PerfICT

Yup, Dundee have played their joker, while we still have ours. Ach, maybe it is just less painful to accept fate instead of trying to change it. It's the hope that kills you, so just as well we've none of that.

Can't comment about County's coaches, but ICT's youth coaches are a mixed bag. There's a mixture of full time, part time and volunteer coaches, but their combined badges mean that the youth teams play with other "non-elite" teams. Celtic, Rangers, Dundee United, Hibs, Aberdeen and a few others play amongst themselves and are streets ahead of all of the others, with UEFA-level coaches, sports scientists and video assessment of each player's contribution. This is not necessarily about a lack of talent, but a lack of ability to convert talent into top level players. There also needs to be a bit more faith in those knocking at the door (Ali Sutherland comes to mind). The only certainty is that never risking a fringe local boy in the first team will ultimately end in their release. The truth is that natural talent is only the beginning. Modern footballers are first and foremost athletes: fitness and strength is a pre-requisite, as is discipline, attitude and desire. The word is that none of Ryan Christie's coaches at U13 picked him as a future star, with loads of guys preferred to him at that stage....and yet those other guys evaporated. The only criticism I have in the youth coaching set up is a failure to acknowledge the non-competitive nature of development matches, promoted by SFA at the younger age groups. The concept is to use games to put into practice the concepts developed in training. The score should be irrelevant - it is principles that should be the focus. However, all too often the boys appear to be instructed to abandon everything taught during the week and just "belt it up to the big guy". Is it any wonder that few of them make it.

Looks and sounds increasingly like Alex Fisher is a player who should have had a great deal more time on the park than he had this season. Always puts the effort in and appreciates the people who pay his wages. One to be kept if we possibly can, but that ship might have already sailed.

You may well be right Yngwie, but they need to weigh that emotion against the many jobs at the club that will go with relegation- you can bet that those people are just as loyal and committed as Richie.

...begs the question: would you swap the cup win for avoiding relegation this season. I'm sure the answer will be a resounding "no", but it might depend on where the journey takes us now. Maybe even if we end up in part-time mediocrity it would still be worth the cup win to be honest. Living the dream....but like all dreams, it's come to an end.

Would love to know why he resigned. Was he in the minority in wanting Foran out or was he admitting joint responsibility for a poor appointment in the first place. I guess we'll never know.

I will happily support my team through thick and thin if the players are giving their all and the club management is reasonably competent. Ups and downs are a feature of sport and there is no entitlement for us to be in the top division. But, enough is enough. Foran is miles out of his depth and has taken a reasonable bunch of players to a destination that should never have been on the cards. There is no way that our squad is the weakest in the premiership, but we are the worst team and we play shocking football. Entertainment is the name of the game and what's on show is far rom entertaining and won't change unless the management changes. When that happens, I'll be back.

^^^^^^^This! Except, I just heard Richie's latest delusional ramblings after the game and I got no sense that he's looking at his future - choosing instead to blame the defence for failing to defend crosses. While the defence has to be culpable for conceding 4 goals (or even 3 legitimate ones), Foran has failed to identify his best team in their best positions all season. THAT is what will relegate us.

I take it the 13 individuals leaving the sinking ship are our squad members. Last one out, turn off the lights.

Raging. Here it is on the line: I will not be going back to TCS until our amateur manager is punted. Nor will I renew my season ticket. Time after time this season he's selected bizarre lineups and left decent players on the bench nd hor out of position. We have looked a total shambles organisation-wise for months with an unbelievable array of "formations". No wonder the players look confused! Remind me how many games we've won with Draper, Tansey and Vigurs across the midfield...none. The only time we've looked anywhere near half decent was with Polworth in the hole, Draper and Tansey holding and with pace out wide. And yet you can count on one hand how many times we've used that formation. What about Fisher? All that time we were struggling for a striker and he never got a look in? He's looked half decent whenever I've seen him. Sticking with the likes of Vigurs and Warren regardless of form has killed us and that is all down to Foran. Gutless board at ITCFC - are you listening? People will lose their jobs either way, but I'd prefer it to be Foran than hardworking backroom staff.

Come on lads!!! Hats off for spirit, but we need to turn the effort into 3 points!

What's this? A spirited comeback?!!

Walk now, Foran. This is embarrassing.

And that could be that.

That's just about as poor a team as we could put out. Brad Mckay instead of MacNaughton, Vigurs, Draper and Tansey (can't play together) and Polworth presumably wide right. This is roughly the midfield that was central to that horrendous run without a win - only King has pace and generally hasn't shown up. I just don't get it.

Totally agree, Rebelwithoutaclue. Correct team and formation. Nick a goal and shut up shop. Only problem is, I don't think anybody has a scooby what our best team and formation are. Billy Mckay is allegedly injured too, which is another spanner in the works.

Can the fans get access to psychotherapy too? I'm in need of a good dose of positivity too!

"Inverness Caley Thistle boss Richie Foran's position is under scrutiny by club directors, with a decision expected in the next 48 hours" - The Sun ....If the Sun is reporting this, it must be true!

Really needed to happen weeks or months ago. If he is booted, what on earth will we do for the crucial game on Saturday? I can't see any other outcome after that public announcement....

I agree with much of what Barry Wilson says in his article. I think the bottom line is that Foran has been set up to fail. Of course that was not the intention of the board in his appointment, but to appoint a boss with zero experience an assistant who was appointed amid some odd circumstances under Hughes, but kept on after Hughes left was a recipe for disaster. I had the utmost respect for Foran as a player - he would run through walls for the club and I don't doubt his motivation or desire as a manger either. obviously, nobody on here can comment on his ability to man manage (although we might speculate), but most of us have opinions about his lack of tactical awareness and appropriate team selection. The sense at trhe moment is that he's just spinning the wheel for each game in the hope that a team magically appears to solve all of our problems. I wish he had understood that he was out of his depth months ago and resigned, but I understand why he didn't. So, the board are culpable for taking the cheap option when Hughes left. Hughes must shoulder some fo the blame for the unsavoury way he left the club and Richie himself for not being man enough to accept that this was too early for him. finally, the players are ultimately responsible for what happens on the pitch. with a few exceptions, I would question the desire and team spirit throughout the season. It isn't over yet, but I fear it will be soon...then the blodd-letting will really begin.

Fair play, Robert. The problem I'm having is that I don't recognise the team from one week to the next. Butcher and Hughes' success was built on consistency of selection and tactics. I have no association with the players or team this year - it seems to be a random group that is put on the park, which challenges loyalty. I'll be there to tge bitter end and will scream and shout to encourage, but boy they're making it hard!

Fon Wlliams McNaughton Laing McCart Tremarco Draper Tansey Mulraney Polworyh King Mckay ....but Richie will have different ideas.

The question depends on what league we're in. Take Horner for example: If we're in prem, I don't think he's quite there. Championship - well, we'll be desperate and he's not so bad... IHE has a point, though. They'll all be gone, I'm afraid.

Richie means well and truly loves the club, but is having a shocker. If he truly loves the club he needs to admit defeat... But he won't and the board can't afford to sack him because 3 years' salary will cripple us. So, we'll slip into the darkness without a whimper on account of a poor appointment, combined with an arrogant/pig-headed manager who can't accept his limitations. The question is: Just how much damage can Richie do in 4 years? Part-time football? Almost certainly IMO.

Fon Williams: 5. Need to see it again, but not sure he covered himself in glory for the first. McNaughton: 8. Quality throughout. Just lacks the pace and stamina for the role Foran gave him. McCart: 8. This guy has real quality. Defence fell apart when he and McNaughton were subbed. Warren: 2. Had a good first half, but should have been the fall guy with the subs. Started to lose it when he got booked for dissent, then had a mare for th last 20 min and should be ashamed of being sent off as club captain after the final whistle. Laing: 5. Started off OK in defence, but is not a CDM and had woeful passing display 2nd half. Tremarco: 6. Not his best, but tried hard. Proably had amongst our best chances, but snatched at them. Draper: 4. Not a great day at the office. Looks at sea just now... Tansey: 8. No doubting his commitment. Was at the centre of most good things today. Cole: 3. Had some good moments in the game, but let all of us down for his sending off. I shared his frustration with the foul, however, to take 2 yellows for continuous dissent is unforgivable. Sending off killed us. Mckay: 7. Poor Billy. Plays his heart out, but too often was down the channel instead of being in the centre. Still created, though...sadly, chances didn't quite go for him. Fisher: 6. Good link up at times, but not sharp and didn't get a sniff. King: 5. Made an impact to some extent, but just doesn't seem to have quite the quality necessary... Polworth: 6. Lovely ball through to Billy for one of our best chances. Worked his socks off. Boden:1. No time to make any impact at a time when the team had imploded. Foran: 3. First half set-up worked, but not my favourite formation - McNaughton is a good full back, but not a wing back! Substitutions were astonishingly poor. No Mulraney and taking off our two best defenders was catastrophic. He has no better idea of our first 11 than Donald Trump and his tactics generally stink. Should have admitted defeat long ago but seems determined to lead us into the Championship. Deluded. Ref. 3. OK first half, but some shockers in the 2nd. Cole looked to have been fouled...not given...dissent...yellow...dissent...yellow/red. Penalty looked right decision: Poor challenge. No idea about what happened in tunnel with Warren. 2 reds in a game with barely a bad challenge is either a reflection of very poor reffing or appalling self-discipline.