PerfICT

Scott McDonald Someone said he was going to Wigan? If not, I think he's exactly what is needed.

Wow, that's some sentence, Kingsmills!

Excellent - so that gives us more depth in defence and midfield + a striker (to go alongside Ali Sutherland). Would still like Nick Ross to sign and for us to get an experienced goalscorer to help our two young boys along. Then we're not too far away, especially if Williams becomes our left wing-back, with Tremarco as an alternative.

If the guy doesn't want to snap up the chance to come to the 3rd best team in Scotland, then "on your bike, son". The team spirit has been built up on a group of guys who have embraced the club and really want to be here.

Horses for courses - if we need resilience at the back, go with Tremarco; if we want to be more progressive in any given game, go with Williams.

A pity, but better than losing another one to a rival in the same league!

I'll tell him you said that!

That U11 squad are a talented bunch. Hope your prediction is right IHE!

This is becoming seriously ridiculous if true. Shinnie, Hayes, Robson, Rooney and....Watkins. A truly Caley reject team!

OK, it's taken me a while to put finger to keyboard on this one. Looking back on my posts on this topic, I didn't half see-saw between rubbish and great appointment. Some notable ups and downs were: 1. Appointment - totally underwhelmed 2. Post-appointment interview - excellent! turned me around 3. Poor form at end of last season - not impressed 4. Lost league cup final and played poorly - not impressed 5. "Barcelona of the North" comment - appalled: fear of ridicule....I'll come back to this! 6. Weak endo to last season - disappointed (what could have been etc) 7. Start of 2014/15 - fantastic and playing a style of football that had similarities to....Barcelona! ...and never looked back! I know, I should have trusted Kenny Cameron - he tends to get these things right! Clearly, JH is VERY popular with the players and that is important here because guys will want to come and play for him. Against my (worse) judgement, his style of football has worked in Scotland and other teams are starting to go the same way. So - a serious helping of humble pie and an apology to all at ICT for ever doubting the merits of JH... Our Manager of the Year and Scottish Cup-winning manager! I have every faith that he will now find the right guys to fill the holes in the squad and lead us into Europe with pride. This year will be impossible to match, so let's not get too downhearted if we don't get it all our way next season. :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Not sure if their is any news on Polworth - he's never really had a chance to shine in the first team. I thought Vincent was away, but maybe not? Priorities are: goalkeeper, right back cover, left midfield/wing (if Williams switches to wing back) at least 2 strikers. Strong youth back-up is necessary all over the park and perhaps another utility midfielder would give us a little strength in depth. Let's face it, we really got out of jail last year with such a thin squad. A couple more key injuries would have been disastrous. With the extended Europa season, we need to have a bit more rotation (hate that term!) Also, perhaps that will mean that we don't have the perennial dip in form in February!

...Scott Macdonald back on the scrap heap from Motherwell....

...from memory last season, I think 2nd/3rd prize money differs by about £75k. Not sure about straight prize mioney for Scottish Cup, but you've got to think that, with merchandising and ticket sales included, we should have cleared somewhere near £500k? Add in the £150k for Billy, it has got to be a fairly hefty income!

Yes, I heard the chat on Sunday morning on Radio Scotland around the cup win and its potential impact on Inverness and its size of support. What really bugs me about this argument is that you'd think we were the only Premiership team that had a small support and that all the others were turning punters away from packed stadia every week. In fact, Partick Thistle, Ross County and Hamilton all had smaller average attendances and we were pretty much on a par with St Mirren. You don't hear Chic Young using the Midden as an example of a club that needs to be working harder to get punters through the gate. Maybe I missed it, but was the same debate held last year after St J's cup win? Whatever the issue is with the game in Scotland and declining crowds, it is not unique to ICT. I have no doubt that Kenny Cameron and his small team will be trying everything to capitalise on the Cup triumph and I'm sure they don't need to take advice from Chic "everyone wants Rangers back in the top league" Young!

Yup, like this idea!

....the first goal was class from start to finish. Six wonderful quick passes down the right and through the centre and a clinical finish. If you want Hughes' philopsophy summed up in <10 seconds of football, that was it.

OK, now that the dust has settled, here's my stab at player scores for the final - I'll ignore the temptation to give them all 10s! Esson - 7. Nothing he could do about the goal and was a safe pair of hands....apart from a terrifying moment when he mucked about with it on his own line! Shinnie - 6. Not his best game, but obviously playing out of position. A couple of dangerous crosses in the first half. Devine - 8. a really solid match, except when he was beaten to it for Grant's goal. I'm not sure you can say he was at fault, though. Meekings - 8. Dependable as ever. Great ball through to Watkins in the first half. Tremarco - 5. I thought he had a good first half, but he'll have flashbacks about that mistake for the rest of his puff! Draper - 6. Was surprisingly quiet throughout. Good header out to set Watkins on his way for the winner. Tansey - 6. Unusually quiet. A couple of decent free kicks. Christie - 6. Not his best game and definitely faded in the 2nd half. Doran - 8. I thought he had a great first half. His slip pass to Watkins for the first was outstanding and I thought he was going to skin Grant for another before half time - superb tackle in the end. Inevitably, the winger gets sacrificed after a red card! Ofere - 6. Playing in the hole didn't really suit him. Had some decent touches, but tended to hold on to it too long after making space. Didn't get a sniff in front of goal. Watkins - 9. Could not have worked harder for the cause. Probably should have passed instead of shooting for the 2nd....but the right result in the end! Yogi: - 7. Was dealt a bad blow when Dave the Rave was ruled out. Not sure the shake up at the back really worked, but there weren't many other options. I don't think Ofere in behind Watkins worked and he should have been pulled early in the 2nd half to shore up the midfield which we were losing. But, hey - you only went and won the cup for us Big Yogi! Collum - 9. Got all the big decisions right. Special mention has to go to Vincent: I know he was fresh on as a sub, but that run to catch Watkins and still have composure to finish was astounding. The payers often say he's the fittest boy there - I believe it now!

Never thought I'd use the words "excellent" and "lenient" to describe Collum, but that's what I thought of his display on Saturday. Right from the off, he was preferring to have a quiet word instead of a card. The red was correct and he could easily have booked Greg Tansey for 3 challenges in quick succession in the 2nd half. Draper's "handball" would have been extremely harsh, given that it popped up off his toe, so again - right decision IMO. I hope he learns from this and is less card-happy from now on!

Yogi said today that Watkins will be leaving. Yogi said today that Watkins will be leaving. A shame, but what a way to sign off! Thanks for the memories and good luck for the future!

2pm's going to be a tough call for those still celebrating in Weegeville!

That's superb! Being part of the display, you never got a sense of whether it "worked"! Brilliant effort from all involved!

SCOTTISH CUP CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!

Ofere that is, not Yogi!!!! IMO that would be a shame. He won some good ball today and worked his socks off. If he could just release the ball quicker, he's be the real deal. If he goes it's with my best wishes because his goals quite simply turned the foundation before Jan into reality.

should have gone to the bog again in the second half and saved us all a lot of pain!

Not our finest game, but our finest moment! Totally overwhelmed by the occasion! No team I support ever wins ANYTHING....UNTIL TODAY!