jingsmonty

On 2017-5-10 at 0:18 AM, Row S said:

The away top looks like we've gone all Formula 1 with the chequered flag. Simple white would be better despite the Clach similarities. I would have preferred a complete change to red or even back to black.

I'd also forgotten how cheap looking the Errea gear is. Remember their top sizes are 2 down from normal. So if you are a large it's 2XL you will need to order.

Definetly..I had an XL carbrini top & had to get a 3XL this time!

13 minutes ago, ictchris said:

We also had Jonny Hayes at the time we had Mackay-Steven on trial.

According to the Express report about Foran today, Boden and Mulreany are free to find other clubs.  If those are two of the bad apples then questions need to be asked about the recruitment - Foran signed both players on relatively long-term deals.  He's also brought Mulreany back into the side recently and he's actually shown a bit of promise.

Ludicrous if Mulraney is being let go - would suprise me as would the club have used him for the launch of the new tops? I know he's been a bit 'pace but no final ball', but he is a young player with lots to learn - a decent prospect. Boden..not too fussed one way or another. 

Makes you wonder who'll be left in the squad if we are shunting out players on long contracts?

Rather Foran left, to be honest..

Just now, jingsmonty said:

Certainly less tense & more unadulterated joy, know what you mean! 

Also enjoyed the open top bus & northern meeting park do the day after - made sure I savoured that to the full!!

Was there when we won the challenge cup (2003?) at Mcdermaid park when we beat Airdrie..I'll never, ever forget being there when we lifted the cup - watched the game again several times that weekend...!

Scottish cup, that is...

Still follow Marley Watkins on twitter & really chuffed for him just being selected for the Welsh squad - one of the best players we've ever had, what a find he was!! True gentleman too...

2 minutes ago, ictchris said:

I hated the Scottish cup final, it was utter torture.  Decent first half and excellent goal but we were rotten in the second half and I'm still kind of amazed we won it.  Marley Watkins is owed a lot by this club for what he did in that game.

The semi-final is my favourite moment as a Caley fan, what a performance.

Certainly less tense & more unadulterated joy, know what you mean! 

Also enjoyed the open top bus & northern meeting park do the day after - made sure I savoured that to the full!!

Was there when we won the challenge cup (2003?) at Mcdermaid park when we beat Airdrie..I'll never, ever forget being there when we lifted the cup - watched the game again several times that weekend...!

24 minutes ago, Robert said:

Just think, the same Saturday two years ago, just 104 weeks, was our moment!

Sitting in the Hampden stand, less than 15 minutes from kick off.

A tremendous occasion and match, which we won the hard way.

Great memory, we can only hope for more in the future.

My football highlight!

Mine too, closely followed by the semi-final that season..was at Hampden in 2003 & 2004 when we reached the semis as a 1st division club..

Getting promoted to tbe premier the 1st time & beating Clyde to the 1st division title that year would be up there too..

Biggest ICT regret? Not being able to make it to Bucharest...

23 minutes ago, cif73 said:

Hamilton ... purely because I suspect they'd be less of a threat next season. 

Totally agree with that - less resources than Dundee Utd. Annoyed that we allowed ourselves to finish below a team like Hamilton this season, but hey ho..

59 minutes ago, 12th Man said:

Well impressed with the set up for selling the new strip and the 100 tickets for a kids football match.

https://m.facebook.com/ICTFC/photos/a.793478897343028.1073741848.186972367993687/1517537584937152/?type=3&source=54

I wonder if there's a plan B for additional sales for kids strips.

Maybe selfies with the players, autographs and a group photo for additional junior sales after the match.

 

Good example of clever marketing...more please!!

Who knows? If we had Armstrong, no point saying 'what if' - he went & thats it, time to move on..

Probably far too late but '2015 Scottish Cup winners' car window stickers would have been a good seller - I asked at the club shop/portakabin' at the time, as I naievely assumed the club would have sold this..saw a car with 'St Johnstone 2014 Scottish Cup winners' and thought 'I'd like an ICT version...'.

Maybe '2017/18 Petrofac cup winners' or '2017/18 Scottish Championship Champions', in an ideal world....

13 minutes ago, Westhill1 said:

I know we have all been critical of the club of late and some of the recent comments have been over the top! However we really need to start getting  the basics right for instance I was down at the stadium this morning hoping to purchase a new away top for my son and surprise surprise the club shop was closed with no notification of whether it would be open or not! The doors to reception were also closed. Do they want our money? Granted I could have phoned / tweeted beforehand to check but come on it was 10.45 on a Saturday morning and I grudge spending my work lunch time through the week going down to the shop. It's time we got our act together its little or basic things like this that gives off the impression that we have a amateur set up! I do not want to blame individuals here but the club as a whole who really need to step up a gear!

Totally agree with that! The club can be very amateurish with things like merchandising...For example - why didn't they have '2015 Scottish Cup winners' car stickers for sale? 

I got down when the Errea truck was here, but can fully appreciate that a weekday opening doesn't suit everyone. 

I seem to remember a few years ago that Debenhams in Eastgate centre used to have a small ICT stand for tops, etc - might be an idea to explore something like this again - the stadium shop (sorry, portakabin...) isn't very convenient for all.

The pop up shop in the market (prior to the cup final) did well, but the club said it would cost far too much to have a city centre dedicated shop, which is fair enough.

Fresh ideas needed....!!

5 minutes ago, Robert said:

Or there may be negotiations with individuals taking place that cannot result in a public statement of any kind until fully resolved.

Very likely scenario, as if RF is walking, who could blame him for seeking a decent severance - he does have a family to support/mortgage,etc. Maybe BR walking as well...?

On 2017-5-24 at 7:50 PM, IBM said:

jingsmonty don't suggest that on here you will upset the old ones  that is the Clach colours 

I meant black instead of white,not black & white...just make the home top as it is, take out the white & replace it with black & it would be a winner...red,black & blue should be our home colours - NO white! We've had red/blue stripes with black collar/trim before, looks smart.

Happy with the away top though, for those of us who like white tops! (Although prefer last years vanilla/black number-think I'm the only one who does...).

Favourite away top was the black one with red/blue trim (the one that they put the fans names onto for a season...for an anniversary, possibly the clubs 15th?) - thats my lucky top, although it didn't work this season.....

I'm hoping that the continuing silence from the board re our managerial situation is purely because the board is in a state of flux...if there is some fresh investment from the Muirfield Mills lot, we need to spend it on a new manager....

15 minutes ago, finmack said:

If Foran stays, it shows no ambition by the board, and the club will be run by a bunch of numpties. The silence from the board shows nothing but contempt for the supporters.

As much as I want to disagree with this, I can't!!

27 minutes ago, Moogthurso said:

Ok we keep richie and punt rice. 

This is the same guy  that was part of the team that got lang. Mcart. Mcnaughton mackay mackay king mulreany to come in. 

The teams recruitment has not been terrible. The coaching ,application of tactics and inflexibility to listen to advice has been major issue.

Of more concern is his overbearing ego poor man management and isolation and blame of players. Fisher, ofw,esson,warren comes to mind. 

Maybe malpas can influence this poor management behaviours and coach richie to improve. 

I am amazed if he stays though. Any other job his lack of responsibility  and bullying of fisher etc would have got him sacked. 

I'm not normally a 'sack the manager at 1st sign of trouble' sort of person, but given RF's issues,as another poster summarised very well (tactics, mam management,etc), think he should go. However, think the board may be going with the quoted solution....

I will renew my season ticket, as I'll follow ICT wherever we end up, but it hardly inspires confidence! Would even rather have MM as manager & RF as assistant (not ideal at all)! Could he improve? Big ask, asking us to have faith in a manager who is largely responsible for the mess we are in..

Heres a question...has RF done all his coaching badges? Just asking, as maybe he could learn something, if he hasn't...

Also, he needs to stay away from a microphone..

22 hours ago, 12th Man said:

I would like to assume it's parked up at the stadium.

Makes a nice change, we must be one if the first clubs to have our new kit available.

Have the new away top-not keen on the home top at all. Why do we insist on red white & blue as colours-brings a negative image of a certain basket case club from govan...!

Swap the white for black & it would be a winner - thats our colours anyway!

31 minutes ago, ICT_Away said:

May have been the RF tactics but Brad McKay gets caught out of position too often so I'd let go. Laing with an old head beside him looks a good prospect. Boden has looked useless so I'd ship him too.

Brad is a hard working player,would argue that he has been asked to drive up the wing (less so since MM returned), would definetly keep

18 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

He's expensive, has injury issues and above all I don't think he's very good. The value he has returned this year is poor at best and I'd rather see us try to sign the likes of Laing & Brad who are younger and more to offer than someone at the wrong end of their career who cant garuntee playing every week. We need to use the chance in the lower league to blood and establish younger players who can step back up into the Premiership - with the likes of Raven, Tremarco, Esson & Warren we have plenty backline experience and not much youthfulness or pace.

Based on our position and finances no player is worth breaking the bank for. Did it once before with a certain Romanian and it didn't really work out that well then.

Fair enough, I can see where you're coming from. I just think that McNaughton has good experience & was unlucky to get the injury that he did. Have a feeling he isn't with us for the money & age-wise,he is hardly older than Warren.

Brad McKay is under contract anyway (I think)-definetly worth keeping & would agree that signing Laing is a priority. 

Think we won't be signing mcnaughton, anyway, would have laing instead-would like to have both, but given we have Tremarce (hopefully),mckay,laing(hopefully too),warren & raven-there probably isn't room or funds for kev-personally, I like him & think he is a class act but feel he'll probably sign for a premiership club.

Also, we made a good bit of cash out of our certain romanian (apart from the subsequent legal issues, which the club won anyway)-did have the surreal situation of seeing an ict player playing at Euro 2008! 

Managed to sell my romanian euro 2008 top (with appropriate name/no. on back) on ebay for a good price too..!

2 hours ago, Elgin1 said:

Very interesting business model. It still boils back to getting corporate businesses/fans/ict employees to become stakeholders and multiple looking term working groups being set up to achieve these goals. From what I have heard from the majority of other fans, food very mediocre for price. People will pay more lavishly for the experience. I am sure things will become more optimistic and positive soon, relative to county, revamp the fans sport lounge and make bigger and upgrade the shop to incorporate the wow factor in both cases. A hotel for away fans/business functions  on the reclaimed land near the stadium could be an adventurous long term corporate venture

Nice idea but not sure people would like to stay at a hotel next to an industrial estate & a dual carriageway..worth exploring though.

11 hours ago, Fraz said:

Lots of great ideas that would require loads of capital to get going though. Well maybe not the puddle thing.

Out of interest what do you feel is poor about hospitality? I've never had anything but a fantastic experience.

Would agree with that...even a wee monthly direct debit thing might be an idea. Wouldn't generate vast sums of money in the grand scheme of things but could make a tangible contribution towards something positive

1 hour ago, bdu98196 said:

No.

Why not?

5 minutes ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

http://www.scotzine.com/2017/05/inverness-prepare-for-life-in-the-championship/    Yogi to return?

 

 

Not sure I want Yogi to return-not a fan of managers returning..Brewster, anybody?

However, Yogi's a great coach - he improved the team that was there, but his signings...only one I can think of off the top of my head is ofw!

Left a bad taste in the way that he engineered his departure from us, though..wouldn't have thought he would want to return & that the club would want him back - he is partly to blame for our relegation, for me - left the club with no option but to go for the cheap option & appoint RF.

Hope David Raven isn't reading this, by the way....

On 2017-5-22 at 11:56 PM, Bronson said:

Hot this from a source witjin the club.

Straight after the Killie game  there were people within ICT who wanted Foran to go. He was using the same tactics, unable to change the team & had no plan B. It was like players were not responding to him. One player was very critical of the defensive tactics - zonal marking. It's the man who scores the goals, not the space/area. We had changed from man marking under Hughes to zonal marking under Foran. Goals & the manor of them, same problems every week, points the finger of where the main problem lay. Foran refused the change this tactic. Once heads to down & confidence goes it's hard to get back.

Players, coaches & board members raised this same concern with Foran but he stuck to it.

Some senior players had been approached by a director about how they felt about taking over the team in the event of Forans sacking. My source told me the players refused to discuss this, as although many weren't happy - Foran was a friend & team mate & wouldn't stab him in the back. My source told me one of the players told Foran of this discussion and co-incendently one of the directors then resigned.

After Dundee sacked Hartley, i was told that Foran had been summoned to meet the board. My source told me he thought Foran could be sacked but suspected the club has no money to do this. He also told me that what Foran needed was an older head to hold his hand.... I was told this BEFORE Malpas was confirmed so it shows how good my source was.

Both top team goalies were carrying injuries... but Foran ignored advice & signed Ainier - why? Not signing a goalie & playing 2 guys carrying knocks cost ICT many points.

It's no coincidence that ICT picked up after Malpas came in. Is that Forans or the board's fault for not acting sooner?

Foran talks about bad apples??? Who are they? My source is direct from the dressing room. He told me there is a dressing full of bad apples because very few players liked Forans style, tactics & methods. 

He couldn't change games. He didn't listen to advice until Malpas came in. These players spoke out about all these issues - not because they're bad apples but because they care about the club. Yes, loan players didn't perform but how could they? The whole team were struggling & didn't agree with much of Forans set up. There was no leadership & players started doing things they thought we're best. 

Perhaps, in the words of my source... the only bad apple is the person staring back at Foran when he looks in the mirror.

2 young loan players mentioned on the radio on Saturday hated Foran & wanted back to their clubs but Foran refused because the clubs wanted the finances of the loan agreement honoured - regardless of they stayed or not. Fon Williams is the other. He was injured & being forced to play because Esson wasn't ready. He was prepared to take a pay off & walk from his contract.

Greg Tansey felt really let down by Foran & the club. 

He told the club about going to Aberdeen to discuss the pre contract. Aberdeen informed ICT & everything was conducted above board.

Tansey had a holiday booked which over-run when his contract expired. As is common, he signed the pre-contact. This is a pre dated & signed contract which can't get registered until the date. 

Many players are on holiday in situations like this. That is why they pose for photos in their new clubs colours when they sign the pre contract. 

Aberdeens press department released that photo off their own back without consent from anybody, least of all Tansey. 

Aberdeen gave a formal apology for that to Tansey & Inverness. Tansey & many of his team mates felt very let down by Foran & the board of Inverness because although they knew Tansey had done nothing to instigate this, they happily stood by & watched him face the wrath of the fans. Tansey felt they did this to deflect the pressure on themselves.

That's why Tansey gave "That interview". Players had no chief & were doing things in a way they knew weren't working. Tansey gave his all for the club, even when off form he still gave 100% effort. The club hung him out to dry when they knew fine well he was completely innocent.

That's why he said what he said in that interview.

Interesting.

Very interesting..it all makes sense..I wasn't all that happy with Tansey after the Motherwell game for the interview but if all this is true, I can understand why. Tansey wasn't at his best this season (although, towards the end, I wouldn't fault him at all), but maybe not entirely down to him? 

Like another poster, was wondering whether RF could stay, with a bit more experienced backup, but thought after the 'bad apples' interview that he HAD to go - this reinforces that feeling, big time! We had a half decent squad, which shouldn't have finished bottom & we woulnd't have with a decent gaffer!

2 hours ago, ictfcsince94 said:

or Charlie Christie?

Why not? Seems like the natural choice to me..maybe RF can take over running the Centenary Club ..

On 2017-5-22 at 11:14 PM, Kingsmills said:

Thanks due without doubt but a mixed bag. He steered the ship well and steadily in calm waters taking us to some exotic and exciting shores. Not such a good captain though once the seas got choppy and the first mate mutinied. when he promoted the cabin boy to first mate who then steered us onto the rocks.

Nevertheless, I hope he enjoys his retirement I am sure he is as disappointed as any of us to be leaving at such a low ebb and on such a negative note after so many highs under his leadership. However, now the next captain can get on with repairing  the hole in the hull and we can embark on the next leg of our glorious journey.

 

Yes, well said! I'd like to thank Kenny for a couple of glorious seasons - I'll take the 2 great days in Hampden in 2015 to the grave..! Also the 3rd place finish and European football.

Kenny has always struck me as a decent person & whilst there may have been a couple of wrong directions taken, well, hindsight is a great thing,eh!

Thank you Kenny, the past few years have been a blast & will never be taken away from us!!