks of an exceptional offer, he means a fair price for an exceptional talent. That means real money massively beyond the price paid for a dud.

Significant press comment today. ''Stewart Milne offering a five figure sum from his personal fortune'' - who said Aberdonians were tight fisted?

Fantastic result for Scottish football.

......and, referee Steven Maclean who missed the fairly blatant Considine push on Richie at the end of the cup final, yesterday felt Sutton's last minute aerial body check on Langfield yesterday, was fair. Fair play to Motherwell for finishing 2nd again. ................will Falkirk send Butcher down again? If Butcher takes them down let us not forget this great quote ''Malpass confessed he would have been better off financially if he had stayed in Inverness but admitted the lure of a big club in the capital was too much.'' ICT set a new record points haul in the top league yesterday and take a well earned rest before regrouping and learning significant lessons from this season.

Doctor Terry Butcher 12 November 2013 ''It's been a whirlwind seven or eight days and we are just happy to be here.................we have left some fabulous players and it is hard to say goodbye to that'' Doctor Terry Butcher 10 May 2014 at 14.20...................''It's been a whirlwind seven or eight days and we are now no longer happy to be here....in saying goodbye to this team it will be easy to say goodbye to that....Rod? We have not been relegated yet, I will save us, trust me!''