Highlanders Or Mercenaries?

[buckett]

While recognising that desperate measures are needed in these desperate times, I do hope that when the current crisis is over, ICT will continue to nurture, and offer opportunities to our own home-grown players.

It has always given me great pride to see local lads making it into the first team and I would hate to see young aspiring trainees being forced to leave because all the first team berths are occupied by players whose true homes are very far away from Inverness, home being where the heart is.

Does anyone else feel that a partly local squad better represents the area, or are we all quite happy so long as the team is winning, regardless of the origins or nationality of those wearing the ICT colours.

(I emphasise that these are desperate times - currently I'd be quite happy to have the Brazil national team in ICT colours to get us a few places up the league table!)

Edited February 3, 2009 by buckett

[Stevie]

While recognising that desperate measures are needed in these desperate times, I do hope that when the current crisis is over, ICT will continue to nurture, and offer opportunities to our own home-grown players.

It has always given me great pride to see local lads making it into the first team and I would hate to see young aspiring trainees being forced to leave because all the first team berths are occupied by players whose true homes are very far away from Inverness, home being where the heart is.

Does anyone else feel that a partly local squad better represents the area, or are we all quite happy so long as the team is winning, regardless of the origins or nationality of those wearing the ICT colours.

(I emphasise that these are desperate times - currently I'd be quite happy to have the Brazil national team in ICT colours to get us a few places up the league table!)

Agree Buckett.

As well as all you say, I think it benefits the club to have as many local(ish) boys whom are really playing for the jersey as well as their living.

Edited February 3, 2009 by Stevie

[DanielMacBean]

that would be fine if we weren't in the SPL

but from the boards point of view its money, money, money

we cant afford to start mcallister and zander etc

we'd be worse off than we are now!

I see what you mean though

perhaps it will act as an incentive for the local lads to train harder to gain a first team place

[PullMyFinger]

While recognising that desperate measures are needed in these desperate times, I do hope that when the current crisis is over, ICT will continue to nurture, and offer opportunities to our own home-grown players.

It has always given me great pride to see local lads making it into the first team and I would hate to see young aspiring trainees being forced to leave because all the first team berths are occupied by players whose true homes are very far away from Inverness, home being where the heart is.

Does anyone else feel that a partly local squad better represents the area, or are we all quite happy so long as the team is winning, regardless of the origins or nationality of those wearing the ICT colours.

(I emphasise that these are desperate times - currently I'd be quite happy to have the Brazil national team in ICT colours to get us a few places up the league table!)

I'd be far happier to have the local lads come up through the ranks and get a lucrative move to bigger clubs then come home to roost after a few years at top level. That way the club benefits financially and the youngsters become experienced at higher level before returning.

[Kingsmills]

The sad fact is that, just at the moment, there aren't 16-18 Highland born players good enough to form a squad capable of holding their own in the SPL.

[stevico1]

The sad fact is that, just at the moment, there aren't 16-18 Highland born players good enough to form a squad capable of holding their own in the SPL.

Exactly, in fact I dont think there are 16-18 Highland born players capable of holding their own in a divisions or 2 below never mind the SPL

[SMEE]

At the end of the day...we dont have the population up here to produce the youngsters in the required numbers. Also...you look at ANY team playing at the highest level.....their young ones are very seldom "local" talent

Edited February 4, 2009 by SMEE

[Alex MacLeod]

We do have some players in our squad who came through from the youth setup. We also have some we brought in as youngsters and who have done well to hold first team places. One's that come to mind are Fraser, Tokely, Munro, Gillespie, Wood, Duff, Vigurs. Where did McBain come from?

Among our youths and U-19's we have some very good players who, if they apply themselves well, will come into the first team squad. Considering our club and our whole youth setup hasn't been in place for very long I think we do quite well.

[Caley]

We do have some players in our squad who came through from the youth setup. We also have some we brought in as youngsters and who have done well to hold first team places. One's that come to mind are Fraser, Tokely, Munro, Gillespie, Wood, Duff, Vigurs. Where did McBain come from?

Among our youths and U-19's we have some very good players who, if they apply themselves well, will come into the first team squad. Considering our club and our whole youth setup hasn't been in place for very long I think we do quite well.

Add Hastings to that list. I remember watching him when he was about 17 playing at Telford St in Inverness Cup games. A very promising attacking left-sided midfielder he was then. Also Black was only 19 when he signed for us.

There is a balance to be struck between having local boys and experienced pros from elsewhere in the side, with maybe 3-5 local lads being about right.

[CaleyD]

We're only just starting to see the full benefits of the Youth Development setup that Robertson started just over 5 years ago when he brought Danny McDonald back over the bridge. So long as we maintain that then I have little fear for the future of local lads coming through the ranks and the current economic climate and our financial position will only help to strengthen the need for these lads as "buying in" players won't always be an option....in fact, I don't really think it's an option now and all the recent signings are simply a product of the position we currently find ourselves in, a mistake I hope we never see repeated.

[BornCaley]

it doesnt matter who is in the team as long as they can compete in the SPL, I dont feel there is the necessary talent in the area( for whatever reason) to do that.

I think the more you make our team local, the more distance from the national league we create for oursleves

We're not in the Highland League anymore

[Guest EdgeleyCT]

The thing is we're a local team. Just wish the highland people would support their local team instead of jumping on the OF glory bandwagon.

Through the years we have always had Highland players plying their trade with us. This will continue i think. We'll never have a team full o Invernessians but I'm sure local talent will continue to emerge as the years go on.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Firstly - I got a feckin 20% warning fer using the term "mercenary" :018: :thumb04:

But once again is this not becos Brewster chucked out youngsters into the deep end far too quickly and didnt nourish them. Plus all the latest signings were "panic" buys and most of them are on six month contracts. I suspect that is one of the main reasons that we actually got them here.

But if that doesnt add up to the tem of footballing mercenary - then what does - but that unfortunately is just football today.

[acharacleoracle]

Out of the new faces brought it will interesting to see how many of them stay in the long term. They are on short contracts and have to prove themselves as useful additions. Then there is the life style thing, can they hack it up here in the wooly North?.

Hopefully, out of the seven a couple can cut it and stay on.

After all the reason most of them were available is because no one else wanted them in the first place!!!.

[Scotty]

I think we may all get our wish ..... Danny is well respected in the youth development arena and the fruits of his (and others') labours as mentioned in an earlier post are now starting to come through. A combination of local youths and youngsters that have been brought in has seen this year's first team squad with something like 8 players who came through the U19s.

It will work both ways in future I think. The local youths will get a chance and if good enough will have a clear path they can follow to the first team. The youngsters we bring into the U19s also have the same path open to them. Inevitably we may sell some of these youngsters in future and that may facilitate the signing of more experienced players to supplement the youth in our first team squad .... In short, we are developing a resource/asset base that can help not only the local youngsters but the whole team .....

Butcher is also well placed to help with this. He was present to oversee the development of McFadden and Pearson at Motherwell and their sale helped get the club back on an even keel