cif73

The only silver lining in this farcical SFA merry-go-round is that Utd should have a much better chance of dumping Celtic in the SC replay with Shifty available for selection.

11 mins of highlights from RR TV ... http://www.raithrovers.net/raithtv?vid=328

Good on you for taking the time and effort to write. Warren would never have reacted like that if he had slipped innocently by his own fault. Even the commentator recognises Ciftci's leading with the elbow. The replays of both the Ciftci incidents (with Shinnie and Warren) are pretty damning.

So the message that the SFA is conveying is ... "Go on, be dirty ... Even be dirty on camera ... So long as the ref doesn't see you, you're fine with us pal so fill your boots"

Has Kink actually signed yet? The P & J is the only paper that ran the story that he had signed ... and that was 2 days ago. Nothing seemingly confirmed anywhere else ... apart from Wikipedia ;) What's the crack?

Esson Raven Devine Meekings Shinnie Draper Tansey Watkins Christie Doran Ofere

Sounds good. Would love to see Doran get more game time.

Ofere oh-way-ho Ofere oh-way-oh

And we're not great at chasing a game. A bit of craft? ... How about giving Doran a run out?

He's not played in Serie A! He has ...and scored in it ... Check this out ... For Lecce :) http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/edward-ofere/profil/spieler/35761

He's from Nigeria ... He's played in Serie A ... Ofere ... oh-way-oh ... Ofere ... Oh-way-oh!!

Happy days ... Personal note to self ... Have faith ... We get there in the end :) BTW how long does international clearance take? Could he be in the squad for tomorrow?

http://youtu.be/PM3_VaZhTd0 He addresses the Milwall situation in this video. He would have fitted in well in our dressing room in my opinion but wasn't meant to be. Thanks for sharing this video interview. Very interesting. Back to Motherwell for football, not money. Wants to go back to playing upfront and scoring goals. I know its words but saying the right things. I agree with you ICTRoughi. It hasn't happened with us and it's spilled milk ... but I would be most disappointed with the club IF they hadn't even considered Scott McDonald.

As a later post indicates, MacDonald was latterly playing deeper for Millwall which may throw some light on that goals ratio. Also, it's a different level. Not massively so but time will tell if McKay at Wigan has a significantly better ratio. Regarding " promoting from within", I'm delighted with the homegrown players like Christie who have broken through and established themselves. Long may it continue. However, in a season that could promise so much, I think it is expecting too much of Ferguson and Sutherland to bridge the gap (at the tough "business end" of the season) as quickly as I'd like. Moreover, Watkins, despite his tireless efforts and enthusiasm, has unfortunately shown to date that his undoubted strengths do not lie in being a clinical 6 yard box finisher. IMHO that is what we are frustratingly now lacking at a crucial, and particularly exciting juncture in our history to date.

ICTRoughi (page 1 of this thread) and myself (page 11) both suggested Scott MacDonald at the start of this month. This thread has virtually been defined by posters making reasonable striker suggestions only to see other clubs pick them up. Even around/before the start of the January window, Yogi was saying in the press that we should expect a bigger club to come in for McKay. I think the club was probably baiting a club to come in with some welcome money. Charles Bannerman has said elsewhere that the club budget has historically relied on periodic windfalls. This might have been viewed as another one. Consequently, right or wrong, the contingency plan must have been to "promote from within". The club would have well aware that Scott MacDonald was a free agent and I'm certain would have been given some consideration. How do you know that no approach was made to the player or his agent and that he simply didn't want to come this far North or priced himself beyond our wage structure ? I think it's legitimate enough to be critical of the club in principle for not replacing Billy McKay but it's going a bit far to criticise for not signing a particular individual without knowing whether that person was willing to come and, if so,on what terms. Not criticising really. Just saying it has become a recurring theme. To be honest,for me, frustration is finally turning to a kind of grudging acceptance that maybe it's all about a tight budget and we just have to make the best of it. I may have assumed but others seem a bit ready to assume that people just don't want to come up to Inverness. That is becoming a cop-out assumption frankly. We aren't talking about Messi. Maybe not the biggest, most lucrative club but we are competing, playing attractive football and, away from football, it is a beautiful and friendly part of the world.

ICTRoughi (page 1 of this thread) and myself (page 11) both suggested Scott MacDonald at the start of this month. This thread has virtually been defined by posters making reasonable striker suggestions only to see other clubs pick them up. Even around/before the start of the January window, Yogi was saying in the press that we should expect a bigger club to come in for McKay. I think the club was probably baiting a club to come in with some welcome money. Charles Bannerman has said elsewhere that the club budget has historically relied on periodic windfalls. This might have been viewed as another one. Consequently, right or wrong, the contingency plan must have been to "promote from within".

Cifti did more than that ... if you look at the SPL highlights available now on youtube, what led to the sending off was Warren's reaction to Cifci clambering all over him and leading the elbow ... Cifti arguably should have walked himself ... but it's our player that gets the red card and suspension :(

In theory yes ... But just a coincidence that both of the Castle Wynd 2 injured/out of squad?

Very well said that man ... But is anyone listening??

Wondering if Allan Preston could possibly even try to hide the fact he used to play for United ... Why can't we get impartial commentary?

Should read "get a flippin' striker for flips sake" ;)

Why is Kink a free agent? Maybe not the answer but here's an old clip (his best game for Middlesborough) including a post-match critique of him by then manager Gordon Strachan ... A bit sensitive and didn't like the physicality in England. If that's the worst that can be said, I'm not worried and the SPL is most probably less physical than the English Championship. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3I-zNfQDbOw

Appreciate your observation Caley Mad In Berks but where we are more obviously missing Billy is with chances around the 6 yard box (no shock I know!). There was an instance on Saturday when we were attacking the North Stand goal and a cross ball seemed to go through Marley Watkins' legs as he was running onto it. It honestly looked easier to get some sort of nick on it than nothing at all. No guarantees and mere speculation but I would have fancied Billy to put that sort of chance away.

Correct. 4 goals for Middlesborough including coming off the bench to score 2 goals in the last 15 minutes in a 2:1 victory over Burnley in the Championship. Sweet :) http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tarmo-kink/leistungsdaten/spieler/44094 Not scared to have a pop at goal either ... look at these bad boys :)

Correct. 4 goals for Middlesborough including coming off the bench to score 2 goals in the last 15 minutes in a 2:1 victory over Burnley in the Championship. Sweet :) http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tarmo-kink/leistungsdaten/spieler/44094