CaleyTennis

Northstandrising Instagram story this morning stating that BD looking to add one more signing (his source is: The Inverness Courier). I'd agree with that, we probably need another defender then I'd say we're ready for the coming season :). I do this quite often lol (especially for Tennis) but, I've got a good feeling about the coming season :ictscarf:

When are we likely to hear if we are signing Javan Anderson or Callum Morris after their trials, especially seeing as we have no more pre season friendlies left (I'm only going by the pre season thread). I'd be inclined to sign both but, there could be other competent defenders available so I'm torn lol.

Did anyone that attended the game guage how we are likely to play this coming season, I presume it was a 4-5-1 formation or was it 4-4-2? Seems like the trialist centre half had a good game. I also see from Pie and Bovril that we have ex Utd defender Callum Morris on trial but he didn't play last night so I presume he'll play on Saturday or Tuesday.

That is now 5 in so with 8 gone, thst that leaves only 3 left to be signed so, what positions would you say need strengthening? I'd say a couple of centre halves and wing back (not sure if its left back or right back we're light on).

Record also announcing that we are getting Reece McAlear on loan from Norwich so if that's true and we, as most expect, announce Gardyne tomorrow that will be us only needing to concentrate on getting in another centre half and right back because we will then have 2 GK (which should be plenty imho), 8 Midfielders and 4 strikers. Seems like Billy and the board have ambitions of getting promoted this season, especially with all the quality we're signing

Hopefully we don't go out and over spend to replace the departed players because there are youngsters capable of stepping up imho :ictscarf: I imagine we will probably see an experienced striker signed, possibly a Left Back too. I trust that Billy Dodds will be working on targets and trying to get them in quickly enough that they settle in long before our first game of the League Cup.

According to the P and J, John Robertson was in Kircaldy at the weekend on some kind of scouting mission which is a positive :ictscarf: As I have said a few times, I hope we are looking at younger players rather than the usual suspects or failed Loss County rejects that are being rumoured on Twitter etc. Tom Walsh is another but I would actually be ok with him returning :P, tthough I don't see it happening.

Its the league cup draw tomorrow (Friday) at around lunchtime so I thought I'd start a thread for discussing who you would like us to draw and also for discussing how we feel about the actual draw once its been drawn. I assume it will still be drawn in 2 sections, North and South groups and I would imagine we will be in pot 2. Aberdeen, St J, Hibs and the Old Firm won't be in the draw due to being in Europe so that limits who we could get.

There will be 4 reasons as to why an appointment isn't imminent 1) They are still conducting interviews, we don't know how many names would be on the short list. 2) The board can't agree on who they want as new head coach 3) They are still in negotiations with the persons current club regarding compensation (If it is going to be Robson for example) 4) As was mentioned above, its a player currently at a club so we would need to wait until the expiry of their contract. I also believe that if it was going to be Billy Dodds (not that I'd be against him) then it would have been a done deal at the start of the week. I'm just hoping that the board are taking their time so that they get this appointment right :ictscarf:.

I have seen a lot of Tweets from our fans saying basically the same thing but worded a bit stronger. can i I ask why its a resounding no from you, is it because he's a coach at Loss County or are there other reasons? It sounds like he is a "well respected coach" plus he's an ex player so tbh, he's a better shout than most linked bar 2 (Dodds and Robson). My preference is still Barry Robson but I would be happy with Billy or Don too.

I'm hoping a journalist leaks info on who's on the shortlist lol. I reckon Barry Robson will be interviewed and possibly Paul Telfer again. I reckon we will know by early to late Tuesday who's going to be manager, STV broke the news about Butcher and Robertson the night before both got appointed if I recall. I personally, hope its a young guy looking to take his first step into management instead of a first team coach or assistant such as Dodds or Fox etc.

I must say that it was a very good interview so well done to the club and Scot Gardiner :-). Very promising that foreign coaches have applied for the job

https://mcbookie.com/event/512477/next-permanent-inverness-ct-manager. Strangely enough, no employees of the club are on this list of odds and Mr Beale is 10/1 so he seems unlikely. Jim McIntyre odds seem pretty high for someone that I imagine will be firmly in the running. Imho, any of the top 5 (though Petrie and Young are unlikely due to compensation due) would be fine with me, I'd probably plump for Barry Robson though as he is young and probably wouldn't be much compensation wise. On Billy Dodds though, would he give up his punditry and media work? He's a regular on BBC Scotland as summariser and also appears regularly on Sportsound etc.

Completely forgot about these guys when I was mentioning the names likely to be mentioned, especially seeing as both are ex and current Hearts staff members: Jon Daly (he's not there anymore) and John Rankin (think he's reserve coach). Not saying either are ones I'd consider though.

I'm with Satan and hope its not a rushed appointment, let's take our time and carry out the necessary process. Imho, I'd like someone younger being mentored by Robbo whilst also retaining Baz Wilson, Scott Kellacher and Ryan Esson. I'm more than certain the usual suspects will be bandied about: Terry Butcher (however unlikely it is he'd return), Mo Malpas, Gary Locke, Stuart McCall, Stuart Kettlewell, not exactly an inspiring list. Paul Sheerin, Paul Hartley will likely be mentioned too but these aren't as uninspiring as the above names.

What I really liked about the interview is his selling of us to potential signings :ictscarf: Wonder if he fancies a scouting job with us :).

Does the bit in bold include myself 😛

I didn't want to post this in the squad update thread because it is also one I want to be used for potential signings/rumours and even one where we can discuss pre season friendlies, basically just so that we have something to discuss until the Euros (I presume we'll all be watching that as patriotic Scots) or July 31st when we start the next season. I am going to start with a rumour I saw on P and B (even though I called the guy out as a liar): He says we are linked with Kane Hester and Toddy off to Dundee (Aye right!). Anyway, I think it's clear that we need to start turning draws into wins so we probably need to target strikers during the summer. I see on the Ayr matchday thread that we should look to loan young Aaron Lyall again, I actually would welcome that too. As for pre season friendlies, I hope we look at bigger opponents, I would like a friendly v Barrow perhaps.

It seems that our gut feeling may be wrong but I suppose we won't know for definite until its official. According to Neil McCann in both the Courier and Press and Journal, JR will return, but he hasn't heard that from John himself I don't think. He did say that he has saw him and he's "looking well" which is a positive :).

The bit I have bolded is interesting 😯. I do understand your reasoning though and also believe may be right regarding Neil McCann not wanting it, though I do think that Scot Gardiner and Ross Morrison would try their damn hardest to get him to change his mind and take ovwr over the hotseat, but probably to no avail. if that were the case then I would be inclined to want us to go for a younger manager ( I am not alone, I read another poster on another thread saying exactly the same) looking to make their first foray into management, however I can't think of any specific candidate(s). I would be certain that the usual names would be bandied about: Paul Sheerin, Maurice Malpas, Martin Canning, Stuart Kettlewell etc by media/newspaper journalists. Hey its good to know I'm n ot alone lol, this prediction malarkey isn't easy though :L.

I reckon we will find a bit more information out regarding the management and contract extension offers etc at the start of next week once we have finished the season. I also don't anticipate having to wait too long regarding management as our season starts again in July (league cup), I still have a gut feeling that JR may resign but I'm not always right (I'm famous up at Thurso Golf Club and got the nickname "squid" because I got every single prediction wrong at the 2016 world cup lol). I posted in the squad update thread that I believe we have the necleus of a decent squad and also posted my thoughts on who will stay and go etc so I won't post that here too.

Out of the ones out of contract at end of this season I would keep on: Cameron Mackay, Ryan Fyffe, Harry Nicholson, Lewis Hyde, Anthony MacDonald and Nikolay Todorov. i reckon Aaron Doran, Kevin McHattie and James Vincent will be moved on. I'm not sure about Brad Mackay, Miles Storey or Shane Sutherland but, personally I would move on Brad Mackay and possibly Miles Storey (I'm torn on this one) but retain Shane Sutherland. So bearing all that in mind, that gives us a squad of: Mark Ridgers, Cameron Mackay, Wallace Duffy, Danny Devine, Harry Nicholson, Ryan Fyffe, Robbie Deas, Lewis Hyde, Cameron Harper, Roddy MacGregor, Scott Allardice, Sean Welsh, Davy Carson, Anthony MacDonald, Shane Harkness, Daniel Mackay, Shane Sutherland and Nikolay Todorov. That is the necleus of a good squad and it wouldn't need much strengthening in the transfer market. I hope that we target younger players in the transfer market because I believe that is the type of player we should be targeting, perhaps one or 2 experienced players too. I was going to add what areas would need strening but i can't because I don't know the positions of Nicholson, Hyde and Harkness. I think Fyffe may be a RB but I'm not 100% certain. I have changed lol, no more of this negativity, I'm becoming more positive 😛

Some might be either shocked or critical of me but I certainly don't lay the blame at either manager, instead putting the blame on certain (but not all) players that haven't performed this season and a short part towards the board for not backing the manager(s) until it was too late. Scott Allan was an inspired signing but why wait until March to sign him, I'm certain Hibs would have given him to us in January if we enquired. So that leads me to these 2 questions below:- : Who should we retain and, if we can, release or move on? : What realistic signings would you like to see come in next season, to replace the players moving on? I'm again not going to be critical here but I would move on players that haven't featured much this past season, like has happened with Toshney (it was his choice though). As for new signings, imho we should be looking at young players either from Scottish Premiership clubs or ones that are available on free transfers, or perhaps ones from the lower leagues that are available. Now, I get that these guys don't come cheap but imho it's time the board backed the manager if at all possible so that we can make a push for the title next season. Before any new signings, it's imperative that we tie down as many players as possible so that the summer rebuild is small, imho we have the basis of a good squad, we just need 2-3 more in to bolster the team.

Massive rebuild job there, no matter what division they are in so hopefully contract renewal offers are being ironed out at this moment in time, we can't leave it any later.

If I lived in Inverness I'd love to take up that position and it's not because I think I'm Jose Mourinho (I know your original comment was sarcasm lol but I know how critical I can be so I'm having a wee dig at myself here lol). I currently work as a volunteer junior coach up here in Thurso plus my other job is in a kids setting, I just like working with kids, I think it's my personality, something that doesn't come across on an Internet forum ahahaha. Anyway, I hope that the position gets filled ASAP