Laurence

Plus the fact they are nowhere as good as some of the media and fans believe and haven't been for a long long time With the greatest of respect I suppose by the Media I presume you mean the printed press. Do England fans not deserve a boost from their own papers? Going on about the English media is a Scottish notion used to obliterate any idea that England deserve any credit or encouragement from their own nation. I have not noticed this time any massive broadcasting hype of England's chances I have detected a certain sense of realism, that the team is young and inexperienced, The senior pro's are passed their sell by date, The captain is struggling both for Liverpool and England. He certainly is no anchor man. I think Paul Carrick should be playing there. Again my point of poor manager ship.. Wayne Rooney playing as a left winger is a joke, on his day he is a fine striker, but the defensive duties as a left winger , I don't think so. Leighton was exposed to too many Italian runs down the left side , Rooney was not prepared to help him. Joe Hart should have come out for the cross that was the Italy winner. If there is any media hype about that performance it will not convince me , or the 7000 souls who made the long journey to the Amazon to support their country Harry Rednap should have the job. The media were right on that hook. Having said all that playing in 90 degrees F was not easy and the team should qualify playing in lower temperatures elsewhere. The next opposition after the group stages is Ivory Coast or Columbia. Not a tall order I would think

Man or Moyes - I think the jury is out Butcher saying he would drop the lot and play the Youth team, after the Partick Thistle match, Rather than motivate the Hibs players seemed to demotivate them However I think Hibs will struggle to get a better manager , and the people laughing will be Rangers and Hearts Because a Hibernian led by Butcher would have been a fierce rival. Especially with a new built team in his own image and likeness. Some of these players don't know how lucky they are. I spent 30 years in the Fire Service with fierce discipline. Playing football for a living, I shold be so lucky

I suppose when the world cup comes around every four years my mind goes back to my earliest recollections The very earliest was as a seven years old my Dad moaning that the mighty England team had lost to the USA in 1950. but as a little lad I could not understand 4 years later I remember seeing a picture in my annual Christmas gift of the Charles Buchan Football Annual of the winners West Germany. I don't think any of the matches were televised. In 1958 I was 14 and about to leave school ( yes I left at 14 you folk who criticise my education note that), anyway all 4 home UK nations qualified England and Scotland were knocked out of the group stages, I think they may have been televised but I don't recall. I was desperate to get my families old wartime Radio to tune into the France v Northern Ireland match, but no luck. Eventually I got a short wave station, Northern Ireland were defeated, but I listened to a crackling broken broadcast in French, a language I hadn't a clue in. - Wales were playing Brasil I think. I was very interested in that match again I listened to it in French. John Chareles was playing for Wales in my opinion the best footballer ever to lace his boots. I cant really remember much about the 1962 World cup, by that time I was an old teenager and my thoughts lay elsewhere. 1966 I watched all the games on TV, and I am not ashamed to say England were very lucky. I did miss the final as I was in a traffic jam in Somerset, on my way with my girl friend to Torquay. About 1968 I was in a night club in Blackburn were I worked I was standing alone when a blonde haired guy came in. We chatted for about 20 minutes before I realise he was Bobby Moore. World cups after that have become a blur, England's succession of failures have became usual, - bad management and an inability to take penalties, and stupid sending's off have contributed to a long line of disasters. One always live in home, Human nature I feel

Just admit it You are bigots Tell Mr Salmond you are not good neighbours And for the record I don't care half as much if England do well in the world cup as I do that ICT finish in the top six And if you keep having a go at me , I will keep reminding you to be good neighbours till you shut up

Don't be silly A stupid comment if there ever was one - did he leave us in 2nd place and in two cups Did he take a two goal lead at Parkhead Just don't be daft

Does anybody know the background of Mr Petrie When I was a boy my Dads best friend was called Petrie he had twin sons They moved to a farm near Edinburgh in the late 50s - We visited them in their farm many times. Mr Petrie was a Polish veteran and he served in the British army in WW11 - I just wondered because Petrie was a made up name , not his real Polish name, If Mr. Petrie is descended from my Dad's good friend? any ideas?

Are people trying to tell me TB is a poor manager Because he isn't

There was a Guy who played fullback for Liverpool my old brain forgets his name. ( somebody remind me ) This player was renowned for taking penalties and scoring without fail. I struggle to remember my own Anyway I went to a league cup final at Wembley To see Forest and Liverpool play in the Cloughie era Well he missed a penalty a great save by the then Rookie keeper Chris Woods ( Standing in for Shilton who was cup tied) Chtis Woods went on to be a legend for Rangers one of the best penalty savers of his time. Shilton however a great keeper was about the worst penalty savers around for any time.

It was the first minister who said " We Will be Good neighbours" Great Britain did save France from Nazi oppression during my lifetime . I won a packet at the bookies betting France to win the world Cup - what a team that was? I did support Lens at one time and had a Maison in the Pas de Calaise You have to get up early in the morning to put me on the back foot Many posters have tried but few have the ability = . Eagle ? With your stereotype outlook on your hum drum life

When I used to Watch Lens then the French champions , Before the Euro it was 90 French Francs about £9 albeit a few years back. Caley Thistle do need a Centre Forward especially if we are to go traditional with wide players and 4 4 2 . With our wide ground We really have to find out if Hughes is a " man or a Moyes." Failure is not an option. He will be judged on a top 6th place any thing else is unacceptable in my opinion

I didn't mean Scots or Northerners. I meant the usual Anti Dingwall, Anti Butcher, Anti everybody brigade who frequent this message board. They know who they are. I don't think but a few of them are a third of my age. Not wanting to sound pompous but I felt "you lot" summed up completely my feelings. I am not anti anybody. I quite like Scotland, Ross County, Hibernian or even Rangers. The exception that proves the rule is I anti bigotry on this message board.

I see all you bigots having a go at me , as usual nothing different there, Do I have to remind you your leader said , " Scotland and England should be good neighbours", Neighbours usually support each other not the guys thousands of miles away?

Dundee would be better off signing a can of baked beans

You lot get me going When Scotland entered the World Cup I think Munich. All of England were behind them Now due to the "little man syndrome", which prevails north of the border, we get this nonsense

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/football-beck-gives-falkirk-lifeline-205929461--sow.html wonder who they will plat ?

It is easy to mock the afflicted But less we forget I C T owe a great debt to Terry Butcher

Kingsmill you are the king of trolling when will you bring my family into this one?

4 to 1 Scotty get your bet on - Good luck buy me a pint with your winnings

This all came about with me trying to show a particular scenario , which could happen In a former life I was a Contacts manager for British rail. My job was to oversee contracts the emerging rail companies were signing prior to privatisation. I know for a fact that contracts can be broken . Take for instance a players agent applying to the courts on the grounds of "changed conditions" - He could say at the time of signing the manager was Terry Butcher, Now it is John Hughes. That is just one example of contract breaking. I am not saying a player will. But in life anything is possible. So to sit in an Ivory tower thinking players can't leave is not realistic. To make a contract watertight is not easy. These agents are not daft they cover all basis.

Stop Trolling me?

Iain Not sure what you mean? I was indicating a team cant keep an unhappy player, or want too. Any agent worth his salt would have a moderate buy out clause I feel sure.

Scotty you can get 4.1 against Hibernian being relegated. So fill your boots Even if they did there is a good chance they will be back quick sticks. Butcher has done it before, if my memory serves me right.

I was indicating ( Crystal ball wise) about the situation in a years time if the board don't sort out the mess we are in and likely to be And you know it so why the pedantic post?

Contracts don't mean a thing if a player is unhappy and wants out, he will go.

If you were one of ICT top players would you ask to leave, or stay and have relegation on your CV. If a better offer comes in would you take it?