PerfICT

Sorry to say it, but we already are! They finished one place above us and won the league cup last year. On top of that, they have a very settled squad for the next couple of years, not to mention old megabucks pumping money into the club. I expect them to finish 5/6th next year, whereas our future is now very uncertain.

Compensation for sacking him was the last thing we needed to fork out, but his position was untenable. Thank you Yogi for the most successful year in the club's history! In hindsight, it would have been best if he'd left at the top, immediately after the cup win, but it unfortunately went to his head. The United fiasco was the beginning of the end. Anybody who's prefer to be at another club should be shown the door. The next issue was the accusation that players weren't man enough to play through injuries; then the Raven spat and the open criticism of the board, not to mention his love affair with all things Celtic. No doubt, Hughes will believe that he'll go on to bigger and better things. He won't. For us, there's the who next question. I'm concerned that the compo might force us to go with Foran. I'd prefer to see him as assistant, but we might have to cut our cloth. Does anyone have Raven's number??! Thanks for the memories, JH: Time for the club to move on!

http://stv.tv/sport/football/1354498-hughes-would-be-huge-loss-for-ict-and-could-be-celtic-boss-says-collins/ I think John Collins needs to come and watch ICT more regularly - he might change his opinion on JH's brand of football!

I wondered the same, RiG. County fans were raving about him when he first came, but he didn't get a sniff this season, except against Aberdeen on Sunday. Cultured left foot but absolutely no pace seems to be the verdict....bit like Ian Vigurs?

That's just it - some potential supporters are choosing to go to the cinema to be entertained instead of TCS! I'm not talking about the hard-core 2500 that will support through thick and thin - it's the fringe fans that will go for the craic and some goals that we failed to get through the turnstiles.

Meant to include late goals! 75% of our goals conceded away from home were in the second half and goals in the last 10 minutes cost us about 12 points. In contrast, we rarely scored in the last 10 and late goals only gained us 3 points that I can think of (2 in injury time to win at Hamilton.....just how crucial was that result in hindsight??!)

Need to get this sorted immediately. Either kiss and make up or go separate ways: there's a new season to prepare for!

It's taken a bit of time to assimilate my thoughts on that season! On the face of it, the basic stats make reasonable reading: League position: 7th Points: 52 Goals for: 54 Goals against: 48 Scottish Cup: QF (lost to Hibs 1-2 (h) replay): League Cup: QF (lost to Ross County (h)) Europa cup: lost to Astra 1-0 agg. So, mid-table and 2 quarter-final appearances: what's to be glum about? 1. Style Yogi's persistence with possession football really did my head in! It is not entertaning or effective. In general, we actually did better when we adopted a more direct approach (e.g. games against Aberdeen and Ross County). We had the 3rd lowest number of shots and number of shots on target. Conversely, we had the 3rd highest conversion rate (goals/shots), suggesting that when we created chances, they were more clear-cut. Equally, we were tight at the back, with the lowest % shots on target in the league, perhaps suggesting that teams were forced to take shots from range against us. This also is relected in the number of goals conceded - the 3rd lowest in the league. Summing up - a reasonably effective style that worked well defensively, but made us too slow and predictable going forward. The players seemed afraid to shoot unless there was a clear goalscoring chance. 2. Players Some terrific performance this year, particularly from Ross Draper. I've always seen him as a ball-winner, but this year he was a really attacking midfielder who won us a few pens and scored a few key goals. Fon Williams was generally solid in goal and Tremarco really came onto his game later in the season. Tansey had a really slow start, but was neverthelss a key player in midfield. Warren was solid on his return, but would have liked to see his partnership with Meekings rekindled. Devine was OK, but has the odd crucial mistake in him. Of the guys definitely leaving: Vincent had a really good spell in January, but injuries let him down, Williams was reliable at left back and midfield and Storey was an excellent find from obscurity at Swindon. Vigurs was his usual mercurial self, while Roberts played really well when he got the opoportunity. Mutombo was exciting at times, but lacked a final ball and had a couple of petulent moments early on. 3. Manager Yogi refuses to shift from his principle of possession football. In fairness, it does yield the occasional cracker of a team goal, but too often it doesn't yield even a shot. If he'd just swallow his pride and go more direct occasionally, and encourage the players to shoot and get in the box! Off the field, Yogi has had a shocker IMO. The DUFC debacle was embarrassing: Yogi should be delighted that KC helped him dodge a bullet! All his statement did was to alienate him from the supporters who then doubted his commitment to the club! In addition, what is it with bigging up Auld Firm opponents? How many players has he offered to "drive them down there myself for the money they've bee offered"? The thinly veiled spat that is playing out in public over budget is unhelpful. And what about the comment about injured players playing through pain?? Meekiings wasn't impressed. 4. Injuries If one word summed up the season it was "injuries". There were times when there were more players on the treatment table than the pitch. Easy to forget after the event, but we really were struggling to field a team at times. 5. Recruitment and retention My biggest gripe all year. Everybody was aware that so many contracts were up at the end of the season and yet we failed to recruit effectively during last summer and then continually brought in midfielders when short of defensive cover and attack-minded players. Granted our late finish to last season and early start to this contributed to the problem, but starting the season without a recognised striker was justt shambolic. At least efforts were reported to have been made to keep Williams, but he turned down the offer - the same wasn't true of Vincent, who Yogi didn't rate for whatever reason. The Raven saga was just poor form - here's a player who really wanted to stay and he's punted by the manager.... 6. Attendances In many ways, this was the most depressing aspect. Average attendances almost exactly the same as last season (3,753 v 3,732), despite all the buzz of the cup win! I know these figures hide many things (e.g. who we play more times at home and midweek games, poor form etc), but it certainly highlights that there is no "other level" for us to go to in this respect and that we failed to capitalise on the cup victory. My pipe dream of perhaps 500 extra bods lay in shatters, which is why we find it so hard to retain and recruit!

It's importnant to remeber that Storey was never our player - only on loan. We haven't lost him because we never had him. Yes, you would hope that we might have had an edge in his thinking because we rescued his career, but it was Swindon and Storey's agent who held the cards here, not ICT. I really don't think we can point the finger at the club or management on this one: I've no doubt that there was a desire to keep him, but the speed at which this deal has been done suggests that it has been in the wind for a while, so we migth never have been at the races.

Disappointed, but not surprised by Storey's move to Aberdeen - particularly if the rumour about development fee to Swindon is correct. Doran is potentially an excellent signing, but we don't know how he'll shape up following that injury - some players are never quite the same. Horner was occasionally appalling and sometimes OK - I'd have him as back-up for right back or midfield - nothing more. However, Yogi seems to like him, so i'd not be surprised if he were first team. Never saw Fisher play, so hope he's got something. How long are the contracts? All 1 year?

Aberdeen and Hearts allegedly after Miles Storey. Not sure we can compete financially with them, I'm afraid (BBC gossip).

Oh...and Mutombo. After a shaky start, I thought he had something about him, even if his final ball was poor. A decent super-sub in my opinion.

3-1 against Aberdeen was also a good day out, 2-1 away at County and the 2nd 45 min on Saturday were also decent fare. Otherwise, I'd totally agree with your selection!

Here's our first "11"so far: Esson Meekings xxxxx Warren Tremarco Tansey (transfer target?) Draper xxxxxx Polworth xxxxxxx Foran (wants away?) That's the core of a decent team - no question. However, we need at least another 10 (ten!) players to even have the thinnest of squads, which is why the whole Raven thing was so puzzling. I'd like to see Roberts and Doran in the wide spots and, in the absence of Raven, Devine needs to make a decision for that centre half spot (otherwise, I'd be looking for a right back and get Meekings and Warren back together at the heart of the defence). Then you start thinking about cover and strikers: Storey would be great, but I've got a horrible feeling that's not going to work out somehow. How are Ferguson and Sutherland faring? Worth keeping as back-up? What's happened to Fon Williams? In terms of midfielders, Ryan Williams looked fairly decent and we should also consider Vigurs if not too expensive. We then need another keeper, defensive cover (development squad?) and other striking options. Again, I'm not too keen, but I wouldn't be surprised if Goodwillie was one on Hughes' wish list.

Goodbye and our very best wishes, Dave - we'll never forget your goals - away to Ross County (1 yard) and the unforgettable semifinal winner (4 yards)! Sometimes, it's not the quantity that counts! Delighted he was given the send-off he deserved. The victim of a manager who would prefer to play one of our class central defenders as a makeshift right back ahead of a class right back. Go figure... You'll be missed and not forgotten.

I admire your confidence, Ywingie, but the sense I get is that the plan is that there is no plan! See what happens and see who we've got left (that Yogi rates and wants to stay) and patch up the holes after the end of the season. If we're short of strikers and defenders...invest in midfielders because "they're right good footballers" instead. Not my idea of planning, I'm afraid.

Agree with Kingsmills - this sounds like a cry for help rather than a genuine desire to leave, unless he's got something up his sleeve, which seems unlikely given his injuries. This raises the question: If RF were to want to reach a "mutual agreement" and leave for free, should the club accept? For me, yes. He's been a fantastic player for us, but his injuries and age make him a liability now. Harsh, but these are the realities of modern football.

So right, givemeaccccc! Negligible change in crowds this season and the most boring form of football on show. Never mind, at least we can buy into the team.....er no! No keeper, no right back and no strike force. Ditching fans favourites (Raven) on top of the above could have a critical input on sales. Some BIG positive announcements needed NOW.

Disgrace. JH needs to remember that Rave was instrumental in providing him with his finest moment - that last gasp goal against Celtic in the semi. That's not to say that DR's contribution was a flash in the pan - rather that his goal was the culmination of a good professional footballer, who deserved everything that came his way. I'm afraid I too am considering ST renewal. I've found our brand of football boring and have been baffled by Yogi's recruitment and retention policy. I can count on one hand the number of games this season that I can suggest were entertaining. Why he'd consider ditching our only decent right back ... And a guy that clearly wants to stay here.....is suicidal. We only have 8 players for next season, and one of them might also be on his bike ffs! Depressed.

Another insipid display, if a decent result. Please field an exciting side against Dundee - last home game and a chance to encourage some season ticket sales. I'd take a 3-3 draw over a drab 1-0 victory! Not sure I'd stretch to preferring a 4-3 defeat, though (hypocrite!)

Call me a cynic, but we'll get noting out of this. SPFL have left plenty of wriggle room in those regulations to come up with a fudge: slad on the wrist for Dundee United and no recompense for us in terms of points. We should have won the game whether they had a couple of mediocre ineligible players in their squad or not. Free points would be welcome, but would not sit well with me...for a few hours at least!

In fairness to Hughes, April was solid (at least on paper) - good victories against Dundee United (a), Kilmarnock (h) and especially the elusive Partick Thistle (a) result, justifies the award, with only Celtic doing better. I would argue that the syle of play in some of these games was more direct, which might have been seen as a realisation from Hughes that the tikki-taka style is a non-starter, but the other 3 results would suggest that he will not budge from that philosophy: the Hamilton, Motherwell, Hearts and Dundee United (h) displays were horrendous on the whole - against DU, we went more direct after going 3 down and it worked...but too late! The message is there, JH: tweak your tactics to go a bit more direct and you get the rewards: play slow, turgid football to solely retain possession and we're scuppered.

...and that is the problem in a nutshell. Of course, supporting a football club is different from going to the cinema for 90 min of entertainment - but there comes a point when even the staunchest supporter questions whether what is on show qualifies as "entertainment". In fairness, 5 goals last night suggests an entertaining game, but too often this season the tactics have not proved entertaining, particularly at home. 70% possession yielding 2 chances in the first half doesn't sound great. Most worrying of all is that our manager pointed to this as a positive! There is a wonderful example from South of the border of how to play thrilling, winning football and it does not involve hogging possession. If Brian Rice really wants to emulate Leicester (as he suggested in the press) there needs to be a radical rethink of tactics. I suggest he and his boss watches a Leicester game to see how it is done.

....on a more positive note, nearly 3600 there tonight, given all the reasons not to turn up is a great effort!

Sadly, chances of Raven getting a contract were probably killed tonight. At best, Hughes might have considered Raven if he was scraping the barrel and we'd got some extra cash from finishing 7th. That chance hasn't totally gone yet, but we've not half made it difficult now. Get Raven back at fullback and Meekings and Warren central defence. With Tremarco playing really well at left back, would you swap that back four with any premiership team next season? Clearly Hughes would.