PaderbornCaley

I think that football as a whole has progressed a lot over the last decade or so in terms of attention to conditioning, nutrition etc and Craig Brewster certainly was at the forefront of that movement and I also had a few good discussions with Charlie Christie on the subject. Getting the balance in football between the necessary fitness to last a 90 (120) minute game with random episodes of high intensity throughout whilst also maintaining the necessary skills and technical abilities is a huge task and different formats seem to work for different managers and teams. On the other hand I wonder if football players in general are regarded enough as individuals as opposed to being part of a group undergoing a "one size fits all" training strategy? Certainly as an athletics coach with 35 years experience at all levels from primary schools up to Commonwealth Games and other major international champoinships, I don't envy football managers and coaches what is a very difficult task to balance. I noted with interest the section of Capital Caley's post which I have quoted above. The extreme, almost Messianic fervour with which the "no static stretching" bandwagon was driven through sport a few years ago was intriguing and it was interesting to see the sheer intolerance accorded to anything other than complete agreement with this latest Holy Grail which was going to be the final saviour of sport. As with all its predecessor Holy Grails, this has not turned out to be the case any more than education's current Holy Grail, the Curriculum for Excellenece is going to be a final answer there. Basically this is someone's latest career enhancing bandwagon and the case has, as so often happens, been over stated. I think the case against static stetching did have some merits with regard to LONG static stretches which understandably can fatigue muscle but I really don't see anything wrong at all with repeated shorter (5-10 sec) static stretches. Also, if this Holy Grail really had genuine Canine Testicle status, I would have thought that its implementation would have caused an instant drop in injury levels and increase in performance levels throughout sport - which I am not aware of having happened. I used the static stretching as an example - i'm sure this is not the main problem, if a problem at all at ICT. However, you are right in terms of the length. There is plenty of evidence indicating that a dynamic warm up with static stretches <10 seconds is benefical and >10 seconds is detrimental to performance factors. Football has improved a bit in it's methods employed but not anywhere near the rate of other sports IMHO. There are however, football managers who really want to engage in science. From what i've heard, Craig Brewster is one of them - but maybe not the best example considering his record! John Collins, Paul Le Guen as well. I also think that European football seems ahead in terms of science. I have noticed in the past that managers who have a keen interest in science are either main land European (example Le Guen) or have played in main land Europe (example Brewster). This may just be a coincidence though.

For my Thesis I conducted a study on pre-match training methods for team sports and the physiological responses from it. There are plenty of studies published providing evidence of the best training methods / warm ups. Ten years ago, athletes of all sports were doing static stretches during warm ups. I'm sure you all had it in PE as a child. The teacher telling us to do our stretches. Within the last ten years or so, just about all the evidence points to static stretching as a warm up protocol increasing the chance of tears and strains and significantly reducing various performance factors such as repeated sprint ability and vertical jumping. Football however is sgnificantly behind the times. Take any other sport in the UK - cricket teams have exercise physiologists working for them. If you play squash at a high level you have exercise physiologist, sport psychologist, dietician etc etc. In football however, the people that take the training are ex players turned managers. They may have football badges but no real scientific understanding of what they are doing in terms of phsyiologically getting the best out of players. Some clubs have started to cotton on though and have employed full time Strength and Conditioning coaches or Physiologists. I have no idea what the players do in training or if they are being given the most up to date scientific training methods. I don't know if MM or TB sit at night researching studies on the most effective training techniques - if they don't, then I hope thet have employed someone who does! Peter Davidson was S+C coach part time during the Brewster era, although I do think he got some things wrong as they appeared over trained at times. Richard Hastings brother was a fitness coach after him I believe, working as a gym instructor at JJB. What professional football teams need (they do it in every other sport) is some one much more qualified. PhD level and an expert in Physiolgocial training. ICT used to have a sports psychologist named Donald McNaughton on the books part time. As a professional sports club they should aim to have an expert sport / exercise physiologist at the club as well. The job would be to work with and/or advise TB / MM on creating training routines that would best prep for performance AND strengthen the players in a way that decreases injury. i don't know if we have someone like that on our books. Maybe if we did, we wouldn't have as many injured players (certainly nothng could have been done abiut Doran and Hayes injury). But Gillet collapsing in agony at East End Park with a muscle injury? Maybe, just maybe with the right physiological training throughout the season, players would strenghten various phsyioloical factors and injuries like that would not occur. If Butcher is correct in using the injured players as an excuse, then the benefit of this is very simple. less injured players = higher up the table. Not being relegated would probably pay for the physiologists wage.

3-3 V St Mirren

I would agree with you, but I always find it odd having a goalkeeper as a captain, in terms of motivating the forwards and midfielders. The problem is, there isn't really any outfield players I would think of as candidates. Foran hasn't been motivating this season. In fact, his constant growling at the players may have an adverse effect. However, he has proved in the past that he is a good captain, so Butcher needs to help him find his form and confidence... quickly!

Wilson Christie Cowie Sheerin Robson

Most of the usual Glasgow Central Station / Queen Street Station guys will be leaving Q Street at 10.41. Should be at the Tulloch just before mid day. If anyone wants to join us we'll also be in the Counting House on George Square around 9.30 ish for breakfast and a pint.

Calder Tokely Mann Munro McCaffrey Wilson Christie Sheerin Robson Stewart Ritchie

Stewart Wyness Rooney Ritchie (He's never talked about but he scored a heck of a lot of goals!) Dargo Hopefully if you ask in a year, Tade will be up there as well.

Paterson Butcher Robertson Christie Baltacha

In terms of legend status, Calder has to be number 1. But on skill, probably 1. Esson 2. Tuffey 3. Calder 4. Brown 5. Fraser It's difficult to judge, as Calder never trained full time. If he had trained full time throughout his career, he may have been number 1 on my list or gone on to greater things

Thats a vicious slur on my good name!!!! The ale will be gone long before 1pm :drinking06: As long as you don't drink all the cider again Dude!!!

Terry Butcher is one of the best things that has happened to this club. Even, the PR that it has brought us has made us a more noticeable team in British football. Sam Allardyce got Bolton relegated twice - and promoted twice, and they stuck by him, now that he has left, they haven't been the same. There are far too many clubs changing their managers, and we have a management team that want to stay here long term. The position we are in right now is not great, but it will change. We could have bad spells and good spells no matter who is in charge, but I for one am glad we have someone of the calabre of Terry Butcher. Well done board!

Slightly off topic but, I was at the Glasgow City V Valur Reykjavik (Womens Champions League game) last night. A guy appeared with a big drum and the police wouldn't let him in with the drum. Absolute nonsense. It's hard to create atmosphere with overly politically correct red tape these days. However, I think that ICT are one of the best in the SPL in terms of crowd pleasing.

I thought that sounded like your voice Dude!

I'm not sure if it is specifically a language barrier, but possibly a communication problem. They players don't seem to be talking much to each other. In saying that, quite a few of the goals conceded have been individual errors. Golabart at Aberdeen / Dundee Utd for example. I think there are many factors. - Lots of new young faces trying to settle in to the Inverness life (wasn't to be for Aldred) - Injuries - which has knock on factors such as: Back line constantly being changed. This results in players taking longer to gel (possibly here's where the communication may struggle) - Lack of a leader in defence (again communication related). Tokely isn't really a leader. He's a good defender but not realy Captain material. With no leader in defence, confidence may be reduced if a mistake is made. Foran has underperformed as Captain this season IMO so it's difficult to boost confidence on the park. In terms of Tokely, i'm not too sure. Some games this season, he has been great, other games poor, so he can't be past it but is struggling to find consistency (but then again so is the whole team).

In a sheer business sense, the SPL chiefs / clubs must realise that there is a strong demand for terracing. If they want to make more money, i.e. get more folk through the turnstiles, then surely re-introducing terraces / standing areas would generate this extra income as well as satisfying the customer demand. It's basic business.

On another note, and I hope I don't open up a can of worms here but, who are the couple that have started bringing the St Georges cross to the games? It was at Dundee United and I jokingly said I hope they don't bring it to Parkhead. Low and behold there it was! We have a bit of an unfare reputation as being closet Rangers fans (in the eyes of many Celtic fans) and i'm sure they'll see this as more 'proof'. I have no issue with a St Georges Cross as we have many English supporters and quite a few English folk living in the Highlands and of course a strong English element in out squad BUT I don't like how the flag has a teeny wee St Andrews Cross in the corner. Get it sorted!!! At the very least, have a St Andrews Cross the same size, not smaller! Just a personal quibble. Can of worms open...

They were certainly more lively in the second half. The whole stadium was buzzing. Green brigade chanting to fans at the other end of the park, and the other fans chanting back. Tremendous effort. Can we try this at Caley park? Should be much easier as all it takes is the North stand to shout at the main stand and vice verca. I could see it now. North Stand: CALEY! Main stand: THISTLE! CALEY! THISTLE! CALEY! THISTLE! I thought we have a 'if pigs could fly' smiley but can't seem to find it!

Ahh I couldn't remember the other one that made me laugh! That was it.

Well I stood the whole game at Parkhead today without any problems. Common sense is starting to prevail. Even Dundee Utd stewards were accomodating to those of a standing persuasion last week.

Well first of all thanks to Johndo for making me laught at the 0-0 posts through out the thread. I came away happy today. I said pre match that a 2 goal defeat would be a good result (as long as we played well) considering this seasons form. We played well but lacked that finishing touch. If we had a striker like Rooney, we would have won that game. Yes, we are one player away from winning at Parkhead. Tade was outstanding. I went to a few bars around the stadium as usual, and after the game, one Celtic fan said that out of every player on the park, he thought Tade was man of the match. He ran them ragged and I can't help think how well we could do if he was re-deployed to midfield / right wing. Lots of positives out of today. The fighting spirit looks to be back, as opposed to the dire performance at Dundee United. Also, I must add, fair play to the green brigade today. No IRA songs, just fun Celtic songs. The banners they displayed (how did they get them in?!) were tremendous. After about 20 minutes I look up and see a a massive banner saying: NO STANDING. Then about 10 minutes later: NO SWEARING Then my personal favourite: NO AGGRESSIVE FLAG WAVING

They were very instrumental in making the rules so I'm sure they, and their west end cousins, will manage to change them. Partick Thistle?

I'll be there. Meeting Crystal Palace Bar at 11am and then along to Bridgeton and finishing at LRT. I sent you a text you earlier......

Celtic are conducting a feasability study into a standing area at Parkhead. They'll need to get around the ridiculous SPL rules, but hats off to them for trying. Now THIS is the kind of thing to get people back to Scottish football, not relegating a quarter of the league. http://sport.stv.tv/...at-celtic-park/

County are terrible. I can see why they are near the bottom of the league. However, I thought Munro played very well. We should sign him in January. The BBC wanted a good game to show, well they indeed showed the wrong game. Looking at Countys current form, I had a feeling it would be a poor game. Of course, the media don't think like that and were still living off County in the Cup Final. The Central belt media still seem to rate Adams all based on a good cup run as well. I am delighted however, that there will not be an all old-firm final. Lets hope Hibs can pull off a surprise in the next round now. Anyone but the Old Firm.