Dear Mr Butcher

[Renegade]

Dear Mr Butcher,

You're obviously a well known man, who has a great knowledge of football. The only problem is that there's some stuff that ICT need to do, and if ICT are going to win the First Division, there's some stuff that really needs changing.

• Please, please, please get Tokely out of the central defence role. He's a right back and that's where he plays best. He isn't Darren Dods or Bobby Mann and can't read the game from this position. Also ICT lose a heck of a lot of attack down the right. Move him back there ASAP. For someone who was such a legendary England defender, I'm surprised you can't see this. If this Bulvitas signs up, and he's up to it. Play him at centre-back at all times.
  

• Find some else to be captain. Munro is not a captain and ICT really need one to progress at this level. Tokely is probably the best candidate for now. Give it too him.
  

• If Russell Duncan can't pass, then drop him. I'm sorry, but I don't thnk I've ever seen a worse passer of the ball.
  

And last but not least:

• For the love of God boot these long ball tactics to the skip outside Caley Stadium. They are just horrific to watch. It was the hoofs forward that was a big factor in Brewster's fall from grace and they could be yours as well, if you don't boot them. Stick to the old simple slinky style Paterson used to play. Keep the ball on the deck as much as possible and play to the wings. Caley Stdium is built for this sort of play. Surely you don't want your ICT career to go the way of your Brentford, Sunderland, Coventry and Sydney ones do you? Hell, you even finished last one year with Motherwell and it was only Brockville that saved you from going down. Do you really want to be like Ossie Ardiles and put your name forward for every job under the sun? Of course not.
  

Please take the time to read these suggestions and hopefully integrate them into the team of ICT.

Yours sincerly

Renegade

Persident of Renegade Inc.

[YaBoy]

Good call.

[caleyrule]

Great post Regenade, I totally agree with everything

[SMEE]

* Find some else to be captain. Munro is not a captain and ICT really need one to progress at this level. Tokely is probably the best candidate for now. Give it too him.

Yes and No.....yes....Grant Munro has NO leadership qualities that i can see. No....dont make Tokely captain...he is far too imature, tempestous and a too much of a liability for that role.

[Yngwie]

Renegade, I'm surprised you didn't advise Mr Butcher more specifically on what formation and line-up we should be playing.

I'm fairly sure if you'd included one of your legendary line-ups he would realise that you are not simply an average moaning fan. Indeed, his eyes would have been opened by your innovative approach and I'm certain he'd be printing it off and passing it around the coaching staff and dressing room to see their response.

[Sir C the 3rd]

Why wouldn't a football manager listen to the persident of renegade inc.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

[Kirishima]

Maybe Butcher will change Ross Tokely, maybe he will become a new Bobby Mann or Darren Dods, ...in time.

A nice passing game for ICT would be good, if there were any passers in the team, if TB had Black, Cowie, Rankin, Robson, Morais, Kerr, then im sure the ball would be on the deck more. As it is, there is not enough players to build up moves with silky passes...to employ such a strategy would give opposing teams the chance to start wave after wave of counter attacks. I hate long ball as much as anyone, but I can see why TB has little option but to use it.

Mark Brown, Darren Dodds, Bobby Mann, Barry Robson, Filipe Morais, Ian Black, Don Cowie, John Rankin, Dennis Wyness, Craig Dargo. 10 players, who, at the top of their game, were gems. TB has the luxury of none of these, which is not his fault. He can only work with what he has got.

We can't live like Aberdeen, we have to be realistic. We are a top 3 div 1 side, who have a good chance of promotion, but have an iffy squad, so we should expect hiccups, mini-disasters, but give them a 5% boost by being behind them, that included Russell.

[Wilsononourwing]

Okay some of what is said is true - but can we make judgement after 1 competitive game. As far as I can see no 1st Division team did particularly well over the weekend.

One thing for certain Barrowman is definitely not a striker!!!!!!

[caleykid1994]

One thing for certain Barrowman is definitely not a striker!!!!!!

Spot on there!!!

Rooney and Foran up front would be better. Rooney can finish for gods sake

[ictchris]

Renegade, are your other ideas playing Djebi-Zadi behind the strikers and signing up rugby players from Fiji to play centre-half? Why not include these in your 'open letter'?

[Pele_Is_God]

Big Tel...

Drop Barrowman as he is a total joke of a footballer!

That is all :D

[AJS]

Good post Renegade.

Nothing contreversial there, just common sense.

[TopSix]

Good post Renegade. Perhaps Esson as captain though.

Shoot me down but I think Barrowman could do a job in the 1st division if he gets a bit of confidence about him. He was unlucky not to score at Forres and appeared to be trying (slighty more than usual).

Edited July 26, 2009 by Top Six Next Year

[DornochJAGGIE]

I agree with most things there. I also hate watching the hoofs up the park, normally by grant munro. I can understand why butcher is playing tokely at centre half though. He had his best game of last season at centre half against st mirren, and with rosscoe getting on abit he might he losing his pace so tricky young left wingers might get the better of him.

[Kylef]

Im tipping Barrowman to do a job for us this season, i got a feeling! hes got a point to prove!

On another note, Esson for captain might not be the worst choice. He was doing all the shouting yesterday! Given captaincy he would do alot more.....100% more than Granty anyway.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I actually probably said most of that last season and there is a sense of plageurism in this - but I will criticise when the league campaign begins - as far as I am concerned Tel Boy appears to be sticking by some of his questionable selections, formations and tactics.

That is a big gamble BUT we are playing in the SFL this season not the SPL. There are enuff players in this team who should have benefitted from the SPL experience and should be considerably more adept in the SFL.

Time will tell.

[CaleyD]

as far as I am concerned Tel Boy appears to be sticking by some of his questionable selections, formations and tactics.

Not much choice when we have 5 or 6 players carrying injuries and knocks!!!

[TopSix]

Im tipping Barrowman to do a job for us this season, i got a feeling! hes got a point to prove!

On another note, Esson for captain might not be the worst choice. He was doing all the shouting yesterday! Given captaincy he would do alot more.....100% more than Granty anyway.

good post. Esson was good during the Forres game in terms of organising. I think barrowman will come good and score a few this season. Barrowman and odi up front I say.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

as far as I am concerned Tel Boy appears to be sticking by some of his questionable selections, formations and tactics.

Not much choice when we have 5 or 6 players carrying injuries and knocks!!!

I meant in the positional sense.

[CaleyD]

I'm still not getting your point....if you're short a player for a specific position then you're forced to play someone out of place to fill the gap.

[Johnboy]

Celtic.... A team we used to be able to beat on occasions, went to Wembley today with a side consisting of mainly fringe players and new signings, and managed to comprehensively overcome a Spurs line up which featured several of their 1st team stars....

I'd say their season looks very promising... Wish I could say the same for ICT.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Well again - it is pre season stuff - if the two starting X1's played again in a competive match I suspect that the outcome would be different.

I am surprised that Tokely has not been played at right back - I am equally surprised that McBain has not been tried out at left back. That evidently says that TB intends to stick by Rosscoe at center half, Jimmy at left back, Duncan in central midfield and Granty as captain - all of which I personally disagree with.

But like I said - time will tell.

[fraser]

butcher will be a great manager this year if he doesnt play rooney. he is rubbish. if we started playing the ball on the deck again we would be great.

[Kylef]

I agree, Roony....jesus! I really dont know why this guy got a professional start at football. Give me Barrowman anyday. He just never ever looks like a scoring a goal. Not even a chance...he gets the ball, he wont have it 2 seconds later.

I want you all to watch him - if a ball, especially a long ball, comes towards him, he never gets it...never. Has to go up for a header? he jumpps to early, and gets beat every single time! worthless!