cif73

We are no doubt all delighted with where we are but why let it fade. See my longer post above. In a few weeks time our away games will just be against top six teams, not an inconsistent bottom six one like today. Good to aim high. I remember the post match interview Alex Ferguson gave after Aberdeen beat Rangers in the 1983 Scottish Cup Final after extra time. A gruelling but hugely successful week where they had also beaten Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners Cup ... After extra time on a heavy pitch. Players probably utterly exhausted. What did he say? It was a disgraceful Aberdeen performance and the players should have been ashamed of themselves!! What on earth is my point in this? That ... That is a winning mentality. He maybe pushed it too far, encouragement naturally has its place but it is a good, good thing to push one's team on especially if you know they can do better. Aim at nothing and you're sure to hit your target.

Ironically, apart from his presence in the air, the one thing that has really stood out about Ofere at the home games is his excellent ball control at least when he receives the ball to feet. I would love to see a "front four" of Ofere with Doran, Christie and Watkins behind. That is where Watkins has been best.

Thanks for the detailed review but I think it makes me feel even more disappointed. A real opportunity missed. I just cannot fathom why Doran isn't goven more game time. When he is given a proper run-out, he often has that bit of craft required.

Its all well and good to say that but we have now said that the last few weeks Sitting 3rd in the league, approaching April, and people still find something to be negative about. I know Partick are something of a bogey team. However, even if this was a blip (it's not given bad recent league form), this result is mildly disappointing purely based on relative table positions ... And that would be the case in any league the world over. Just because we are Inverness doesn't mean we shouldn't aim higher still ... Or at least do a better job of consolidating what we have. It's almost as if, because we are relatively new to this lofty position, we feel as though we don't deserve it, we're not worthy. We do deserve it, we are worthy and seeing Aberdeen drop points today before our kick-off we should have been fired up to make inroads on 2nd place. Yes we are delighted with what the team has achieved this season so far but why stop now? Even Graeme Shinnie said in the P & J today that he really wants us to really drive on to the end this season unlike the tail end of the last two ... His words.

If that's the case, then the SFA decision represents a judgement on the descriptive words used rather than the act itself. Lol. Beggars belief.

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?