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Maybe ICT are more dogged than I thought .. according to the Sundae Male.

11 June 2006

NOBODY CAN STING TALENTED THISTLE FOR PLAYERS

Rob Maclean

A MONTH ago it seemed as if we were in for a football update of the 18th century Highland clearances.

The season ended with a trail of envious managers and enterprising agents heading for the Caledonian Stadium hoping to strike a deal to take a player or two off the hands of impressive Inverness.

It appeared at one point as if half the team might leave.

Starting with Caley Thistle's former Motherwell and Rangers goalkeeper Mark Brown whose outstanding form has taken him to the brink of the Scotland squad.

The predators were apparently hovering around Darren Dods as well.

He's a defender who can defend and if that sounds pretty bleedin' obvious just cast your eyes around the SPL and make a lengthy list of those who can't and don't.

Ross Tokely, an Inverness veteran at 26, is another member of the back four who keeps it simple and does a highly efficient job.

Other clubs would love a player with his commitment.

Young midfielder Ian Black is much fancied too. He's a key component of the Caley team and his promise was underlined by a call-up to the Scotland future squad.

Craig Dargo is no youngster but at 28 he's playing the best football of his career and hit an eye-catching total of 20 goals last season.

He's another who's on the international fringes and has drawn admiring glances from rival teams.

It didn't take a degree in rocket science to guess former Caley Thistle manager Craig Brewster would fancy making a return trip to Inverness and taking a couple of his old players with him to give him the help he badly needs in his new job at Tannadice.

I think it's fair to say Brew would happily have landed any of the guys listed above but there's one small problem for the Dundee United gaffer and indeed any interested parties.

All those players are under contract and the club would need a transfer fee to prise them away.

Maybe the old United would have just splashed some cash and done the deals pronto.

But that's not the way Brewster wants to play it now as he looks to restore some harmony to a troubled dressing-room.

He badly wanted Black to bolster his midfield and made a bid as well for former Hibs player David Proctor, 22, who unlike his team-mate can't claim a regular place in the Inverness side.

No business has been done so far although I would be surprised if United can't revive their chances of landing Proctor.

The only other likely departures from Inverness at the moment are midfielder Liam Fox who looks to be heading for Livi and reserve keeper Michael Fraser who is likely to join him there on loan.

But as for the guts of the team that has cemented its place in the SPL in the last couple of campaigns, all the key players seem set to stay.

That's maybe not too surprising when you consider how far the club has come.

Gone are the days when just about any of the Caley Thistle players would have been ripe for the plucking by some of the bigger teams.

In fact how many clubs are a better bet than Inverness if you remove the Old Firm and the Edinburgh pair from the equation?

Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Motherwell might have something to say but Caley Thistle are no longer seen as merely a stepping stone.

The club is growing all the time and the players are sharing in that success story.

There was no great secret behind their closing burst of five straight wins after the SPL split that confirmed them as best of the bottom six.

With the best part of £60,000 between each finishing place there was every incentive for Inverness to end the season in style and the team was on a big bonus to make sure they did claim seventh spot.

And with that extra prize money tucked away, financial stability behind the scenes and more TV cash on the way I understand Caley bosses have been able to increase their players' basic wages as well.

It may be only by about 100 quid a week but at a time when all clubs have had to impose a sensible ceiling on salaries there's been a closing of the gap between Inverness and some of the so-called richer teams.

And the pay rise is being handed out across the board. No special cases are made. Team spirit is protected.

Manager Charlie Christie wants to add players rather than lose them.

Midfielders Wes Hoolahan of Livi or Ross County's John Rankin could soon be joining Inverness and there's a search going on for another striker as well.

So much then for all the speculation about Caley being home of the summer sales. The feelgood factor looks likely to keep one of the teams of the season together.

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That has to be one of the best articles about ICT I have read in a long time.  At last the realisation that we are not just here to make up the numbers and our performance on the pitch is not down to some kind of blind luck or good fortune.

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Credit where its due - that article is pretty **** good !!!

If I read it first, before looking at the author's name, I might have guessed at it being written by Bill Leckie as he has consistently been one of the few to give us credit over the years ...  but fair play to Rob MacLean for soaring in my estimations with this piece.

If the contents of the article are true then it is also good to see that Charlie is handling the team spirit situation very well. Wage rises - sure, why not if we can afford it - but wage rises for all, not just the so-called 'stars'. Hopefully any players linked with moves elsewhere will put stability and job satisfaction ahead of the mighty greenback, especially if we are beginning to close the gap between us and the other SPL teams in terms of wages. 

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Indeed, an excellent article!  Was quite surprised to see it had been penned by MacLean.  As Scotty says, he has gone up in my estimation quite a fair bit!

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I am however reliably informed that the Black and Proctor deals are "on the backburner" and will reopen when the dodgy Greek returns.

The striker could be Hunt or Cowie from County or, new rumours are that it could be Morrow from Livi as part of a "deal".

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  • 2 weeks later...

Flattering article, made you feel really good didn't it/

About time we had some fairer press and more insightful and objective appraisal of the progress and goings-on at the Caley Thistle Park.

Well, I've now got the fixtures list pinned up to the bookcase in my wee office so we are set for the off very soon guys.  :clapping04:

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