Eagle4Caley

Really lively performance from Ryan Christie against Partick on Saturday, gets one goal, wins a penalty (should have had a second) and provides the assist for the winner

This blunder was shown on BBC Breakfast TV down in London this morning..... given how poor my other teams goalkeeper is (in every game) this made me feel quite cheerful.

There was a little bit of a 'my enemies enemy is my friend' feeling about this (as in the Highland's v the Central Belt), but still a classic!

7 hours ago, ICTFC said:

 

This was great to watch....thanks for posting, must say Celtic Park looks rather mundane after seeing how this ground looks!

It may only be Brechin, but a win is definitely a win, along with four goals, a clean sheet and the signs of some sort of balance and players finding their feet.....if only I could say that about my other team, following the score during the game yesterday brought welcome relief and my friend sitting next to me was looking pretty bemused when I also exclaimed "blimey Falkirk 4 nil down at home"

Yes we tend to forget that quite a lot of these players have had very limited careers, and we have had quite a turnover, yet we are hoping that they will gell instantly and give us a promotion winning effort. Given our limited financial muscle we have clearly punched well above our weight in recent years which has raised expections amongst us all that can't be achieved in the short term. We now have very few 'senior' players of which Warren is probably past his peak (and getting injured a fair bit), Raven is I think considered past his (Hughes obviously thought that, Robbo perhaps the same) I think some fans want him in for his experience and that SC goal! That leaves Vigurs and who (?) to provide the foundation and encouragement for the younger players. The situation with OFW seems worse than I thought.

11 hours ago, Caley Stan said:

Morton weren't prepared for that system & Polworth found loads of space in the first 20 minutes while Vigurs & Trafford controlled the midfield. We should have killed it in that opening spell but Duffy clearly saw what was going on & flooded the midfield. Morton were the better team thereafter & missed good chances in the second half. 

It was my first proper look at this team having only been at Stirling so far this season. Hats off to Robbo for changing the system - it definitely suits Polwarth and we look more able to create chances. Chalmers was more comfortable in a back 3 & Warren had a good game but McKay struggled. Neither wing-back made much of an impression, Trafford faded & Vigurs was good throughout. I wonder if he's upped his game or if he just looks better because he's surrounded by such mediocrity.

Oakley was very poor. If Susan is as bad as people are saying then we really need to sign someone to play alongside Baird or Bell. 

Sounds like Doumbouya was not the worst forward we've signed in recent years after all

On ‎17‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 10:23 AM, bdu98196 said:

I think for around 2000 of us winning the SC was an anti-climax the real stand out was the results and drama of being at the semi. In many ways we were expected to win the final and made hard work of it in a relatively forgettable game

The Semi-final was pretty amazing...BUT I absolutely loved the whole Final experience, It didn't matter that we were playing Falkirk, they were the equal of us, and outnumbered us in support. We bossed the first half, but contrived to almost lose the second, those last 10mins were an emotional experience and that amazing winning goal with Watkins doing all the hard work, and Vincent defying fatigue to get up field and knock the lose ball home...FANTASTIC. It was great that I was able to share the day with CaleyMad. One of the best days in my football supporting life... I've supported Palace down here for over 40years and we've lost twice narrowly in the FA Cup to Man U, which hurt a good deal, but Caley winning the Scottish Cup is quite some compensation!

Blimey this sounds like a terrible result, coupled with my other team losing 0-3 at home to a promoted side and my football weeked is as bad as it gets. Strange how last week we seemed to do pretty well but lost, and also had a couple of decent results in the league cup, but seem to have completely gone to pieces today. It's amazing that the summer before last we couldn't offer a good enough deal to keep Miles Storey (which seemed to be the last straw for Hughes, and yet Storey spends most of the time on the Dons bench) and at the end of last season we were too slow to sign up Alex Fisher...that's two strikers that look like strikers but penny pinching could cost us dear. I wonder if losing Ross Draper during the week also knocked a bit of stuffing out of the team.

I presume Warren is injured, because I sort of cling to the idea that Raven, Warren (and eventually Tremarco) would be enough as a backline with Seedorf and Mckay to give us some solidity. However losing Tansey and Draper probably leaves us with a midfield that isn't combative enough.

I go back to my comments over a year ago about those glad to see the back of Highes because of the 'tikka takka' style of play and endless possession at the back, and the fact they might rue his departure over the coming year. Unfortunately not only have we lost someone who was able to make us punch above our weight, but the board seems reluctant to invest enough in the playng squad to give us a fighting chance of even staying at this level...for all the comments about ego trips, I don't see much cache in being in control of a team spiralling down the leagues. Given that today we could even put out a full bench of substitutes and this being the start of the season, the board is going to have to dig a bit deeper or we are in for a very long winter

1 hour ago, DoofersDad said:

What a mountain over a molehill some folk are making over the Draper transfer!  What has happened here is that County put in an offer for him which the club were not willing to accept.  Draper knew about that.  If he had wanted to stay with ICT he would have said so and the club would have told County that he was not for sale.  That would have been the end of it.  However, Draper clearly was interested in a move to County as it would mean he could continue in the Premiership and would not have to move house.  Presumably it would also mean bigger wages.  Given Draper's interest in the move, County's initial bid will have been turned down but they would have been told that Draper was interested in moving and ICT would be willing to sell him if County were prepared to meet the club's valuation.  After at least one more rejected bid which Robertson thought would be County's final bid, County this week came up with an offer which ICT felt was a good offer ,  Robertson is quoted in the Courier as saying the offer was "a very substantial offer which I didn’t think they would go to".  Two things are crystal clear from this.  Firstly, Draper wanted the move to County.  Secondly, the club were only prepared to sell him if their valuation was met.

With regard to the transfer "request", this is just semantics.  Draper had already informally made it be known that he wanted away and so when an offer came in which the Board was prepared to accept, they asked him to put in a "transfer request" which in reality is simply asking Draper to formally confirm that he is willing for his current contract to be terminated so that the Board can progress with finalising the transfer.  It is surely good practice that before a club sell a player to another club, they have the player's formal consent.  Maybe Draper thought it a bit strange, but if it is simply confirming in writing what he has previously expressed verbally and which is being acted on, what's the problem!

The Courier headline is typical media sensationalist nonsense.  It says "Caley Thistle boss John Robertson in the dark over claims club's board forced Ross Draper to submit transfer request".  Absolutely nothing in the article remotely backs the claim up.   Robertson is quoted as saying " Once Ross had tabled his transfer request it would have been futile to keep a player who had his head turned.  The board and I discussed it and the transfer request was put in - that was the final part to draw a line under it and move on.  We could have said no but then we’d have a very disgruntled player who wants to play in the Premiership."  In other words, Draper wanted the move, Robertson discussed the latest offer with the Board and they agreed they wouldn't stand in his way.  Putting in the "transfer request" was a simply a necessary formality which clearly Robertson was aware of.

The suggestion of Draper being forced to request a transfer is clearly nonsense.  That would imply, for instance, that an offer had come in which was so good that the club put pressure on the player to move against his will.  Clearly this is not the case.  Indeed it is clear that the opposite is true - the player wants to leave and the club have reluctantly let him go.  The Board can, in my view, be rightly criticised over a number of issues but not regarding this.    In the past when the Board generally received praise from the fans, the one recurring criticism was that we consistently failed to get decent transfer fees (or any at all) for our departing players.  It is ironic that at a  time when the Board is generally receiving criticism, it is being slated for what is perhaps one of the better bits of business the club has ever done in the transfer market.

You put it so well!

Meanwhile back down here we have Coutinho and Danny Rose manouvring for moves, for betterment...same old ***** only the money is different!

8 minutes ago, ictchris said:

We can add lying about the Draper transfer to the list. Also, I see from the Courier that none of the transfer fee will go into players. What is it being spent on?

Its clear that the board lied when they initially said that we would be keeping the squad that finished last season, they lied when they said that we needed to maintain season ticket prices to ensure we could compete in this division, they lied when they said that Draper requested a transfer.

Why are the board constantly lying? People end up doing this when they are either completely out of their depth and incapable of carrying out their duties or they have a moral lacking that leads them to lie. Neither option is particularly attractive. I notice that John Robertson has also not backed the clubs standpoint, which is pretty telling.

Also, this is going to have a huge impact on our club. Players used to see a move to Inverness as a good thing for their career, the chance to compete at a high level and win a move elsewhere - Rooney to Birmingham, Watkins to Barnsley, McKay to Wigan etc. We had a good reputation. Now we are lying about our transfer dealings, hawking players around for transfer, refusing to play players if they don't move. Why would anyone come to us? I know for a fact that in Scotland our club is seen as an irrelevance at best, as useless and a joke at worst in the football media and playing circles.  What's happened this summer is going to have significant knock on affects to our clubs ability to survive.

There's lying and there's spin (probably two sides of the same coin). I am quite sure the club made the statement about keeping the squad that finished the season as some sort of morale boosting comment, but given the number of players that were on loan, at the end of contracts, or just plain *****, this was hardly going to be the case, and given the change in financial circumstances aka loss of TV money, I am surprised anyone saw this as other than playing lip service to fans hopes. I am sure the board hoped to keep the season ticket prices as they were but were caught out by the fans backlash. TBF the handling of Drapers transfer is very cack-handed, it is almost certain that they wanted RD to put in a transfer request to cover the fact that in the end he was going. Perhaps they are normal people who just want to be liked, but they would gain longer term respect if they grew some balls and just told fans the truth that some wont like.

There is nothing unusual in not playing players who might be transferred out.   

TBF we will only be relevant when we are beating the likes of Celtic, and Rangers and taking a top three SPL spot. I don't see why we are seen as a joke though, we got to the League Cup Final, won the Scottish Cup and were top six for three seasons and qualified for Europe. Are we anymore of a joke than Rangers or Hearts? Yep we are having a poor period but we'll get over it.

12 hours ago, Caman said:

Worst summer? I can see worst ever New Year ahead

- Mid table in Championship

- Vigurs, Tremarco & Polworth signing PCA's with Ross County

- Raven leaving in January

- Fisher going on loan to Ross County

That's enough FFS!!!

Given the stick Vigurs and Polworth regularly get on this forum, is this the end of the world? Raven has been half in and half out of the club for a good year now and he had a few people questioning whether his new contract was worth it last season. Tremarco would be a loss, but he's out for a while, he 31 and has a serious injury to recover from. If Fisher goes to Ross County it shows he's not cutting the mustard at Motherwell, but he's past news for us anyway.

Given the turmoil after relegation, a change in manager and board, I'd take mid-table at the New Year...it means we are just off the play-offs. A nightmare of course would be further relegation, but the board have done the right thing in removing the previous manager and have rebuilt the side, I saw somewhere else on this forum that we we getting bargain-basement players, but surely that has been the case for many years with Meekings the only player coming from a club above EFL League 1 status, whereas this year we have players from West Brom, Middlesborough, Aston Villa, yes I know peripheral figures, but we don't buy players for fees or those at the top ofg their game.

I am probably the only one that thinks this but given the circumstances the board found itself in at the end of the year, I'm not sure they have done too many things wrong. Obviously communication with fans and generally isn't great (and the handling of some of the players like Meekings and Fisher definitely very phish) but looking over the past few years has anything been different, I guess the beef is that we were promised something better. I suppose you could argue that appointing John Robertson in the way he was was fairly odd, but looking at the options available I wasn't getting that excited either.

We are in a period of (and it's a dangerous word) transition, and I guess it could go either way. I have hopes of some good signs, so looking forward to an interest season

10 hours ago, AlexJones said:

The way some people are carrying on you'd think we'd just lost Lionel Messi. Let's get real folks. Big Drapes was a good stopper, a big lump who put himself about and caused chaos in and around the opposition penalty area - but he could also struggle to string a straight 5 yard pass at times. Technique-wise we're talking North Caledonian Super League level. Don't get me wrong, every team needs a stopper in the middle of the park - however, I doubt very much that Russel Duncan was on £2,000 a week, or anywhere near to being our highest paid player - and there's a very good reason for that. The reality is, County have a wealthy suitor with money to burn, we don't. We have to cut our cloth and get on with it. 

People always moan when stalwarts leave (Munro, Tokely, Duncan etc) but if you want to make an omelette, you have to break a few eggs. You can't rebuild a team unless you clear the decks first. Anyone who sat through the dross of last season could see a rebuilding job was needed. The young lads who are coming through - Calder (21), Seedorf (22), Oakley (21), Mulraney (21), Brad Mackay (24), Polworth (22), Cooper (23), Bell (20) - are only going to get better. I'd much rather get back to the SPL with a fresh generation of players who can keep us there long term and potentially reach new heights than simply bounce back with the same declining team who'd only be clinging on at the bottom of the table as soon as we got there. 

 
 

You make some good points there AJ, especially about the ages of the new group, which is a positive point, although I had hoped Draper with be the experienced man that sticks everything together. However we have to move on; without the sugar daddy that Ross County appear to have (although they couldn't keep Boyce), we have to act like the club we are, a small team with a low fan base in a league than earns pennies not millions. At least we got a transfer fee for Draper, I don't know whether a combined fee and alleged saving in wages of £200K indicates that we are in a bad way debt-wise or just represents sensible business. The glory days of success cup final appearances and top six SPL finishes are for now gone, the team and the 'spirit' that gave us that virtually gone. Hopeful there is enough potential in the lads we have brought in to become something decent over time and bond together as a group. Importantly many are on contracts longer than one season, and probably one or two will give a transfer fee when they eventually move on.

45 minutes ago, Caley Skye said:

If Dundee Utd are considered the best team in the league, I think we'll do ok this season.  We were unlucky not to take something from the game.

Vigurs was excellent today but we're definitely lacking upfront.  Just can't see where the goals are going to come from.

Considering how hard goalscorers are to come by at any level I think we all rue the way Alex Fisher was treated, first by Foran, and then by our board in the aftermath of relegation, could have been the guy to build our attack on with Oakley and (perhaps) Bell offering something as well.

I take heart from the reports about yesterdays game, especially with Vigurs and Calder getting good reviews, and Mulraney and Oakley getting mentions, we probably need a month to pull our sh#t properly together....and a couple of morale boasting wins

Arguably within a squad of 'so-so' players we have a few gems that could make all the difference if they turn up at the same time .... based only on reports that would be Seedorf, plus Vigurs and Mulraney (these two very much the enigmatic types) ... Draper could be the lynchpin to our game, whilst if Polworth were to rediscover his mojo he could be class in this division. The juries out on the four front players Baird (slightly better than Boden?), Zschusschen (the new Doumbuoya? who at least scored a few goals) Bell (who on the basis of one game seems to be raising hopes) and Oakley, who maybe has the best pedigree and the best reports. Hopefully one will kick on and if Tremarco returns fit and to form we have could have some threat. Could be very much a hit-and-miss season, that takes a while to get going.....I see the BBC predicts we will finish 3rd, and end up in the play-offs, we'd take that wouldn't we? (given the pedigree of Falkirk and the end of season from of St Mirren). They also predict Dundee Utd to go up automatically so today will be an interesting reveal of potential. Not sure we are up and running yet so a draw is the best I can see for today....lets hope I have lots of egg on face at 5pm

12 hours ago, cif73 said:

A friendly but Marley Watkins scored an absolute belter here at 1 mins 18 secs of this YouTube video in his debut for Norwich City against Premiership bound Brighton. Respectable 1-1 draw. 

 

 

Great stuff, I have high hopes for Marley at Norwich

17 hours ago, RiG said:

So our 'realistic' first team squad is something this then?


Midfielders

Ross Draper
Liam Polworth
Ian Vigurs

Attacking MF
Aaron Doran
Jake Mulraney
Zachary Elbouzedi

Forwards

John Baird
George Oakley
 

It has been good to see reinforcements coming in following a bit of a clear out, at least we have enough to put out a team! Of course it's hard to know if any of the new boys will do enough of a job for us, we retained few of those who joined last year, most not really a loss, except Fisher and Laing perhaps (and IMO Larnell Cole). I think still think we look a bit light upfront, although our best recent seasons have seen us rely on just a couple of players, hoping that injuries were rare. But looking at the midfield we look very short of ball winners, hopefully Draper stays, but if he is out of the equation for any reason then we look vulnerable...I just hope the next couple of signings address that area. That aside if the attacking midfielders (wingers) can deliver we could have a decent season....I'm certainly looking forward to it.

14 hours ago, Yngwie said:

Our number 6, looks like it could indeed be him.

The playing strip looks the dogs b#llox! I want one of those shirts...be fun to wear it to Palace home games!

Currently got my eye on Livingston away in November and the home game (with the missus) against Falkirk in March

55 minutes ago, ferben1994 said:

Thats Baird confirmed

Welcome John

Has a decent enough record at this level...good to get one on board, I see the Courier is suggesting we are still looking to do something with Kevin McNaughton and Louis Laing

Was delighted to see Marley Watkins has signed for Norwich City on a three year deal and joins the club officially on the 1st July. He was clearly a decent prospect when he was with us, and after Billy McKay was sold took over the mantle of being the primary attacking threat culminating in his excellent performance at the Scottish Cup final. Norwich is quite a step up although he was in the same league last year with Barnsley, but Norwich the sort of club for whom promotion to the EPL is always a distinct possibilty

Sadly not the first ex-player turned manager whose move has not worked out well (Palace's recent history is littered with such cases), I think many of us were concerned about his appointment, not least because he had no experience at all, and the club is quite light on resources and backup. But either the club or the man, or both have bitten the bullet, which I think gives us a better chance of a good go at getting out of the Championship. I'd like to think the board has an idea of who it wants as manager, and that we make a good fist of retaining key players for next season

12 hours ago, Caley1885 said:

Well the longer the board remain silent the more likely that Foran will remain in post. I do believe he requires a strong and experienced number two if we have any chance of bouncing straight back. Daniel had Mr Miyagi , Luke Skywalker had Yoda but who will guide Foran and  ICT, back to the Premier League ???? 

I wonder if the board have decided they can't afford to fund a Premiership side and have decided to bubble along the bottom of the Championship for a couple of years to pay off debts....not sure if that's a model that really works, and given the outlay we have on transfers and wages as it is, I wonder what funding a Championship side looks like! What are the likely differences in attendances going to be, sure Celtic and Ranger draw a decent crowd, but even the Ross County matches saw attendances dropping off

It was a fabulous day, I felt privileged to be there, and the look of bemusement on my North London office colleagues faces on the monday following when I bought in the celebratory doughnuts was just great!

Equally as good was the epic semi final win against Celtic which I managed to get to after an overnight Megabus trip up to Glasgow having watched Palace at home the previous day...can't remember the name of the pub I drank in near the ground before and after the match but that was special.

Sadly my other team couldn't quite replicate the achievement the following year at Wembley which made the SC win even more special

12 hours ago, caleyboy said:

Yeh. Thanks for relegation under your watch. The sword has two edges.

Relegation...it happens, but we won the Scottish Cup under his watch, that doesn't happen often, I've watched Palace for 44years and never seen them win a proper cup (and may never see that), but I have seen them go into administration 3 times.

ICT also got their highest placed league finish, into Europe and also a league cup final...not bad for a small club that's not been around for long.

I'm sure he's sad to go with the club being relegated, but he can be proud of the record of the club under his stewardship

7 hours ago, ictfcsince94 said:

Cammy 

Tremarco, Warren, McKay Raven

Mulraney Vigurs, Polworth,Doran

Boden Ebbe

with the exception of Doran's wage being a stumbling block, I don't see much wrong with this line up as a potential place to start.

Brad Mckay's level may well be suited to the Championship, but if his wage demand aren't met, and he can secure alternative employment who could blame him for moving on.

would love big drapes to stay, but suspect he'll be on the a96 bus as well?

That strikes me as a quite a lightweight midfield, and I suspect Doran will be a perennial 'sicknote', as for that front line...meh

If we have any decent youngsters next year is the time to get them into the team..but we do need a strong core, if we get that right, we stand a chance

It's bad enough going down, but to have your manager issue probably the worst of a series of post match interviews doesn't give one much optimism for the following season. I can't decide whether winning 3 out of the last 4 games when we had won only 4 of the previous 34 is any cause for optimism either, given that it probably confirms that RF had no real idea of his best team. It's either supreme belief or extreme delusion that he thinks 10 out of the starting 11 will be with us next season. Obviously the question of the moment is who are the mysterious 'three bad apples that have to be got rid of'?  If it is not the starting 11 (unless he is including Tansey as one) then it's difficult to see who it is of any note....Meekings, Boden, OFW, Cole, King, McNaughton, Mulraney, Doran, Tremarco (!!!) see how damaging the speculation could be, although it'll probably come out if there is any truth in it. I suspect the reason RF wants a smaller squad, is that he found the man management side of things difficult, and a smaller squad is less disgruntled players to cope with.

The annoying thing is that a starting eleven, that included the likes of Esson, Raven, Laing, Brad McKay, Warren (prob still good enough in the Championship) Draper Polworth Vigurs (again prob still good enough for the Championship) Mulraney, Billy McKay and Fisher, would do pretty well next season under the right guidance (I'm assuming Meekings and Tremarco are out of contract and likely to go)...in that line up  I'd also include Larnell Cole, I might be in a minority but there's definitely a player there. However is RF the manager to deliver those players to the starting line up and to drill them into a cohesive and consistently firing unit?