wynthank15

Wedderburn is definitely a holding midfield player, his build prevents him from being particularly mobile but I see him as a sitting midfielder in front of the defensive line, i thought he played well against Astra, decent passer and tackler. He and Tansey could play central with Christie ahead of them, Williams on the left Vincent or Polworth on the right and Vigurs or Sutherland in the inside right position slightly ahead of the midfield in support of Storey. This would mean playing three at the back with Tremarco dropping out. Williams is quick enough to provide cover down the left.I know this changes the system used to date but given the injury situation is probably the most attacking line up we could field.

Other than the monetary aspect I am unconcerned that we have no more games to play in this pointless competition. Given our injury list i wouldn't mind some weather cancellations too. JH said in his interview last night there are no signs of anyone coming back at the moment. Vigurs strength is getting in behind the oppositions midfield where he can support the striker or have a shot, this is not where he is being played the result being he is either benched or subbed, I don't feel we are getting the best out of this player. There are also times when a longer ball is needed particularly when the opposition plays high up the pitch with a pressing game. All you need is a bad bounce or poor touch and you've lost it in your own half. I'm all for playing passing football in the right areas but sometimes you have to put your foot through the ball.

I may be too pessimistic but I don't expect anything from the team this season, I just hope we can stay up. We have lost or sold our best players, we may lose Christie and Storey in January, I honestly don't understand having a player on loan for only six months, though I understand the desperation when these players are strikers, every goal is priceless. We have a stack of players with what appear to be long term injuries who will need 3/4 games just to get match fit and its extremely difficult for JH to find a settled side and some rhythm when he has to chop and change constantly. We were very fortunate last season re injuries but its possible that playing so many games with the same 12/13 players has taken its toll on some of them. I yearn for the days when almost every top team had their regular top players and you could enjoy watching them for a number of seasons, now it seems every team is scrambling in the basement bin trying to replace those who have left for one reason or another. I also disagree with the handsome chap in the article Scottish football is rubbish but if clubs keep selling their best players there is no chance of building a side to consistently play decent football, Dundee Utd being a case in point.Even Celtic with all their resources are toiling to live with the standard in the Europa cup and yet they are beating the rest at a canter, when non league players from the south can get a regular starting slot in a Scottish premier team and become a star that says it all about the standard.(I'm not knocking the non league guys, i used to play with some of the boys in what was called the Gola league many years ago but most would never have got near a Scottish 1st div (Premier) side) At the current rate of decline I can foresee many clubs becoming part time unless there are changes. Frankly, I hope Dundee Utd get relegated, its what their chairman deserves after treating their fans with utter contempt midway through a season, absolutely disgraceful. Those players are now warming the Celtic bench. End of rant.

Pimple, you told me in the league cup thread you could remember every game going back 60 years, now your memory is a bit iffy which is it? Just back from a week down south where my host was a lifelong Swindon fan, doesn't get to many games now as he is in his 70's and lives in Bournemouth, he wasn't even aware of Storey but am sure he will be happy at the managers departure as they were dropping like a stone. It seems he had put a huge number of players out on loan and sold their best like Richie to Bournemouth. Sounds like money problems at the club.

LOL IBM good quote

Pimple, you're right, the only reason for this tournament is money. They are currently talking about bringing back the group sections which will kill it stone dead, thankfully.

I remember the game Mantis a desperate Rangers trying to win any trophy during Celtic's period of domination, which resulted in the second highest recorded attendance for the LC, after that, Hampden was only half full (70,000) on a handful of occasions and usually much less. Lowest recorded after 1970 was Dundee Utd v Aberdeen 79/80 27,173. Some of the top club's lowest ever attendances were recorded in the LC sections in the 70's and 80's, they were truly grim and ignored by all but the diehards. In fact, old firm reserve games (against other teams) attracted more interest. It was a poor competition then, though it had a reward but it's even more pointless now with no European place and the thought of sections being brought back makes me cringe. More pointless group games is the last thing ICT's small squad needs, not to mention the financial implications. About as relevant as the Glasgow or North Cup. Back in the day the OF used the group games as development squad matches but then they had excellent reserve teams who won at a canter against the minnows.

Hee Hee nice one, Depends on the draw Pimple but seriously what would your choice be SC or league cup? i don't know your age, but I can remember the league sections they were awful with seriously low crowds even for matches between decent teams, in those days the old firm would play half their reserve team, the only incentive was a European place if you won it but no one made serious money from it. Even some of the finals had pretty small gates. For a small club like ours in the premier Div I don't think the wear and tear on players and the risk of injury is worth it.

Not unless you draw one of the big clubs and/or get to the final Pimple. Some of the gates at the LC wouldn't cover the cost of putting a match on, plus there's no reward for winning it.

Agreed Alex.

Time we dumped this meaningless trophy unless they bring back a European slot. They are actually toying with the idea of bringing back the league sections which would be an utter disaster as it was last time. With the size of our playing squad i would be quite happy to pass on this tournament permanently, there's no glory or money in it.

No way should Foran manage ICT until he has cut his teeth in the lower leagues. JH is both Manager and Coach he has changed our style of play. In fact not since the days of Steve Paterson has ICT been so attractive to watch. We need stable management, coaching and scouting if we are to progress so yes, i would offer JH a contract extension now. let's not repeat history where we waited for an approach from Aberdeen before offering Paterson a 5 year contract. Let's face it, if a manager is at a club which has to consistently sell/release it's best players it's not going to take much to turn his head and move on. If he has security of employment it is a different situation. I am sure Dundee Utd and Motherwell would love to have him as their Manager. Utd in particular have a lot of talented youngsters which would appeal to JH in terms of building a team.

Getting back to the subject, did anyone see Collum's performance in the champions league between Gent and Lyon? Two Gent players straight red carded the first was never a red. He gives a corner to Lyon that was a bye kick from which they scored and according to the commentary should have sent off Feri of Lyon for what was described as a two footed assault. Collum should be nowhere near professional football except as a spectator. I can only wonder at what club directors and players must think when they see his name down for their game not to mention the fans having their entertainment ruined for which they paid good money. Short highlights and commentary. http://www.footytube.com/video/KAA-Gent-vs-Olympique-Lyon-371241 http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/lyon/champions-league/live-commentary/live-commentary-gent-vs-lyon_246533.html#$nv4lz7&&ftu+wmHgEeWp2BKxit6XgQ$

Frequency column above is as bad as collum is a referee 5 sent off in 25 games is 20% 8 sent off in 37 is 21.62% etc

Personally I think RC has gone too early he is a young player with promise but needs to establish himself as a Celtic regular otherwise he could go the way of so many other promising players. If you were offered such a pay rise you would take it. That said the standard of Scottish Football has declined substantially, I recall ICT beating a good Celtic side after they had beaten Liverpool 2-0 at Annfield and that was when we were a first Div side. I find the constant looting of promising players by the OF irritating. Let's face it, if the league was any good the English premiership and Championship would take any Scottish player they please including from the OF. The standard is much lower than it was in the 1980's which again was lower than the 70's, 60's and 50's. I think that Vigurs is a stronger player than Christie and will ultimately provide more assists and score more goals assuming he keeps the head, it's an unfair comparison since Vigurs is 27 but I think he will be a more effective player given time and a fair wind (injuries etc). To put things in perspective how would you rate Ryan to Ian Durrant at the same age? and NO I don't have a second team.

If someone mistimes a punch (assuming they don't miss completely) or a tackle in the box you go down even if you can stay on your feet, that's always been the case for as long as I can remember. It's their problem and the refs not yours.

That's why I made such a song and dance about keeping Watkins who whilst a converted winger would have improved in the central position with his pace and strength, I agree with lightlamp2, I would have given Shinnie's and Ross's salary to keep him we have cover for those two positions. If you don't have a target up front who will run in behind and thereby stretch the game your midfield will gradually go into a shell looking sideways and back instead of forward. I've seen it happen before.

Inverness Eagles/ Eagle Ultras?

Renegede, Ofere is so so coming onto a ball with foot or head but then so was I, he couldn't trap a bag of cement, has no touch, and as a result can't hold the ball up to support midfield runners, he plays like he's on roller skates. Watkins is the real deal, good touch good in the air, pacy, can finish and can bend his runs to stay onside. The only area where watkins is weak is finishing which will come with confidence in his relatively new position. There are very few Watkins out there, there are many Oferes.

Here is a player who has been with Elgin, Aberdeen, Celtic, ICT, County and Motherwell and has just been released. I was always impressed by Vigurs when he usually appeared as a sub during the Brewster era, he has a good touch and an eye for goal and was excellent during his time at County. he has always had an attitude problem but I believe under Hughes with an arm around the shoulder or a kick up the backside he could be an unpolished gem who should be scoring far more goals than he has to date. He is only 27 years old which is when players should be approaching their peak, with the right guidance, I believe this is a player we could get within our budget and who could potentially be a terrific signing.

As I've said earlier in this post, I believe the club should push the boat out for watkins, he has all the attributes to become a top striker, it would be money well spent in goals and a future transfer fee, the fact that so many clubs are interested is testament to that. As regards Ofere he can go anytime as far as i am concerned no touch, no pace, can't hold up play and not that good in the air for such a tall man, not someone you can build a strike force around.

I am one of the supporters who doesn't get to the TCS that often. At the cup final the two girls next to me had travelled from Greece and Vancouver for the game, in relation to the size of the home support i get the impression that ICT have a larger proportion of overseas supporters, supporters outside Inverness and guys who work offshore which can be up to a 2 month stint. I feel ICT need to attract more local support. When I was a boy County were regarded as THE highland team by the west coasters and islanders. I also know of supporters who used to watch ICT and County (heresy I know) on alternative weekends, I'm sure as the club matures and keeps up its level of performance, the numbers will grow. Two things in my opinion would help, keep Marley Watkins who I think will be a top front man and bring back a standing area so that my athritic hips don't seize up sitting in the cold wind.

Joe, he was our captain after all can you really see him saying no chance? I accept it's not 5mins work.

Looked at my CF programme and thought it would be nice if it were signed by the squad for Saturday but on reflection realised it would deface the programme and that there were few areas with a white background to do so and that it would be a pain to post off the programme to the club and have them post it back. i then thought what would be much simpler would be to have the players all autograph a sheet of Club headed notepaper which could be inserted into the programme, job done. i would be willing to pay a tenner for the club to do this so phoned them and suggested it, say 2000 progs x £10 = £20,000. The gentleman I spoke to said it would be no problem (I got the impression, they hadn't thought about it, he also said no bother before I mentioned money, what a lovely club ICT is) anyhow, i am sending off my request with a tenner enclosed. The players are not back till pre season, so it will not happen immediately. He did mention the problem that Shinnie had moved though agreed he couldn't see him refusing to sign 1,000-2,000 requests, if asked. I also took the opportunity to ask him about Marley Watkins on which he was non committal, if you want to know my reasons why I believe Watkins must not go to another SPL club see the Watkins thread.

The club should make every effort to retain Watkins and he should not be allowed to move to another SPL club, if he does we will pay the price. For a guy who has only recently converted from being a winger he has done exceptionally well and could become a terrific front man. Quite apart from his pace, ability in the air and a decent touch he has that bloody mindedness that he will not be out muscled by a defender and that is what every great striker must have if he is to succeed, you don't find it in many players, only in the best of them. Compare him to Ofere who looks like he plays on roller skates, has no touch, is too easily outmuscled and has no pace. Given a couple of years to understand his new position, I believe Watkins has what it takes to be a top striker in the English championship, his checked run in the cup final proves he has the brain of a striker.