bdu98196

As I posted at the start of the season my expectation was for at least 1 good cup run and to be competing for top 6. So far the team is on track, looking at the league, its tight for top 6 with anyone winning 2 or 3 games on the bounce firing up a few places - we just need to remain consistent. As for the cup, Hearts will only get weaker in Jan, so I now have high expectations we may get to a final. If we manage the above I would classify the season as a huge success and TB proved he is 'the man for the job' :)

Is it? I thought it was an spl and sponsor committee? if it is the other clubs then that means more as the central belt clubs have recognised us.

Excellent and well done to all, its good to see the SPL giving recognition for our efforts. Lets hope we can keep building as its been a good start so far with Scotland caps, International call ups and now awards. Not bad for a wee diddy club lol.

I think that's a convenient excuse now and used as a smoke screen for just saying we will boycott anyone who voted NO to The Rangers being in the SPL - which if I understand correctly is a league they no longer wish to be associated with anyways? Based on this it would seem that IIRC only Kille & Motherwell will be clubs in the envious position of having orcs visit them in the future. But I fully expect orcs to go to the DU game, in the same way that Ibrox is half empty for games even though 'we don't do walking away'. Every wk that passes by makes the whole Ibrox regime become more laughable!!!

From the media it looks as though the fans of The Rangers are going to boycott the cup match at Tannadice against Dundee Utd, reasons seem to vary from delays DU in issuing ticket refunds from years ago when a match was postponed to DU voting against them out of the SPL. Therefore if and I do mean if they do boycott, would that be seen as a bad situation if we had been hosting them at home and they were to boycott ICT? Would we see a higher number of home fans turning out that stay away for OF games based on the hostility and vulgarity those fans bring?

If we can get Hogg back early next year thats better than a new signing for me. Unless we have a vast array of hidden funds and can bring in real high quality players then its better spent on thse we have and new contracts - the team is showing its starting to gel even after a poor result at the wknd, who knows if we keep the team together for another season we may be able to push on further.

Does anyone think that the fact the game was on a Sun actually had an effect? Are there perhaps some fans too hung over after a heavy Sat night to make it, or have perhaps spent the full wknd budget before the Sun arrives? Does the church still have an influence on what happens in Sneck on a Sun? maybe the biggest factor was that it was also on Sky, so maybe some fans have the mindset that if they pay for Sky and can see it in the warmth of their house then why bother going to the game? Whatever the cause, the crowd was poorer than the performance IMO and thats some feat!!!

Awful attendance. no atmosphere. terrible defending and passing with no accuracy in distribution of the ball and created nothing moving forward. Least the sun is out i suppose.

Disagree somewhat, we need to send out the best and strongest team possible and get as many points out of the remaining games as possible. Without this we will continue to drop in rankings and subsequently end up in higher pot numbers and get an even more difficult group. Blooding young players is very important as its the future, but we need to produce a strong team and IMO that means some of the younger players should already be playing anyways inplace of certain others (Miller, Caldwell, Maloney etc)

Its great he made the squad and got a game, hopefully that will act as encouragement for moving forward and developing his game further and acts as inspiration for other young players in Scotland. I'm sure TB will have discussed with AS his experiences and will ensure that he stays grounded and this is only the start not letting him get carried away thinking he has made it like his young counterparts in England - Cleverly, Sterling etc who think after 1 cap they are all £80k a wk superstars.

Very average Scotland team which has little resemblance to the players which would feature in a serious game. Showed us that Rhodes can score - not sure what else can be taken from it? 2-1 win over a team ranked 10000th in the world (ok I know they are actually 144th, but I think most people struggle to name another 143 world countries anyways!!!) Don't get the point in having played Miller - will he actually be featuring in the next qualifier campaign based on his age, level he is now playing at and his lack of goals? Fletcher & Naismith - we know what they can do, they will feature as part of our squad so why bother to play them in this type of game? Should have promoted another few from the U21's - Feruoz looks a decent prospect!!! Looking at Engerlund they played a 17 yo last night based on a handful of Liverpool appearances, so why do we always wait until they are in their 20's?

Apparently he is injured just like the other 7 or 8 that have pulled out. Fact is no manager, very lowly poor opponents, fitting the fixture in right between league, European and domestic cup games heading towards xmas - no wonder they don't want to play, the whole game is facial IMO. Perhaps if CL was still in place or a new manager then players would have been more careful to avoid injury in their last club matches ;)

Nobody is doubting times are hard for people, but if you are citing ICT not having a large support due to that issue then its irrelevant whether its Hampden, Easter Road or as you suggest Perth since the costs traveling to any of these venues is going to be approximately the same give or take a few quid. Oh and as for the media and Chick Young etc, I don't personally care what they think and I'm sure most of the other ICT fans don't as well. Unless its a central belt team they see it as just an inconvenience for travel and think of us as living in a back-water - for that reason we need to get behind the team and 'shove two fingers up at them all' by getting to a final!!!

It is where it is. We just have to get on and accept it, have the largest number of traveling supporters we can so as to minimise the level of out-numbering. TB has to get the players in the mindset that this is the semi and if we want to play at Hampden we need to win. Stop the negative talk about venue and begin the process of positive preparations - its a huge game for the club and we need to be 100% behind the team & TB and not be distracted by minor issues such as which side of the central belt we have to travel to!!!

TBH, I'd have preferred to see us play at Hampden, afterall if the other semi is there we should also get the national stadium. If they played the other semi at Ibrox and left Hampden only for the final it would be better. If its Easter Rd, then so be it, smaller stadium and will be full hopefully.........and not any further for us to travel than if it was Glasgow anyhow.

Apologies perhaps it was poorly worded, I know Billy Stark is U21 manager and is supposed to pick the squad, although I was referring to the level of influence Craig Brown has in the selection process of players in that squad.

Did the SRU not let Hearts play Europa league games there a few seasons ago? Therefore providing there is no clash with rugby or the most common use of a music venue then why not play national games there? Sadly I think we all know it will be a mix of Parkhead and Ibrox depending on who plays and in the event of a final being between the two it will be decided by the toss of a coin as to which ground is used. Was that not the process when Hampden went through the refurb in the early 90's?

Excellent, lets hope these guys see what is happening around them and decide to sign and stay for a few years - afterall TB took a risk to sign them and staying will return the loyalty as all of them can and will be destined for bigger things in the future.

Equally shirt sponsors shouldn't be betting companies as that encourages gambling, drink manufacturers as that encourages drinking etc but football is a business and if they don't take the money for advertising these companies will still advertise somewhere else. There is a thing called individual responsibility and people need to get back to accepting that its down to individuals and not the state to police everything. Just because a product or service is advertised nobody is forced to use it.

While CB had a decent record, he seems to have and carry a lot of influence with the SFA, I wouldn't be surprised if he has some input into the next manager also. In the P&J he is citing Billy Stark as sound choice, which is understandable based on the info I have been given regarding him influencing the selection of players in the U21 squad.

Not really the draw I was hoping for, but we are on a good run of form so lets hope it continues into that game. Should be a cracker and must be worth the TV showing after the last derby - yet another chance to advertise the hospitality and football in the highlands.

I'm happy with what we have, would rather see any money that is aside (if at all) for Jan signings put into the pot for getting players on longer term deals. We need to keep all or at least most of what we have. Also want to see early scouting to pick up some freebies in the summer, especially for positions we know we could be left short after the summer. Sad to have to think about players leaving and the squad for next season but given the financial state what choice do we have - hopefully a cup final will boost the funds for next year ;)

When I see the names listed it makes me shudder - when those that are touted are considered maybe Avril was just as good Kenny Dalglish - Too long out of the game and managed to spend £100M+ at Liverpool in 12 months to make them worse Graeme Souness - Too long out of the game Joe Jordan - Great assistant to Harry, but terrible record on his own Gordon Strachan - The only real choice IMO Walter Smith - Respected, good record but Levein was criticised for negativity - we will see much more of the same, plus hasn't got much of a record with younger players Alex McLeish - Another option, did well before and will be desperate to rebuild his reputation Billy Stark - Good with U21's, not sure about going alone at that level some others for me Lambert - poor start at Villa and might see this as a way out, plus has played in Europe in the past so understands continental football Collins - Again foreign playing experience Steve Clarke - Good start at W.Brom and has worked with some of the best in the game Paulo Sergio - I think he would have done a good job had he not just went to Cluj For me it should be WGS or Big Eck.

Dont want TB to get it, anyone outwith Celtic always collapse in form when the manager wins the award. Give it to Fenlon at Hibs ;)

On current form, right now I'd take anyone. Sadly the games wont be for 3 months so who knows what our form may be like, best draw would be Celtic V Hearts, then us V Midden, with the hope Hearts can produce a shock and thus provide the 'easiest' route to a trophy - but overall I'd say we have the potential on our day to beat all of the teams left!!!