Council Juice

I'd like to see that SP. Get Doran behind the main striker and Shinnie in a left wing free role interchanging with him, just like Bale without the constant diving. When fit Draper and Foran in the middle of the park. Sorted. I do think Ross has the pace and passing ability to be a effective winger.

I hope he stays. Lad showed a lot of promise early doors. Maybe ask him to not commit to anything. I don't really buy into the "We spent a lot of money getting him fit again" ideology. 1) Surely clubs are insured to cover these events and 2) as an employer of staff working in a dangerous work place (surely one of the higher risk jobs injury wise, along with vending machine reloading) then the employer has a duty of care to it's staff who risk injury by working. And as the job is a specialist one, the employer should make cover the expense of required treatment. Besides it's a broken leg. The treatment is pretty standard across the board.

I think Shinnie would do a better job. He's always fairly confident of taking a dig from an opportunistic area so I think he's got the mentality to step up. his previous record is good enough. 3 in 4.

Standards a little lower. Probably lower than that of our under 20 league. Funny, I started this thread. Didn't realise that till now (since starting it anyway).

I agree with you Doofer. It's annoying when people get hypocritical like that but that's not my point. I've never been overly critical of 1 year extensions but I am of the timing of when they are offered (or at least when they seem to be offered). And I agree that key players should get long term deals. This in my eyes includes McKay, Foran (he'll be a coach anyway, maybe more, so age is irrelevant), Warren, Meekings, Shinnie and Draper. The rest are 1st team squad member, most who I would not want to lose but are not "key" men in my eyes. I certainly don't see Williams and Tremarco as key players. Quite important and not easily replaced but still, not key. However I will concede that so long as the club has sufficient release clauses, and wage clauses in the contracts etc as a safe guard I'm fairly content.

Nick Ross to me is a bit of a tidy, unsung hero. He keeps the ball rolling. Not overly offensive (won't score double figures) and not a defending mid either but he links pay well and is neat and tidy at it. He's not much of a goal scorer or a assist maker, nor can he really tackle. In that respect he reminds me of Michael Carrick. Derided for years before everyone saw last year the job he does for the side. Always consistent and always in the 1st eleven. There's a reason for that. He's dependable. had he scored the pen and we had won I doubt anyone would be saying anything. How was the pitch yesterday? I see that fanny Jackie Mcnamara criticise it and blamed it on the injury. Normally we're known for having a top pitch, but it is winter and the weather has been quite harsh. I've not seen it of late. Normally it's like a bowling green. Bit hypocritical of anyone from Tannadice to critique another pitch given the amount of times it's been reduced to a sand pit.

Perhaps it's personal medical reasons that don't allow him to play a full game. Or perhaps the staff are unsure if his mindset is correct but he's too good to be left out the squad altogether. Or maybe as he wasn't in the team when Hughes took over, we'd had a few clean sheets and Hughes didn't want to change that.

Can't blame him. Should have been sorted out earlier. Now we've given him more opportunity to talk to other clubs.

I thought Filip Sebo was a decent player towards the end. Wasn't a goal scorer but had plenty energy and strength. Just never came of for him, but few of the Le Guen transfers did. I think they were all gone by the summer.

I've never been so much a critic of short contracts, just of leaving it until the last minute to offer players, who have attracted outside interest, new deals. Hayes, Rooney, Shinnie all examples. If they had been offered deals the summer before they'd left (We all knew they were worth another year) then chances are they'd have signed as the mid term future was secure. Leaving it to January just leaves the door open for other clubs to turn their heads with a contract offer. So yes, these players deserved another year on top of existing contracts, but I'd prefer 1 year with the option of a further year as opposed to 2 automatically.

I'm not sure he merits a 2 year extension. 1 year fair enough but 2 year exension? He's not done anything yet. What about Draper?

Maierhofers pedigree is quite good and if he can do it Austria he should manage in Scotland to bang to bang them in. 98 goals in 247 games is a very good goals to game ratio. Better than 1 in 3. He's 2 metres tall so he's got aerial presence. If we get him I'd be quite happy. I don't care if he's flopped at Koln. They're in the German 2nd league which is probably stronger than the SPL these days. he was good at Red Bull the year before -15 goals in 39 games. he's vastly experienced too. Great for us. We have a young squad. I doubt it would be Rory Fallon as he's only just been released. Touch wood.

He might be decent as a foil for McKay but certainly not a replacement. He isn't going to score the goals but he might help make the space for others to do so.

He was an excellent player in the SPL for both Hibs and Falkirk and has a very good football brain. I would hope he can transfer his methods to the players. People may have reservations about his attitude to training and the fact he is a chain smoker but it has to be pointed out he was still playing SPL football until his late 30s. He is very fit. Also if you were from the Caribbean would you like training in Falkirk in the middle of January? i certainly wouldn't.

Whilst I am generally in favour of slightly longer deals I'm starting to get concerned that every player we have seem to be signing on for 2 or more years. Yes it brings stability to the squad but it is a long term commitment. We are now losing the ability to easily move these players on. Williams for example probably merited another year, but 2 for a fringe player? I would also consider Tremarco as back up to Shinnie. If Draper gets offered a 2 year extension I'll be happy as he is a key player. But it should not be happening for every player as the trend seems to be going. In my view key players should be signed on for a further year, the summer before the original contract was due to expire. This would probably have kept Shinnie, Rooney and Hayes at the club or at least brought in a fee. Keep key players always with an additional 12 months to avoid pre contracts and free transfers wherever possible Fringe players should only get max year extensions in January at earliest. At the moment some are getting two years. ICT as a club needs flexibility with contracts in order to be able to move players on if required. We are not a big enough club for all players to be on multiple year deals. Maybe I'm being negative. It just worries me.

Both on deals till summer 2016.

I think we'd best leave Vine where he is And I'd love Sheils but he's still got 3 years on his deal so it's a no goer. Thompson didn't shine at Hibs 2nd time round but we need cover in that position

I agree partially with you about people who already have allegiances with other clubs when moving to Inverness. People who have supported Scottish clubs i can understand but maybe people with English teams may be able to embrace Scottish football and more importantly Caley Thistle. I am testament to that. I was born in England and was brought up supporting Man Utd like my dad did. When we moved to Caithness me and my Dad went to watch Inverness play ayr united at TCS when we were still a first division team in front of just over a 1,000 fans. We ended going to a few random games which included a great day out at Hampden for the Scottish cup semi with Dunfermline before watching from the Bridge the most momentous day in the clubs history. I missed the first season in the SPL due to being at pittordrie but i got my season ticket and never looked back for the next six years. My sister joined me we travelled every second saturday from Caithness to see a team we had fallen in love with lose the majority at home but we still kept going back. I even continued when i was based in stirling during my University days. I am not Ivernesian or even scottish but i will aways remain a Caley Jag even if i cant get to games regular atm. We can still progress, we havent even had our 20th anniversary yet while most clubs are over 100 years old. But it can happen people from outside can come inside and fall in love with everything the highlands have to offer including the top Highland football side. It wont go up by huge amounts in the short term but we may see things improve as time passes. It is up to us supporters now to get behind the team and cheer on a team that is unique but magical aswell MON THE CALEY JAGS As a United fan I guess you'll be getting used to your team losing at home then Sorry low blow. You're dead right though. People are quick to forget that ICT aren't even 20 years a team and how far we've come in such a short space of time.

Is he really the new manager any more? I mean, It was last year. I think even talking about Yogi is off topic now...

Yeah you want something fairly simple and easy to chant that bigs the team up. Imagine our support trying to get round the exact stadium capacity in song. It's a struggle enough with just "Caley". Lets just get that family ness tune and adapt that slightly. "You may see a Ayr Utd, a Hibs, County too, but you'll never see a Nessie in the zoo" "You may go parkhead, govan, down to dens park too, and it's caley thistle followed through and though." Fun cheerful easy, catchy. Some sort the verses.... tweak that chorus - sorted! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ARKlo-GBgQ Thats the ending theme but there is also the starting them that could easily be mixed with it for the verse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFR0brxrxjI It even mentions a secret "thistle" whislte. Easily changed to a caley thistle whistle. Give me a break I have a broken leg and lots of free time...

I wouldn't mind Latapy as the assistant. Bring something different to the club. Preferably a good tactician. Someone who is known as a student of the game. I hear AVB is out of a job at the moment, and his stock needs rising.

I'm not saying that Hughes is entirely blameless. I feel he should be doing more to put himself up as the manager, rather than the guy coming along to keep things ticking over with seamless transitions. But I do feel a little of what is happening is out with his, our any other managers control. I also didn't say a slump was inevitable exactly, just that the signs were there that the slump in results was on it's way, as the form was dipping. Add injuries and suspensions to what in reality is a small and limited squad (remember that every player was free, and probably none of the ones who were signed were known without research). Sure they are a talented bunch of lads, but not so that they are immune to dips in form and results. Even Celtic who probably have players on wages akin to our whole 1st team put together have had dodgy patches. Now is the time that Hughes has to earn his wages. He's come into teams normally who need a change in manager and nearly always has an upturn in results. However this is the 1st time where he's taken over a flying team (It's quite rare in any case) mid season just as a few cracks are beginning to show. All it takes is one little change and that can completely upset momentum. To be honest, still not sure on hughes. For me the jury is still out. But I'm going to give him a chance and the benefit of the doubt for now. But we need a win before it becomes a run of bad form. And I cannot stand the idea of Butcher getting all smug and the idea that the success is 100% all because of him.

I thought it was quite funny actually. But it can't really be our song. Not seriously.

We really need to get Draper on a new deal. Even just a year extension. The rest can wait till the summer i think. Otherwise we be better be prepared for pre contracts.

We've never spent "freely" anyway. it makes no difference. It went on Forans contract.