CELTIC1CALEY3

My point is not that this was some mega match but that last night gave players not in the losing team on Saturday a chance to show a bit of class. Friendlies are easier to produce better performances but last night our young lads did play very well against Liverpool's young lads. Providing we get the blend right we really want to see performance rewarded and not reputation. Ike did not look too chuffed with Esson's show so knows he has to work that bit harded. Bannerman and Rooney have a slight start on Woody and Rory but if these guys get a chance and take it the other guys would have to work to get out of the comfort zone. Another performance like Hamilton will necessitate changes and there are some hungry players at the club I hope.

Even in a short spell last night he worked his socks off. Brew will like that.

Wood looks very promising. He probably forced Rory to score last night to remind him he is the competition, not Elliot. In fact Woody sent a powerful message to Bannerman and Rooney last night that he's not too fussed about reputations.

Dan was at yesterday's game.

I remember guys like Gary Kenneth, Christophe Berra and Darren Barr making mistakes such as Duff's yesterday. The critical thing for him is that he moves forward because his overall play was pretty good considering his previous experience. I suspect that Grant will return shortly but Jamie should learn from a range of experiences and when he plays again build on it. Fair play to Brew for blooding him and even though Jamie was gutted at his error, other players had a chance to correct it before Offiong scored - this is a team game. Jamie knew he had misjudged the ball. Current first team players have all done the same. If Jamie needs inspiration he should look no further than the Hamilton centre half although hopefully the final sentence does not come to pass.. '... in March 1995, the new Ipswich Town manager George Burley paid ?150,000[5] for Swailes to return to his former club.[3] Unfortunately, in his first Premier League game for them at home to Aston Villa on April 1, 1995,[6] he scored an own goal in stoppage time at the end of the match, to confirm a 1–0 defeat.[3] Ipswich were relegated to the First Division at the end of that season.' I though Swailes played very well yesterday as a sprightly 38 year old.

We over celebrated our win at Aberdeen. We underestimated Hamilton. We made one big mistake and lost. We need to forget our home record against Hibs and work our butts off in training this week or we will have turned full circle in 12 months and be less prepared for grafting than we were 12 months ago when a major crisis erupted. Let us not kid ourselves - the SPL is about graft with skill occasionally on top of that. We were flat yesterday after what appeared a good start.

He actually looks more like an Accountant. If you saw him tonight playing keepy uppie whilst using his mobile phone this takes a player's first presentation to the fans to a new level. His body language was suggesting the phone call home was 'Guess what? Rangers missed out on Lovens so desperate to appease their fans they signed me on a fantastic package.Who cares about not being in Europe on this money?'

Long may the diddy team do well but beware last season's long runs without points. This was on the face of it confidence boosters for quite a few of our players.

Last year's game was far from easy. Rangers showed how to lose after getting cocky. Aberdeen fans were predicting a top of the league position at the end of September. Brew used to underestimate teams from lower divisions so with the current euphoria after 1 game lets hope we show total respect for Arbroath.

Roy's run was even more magic because after the 80 yard sprint he managed to lift his right standing foot and score with that.

Bad selection - Procter is resting having lifted Dargo skywards in the last game of the season. No further statements about Aberdeen being slightly weaker this season. Where is the respect for a team who only just lost to the European Champions a few weeks back?

Thought Agent Miller was clever at the corner deliberately not jumping with the goalscorer and then shrugging 'not me guv!' Will add spice to the domestic front this year.

Announce that Grant is Captain now. Leadership starts with the Manager.

stevico1 Regardless of what happens here, I am sure I write for most ICT supporters and hopefully most of the Clubs staff when I say wish Marius the very best of luck tomorrow if he makes his return for his boyhood dogs.

caleyrule, There is nothing to confirm this although Rooney is quoted by a Stoke newspaper as having packed his bags and moved back to ICT and in his words he had really enjoyed the trip to Denmark.

James, Thanks for that. Steveco1's a reliable witness which helps Marius in some respects. Other aspects would have been three way possibly without written confirmation. Outwardly Marius has always struct me as very honest. Nevertheless, after getting married he no doubt did not want to start life in Germany again. It makes sense to return home. On the face of it Marius initiated the transfer with Dinamo. Presumably he knew the selling price was ?500k and not e500k. ICT then did not have witnesses in Bucharest to the 'deal'. Parading Marius without acceptance from ICT was not ethical. That is not a contract. Bucharest would have had to contact ICT. ICT say the three way paperwork was not completed until Thursday.

Speculation is easy without the facts. Marius knows what the Chairman and Director of Football said to him before he returned to Romania. There was probably no witness to this three way conversation. Interpreptation without a written record can, and appears to have lead to distortion. Both parties should have created a mutually agreed written record before Marius set off. If Marius was given 7 days off for personal reasons, that should be on his leave sheet. When things developed, to the outside world, it makes sense that if Marius was authorised (by ICT) to consider a Euro 500 k move instead of a ?500k move, there would need to be a concession. Marius would have to make that concession. ICT should have put that in writing although Marius may have pre-empted that by going direct to Dinamo. That said, ICT must have given Dinamo details of their bank account. Presumably they pointed out that the appropriate paperwork included a waiver from Marius before the deal was completed. The mass media may have had a field day distorting the facts. We have an obligation to put faith in our Club until proven wrong.

Wagaluka is Gaelic for 'speedy Highland warrior'.

If you look at our team we now have more Aberdeen connections than Aberdeen. If ever there was passion to win we have it. The time has come.......Brewster needs to do a Cloughie and shut it this coming week. The fans need to do likewise. We need peace and calm and quiet.

I had hoped Haghi was going to fix up a friendly with Dinamo for us but presumably that may not now happen. All Marius has to do is accept that if Grassa said 'Take a break with your new wife back in Bucharest, consider a ?500,000 move to Germany or Greece or Turkey and you get ?120,000 or Dinamo for ?380,000 and you get nothing', Marius could be forgiven for misinterpreting Grassa's accent. However, ICT must have given the nod to Dinamo by accepting the cash. Nobody sends me money without good reason. In fact, nobody sends me money! Interesting to see if Europe's governing bodies make any comments tomorrow in order for the wrangle to be sorted in time for Marius to play on Sunday. Interesting to see who is the deal maker.

This dispute can only be solved by the Club's solicitors Ewe-Shearer, Smooth-Patter and Son. As leading employment law experts on verbal contracts in Scottish football their advice will be invaluable.

It is looking like he is a 'Fly-Be' knight but who has the strongest armour or is it armor? Is it Sir Grassa Bennett of Cairngorm, Lord Knows of Bucharest or the Honourable Marius of the Howden End? Will Partick Thistle guide us through the Court of Session....hang on...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t..._ct/7515785.stm Not the best start to married life.

Drop Dougie back and Roy makes way for Mcallister. I would expect Marius to be on the bench.

He was outwitted by Marius but he had just returned from an injury and I think operation. I repeat what I said earlier that he is tremendously inspirational. Marius has returned home, perhaps it is time for Steven to return home to his roots. By that I mean just down the road from Elgin. He is a free agent, highly experienced, and will not just give up. He could be a quality addition if he was prepared to fit into our wage structure.