James McCarthy

[DornochCaley]

This wee boy is fantastic. Everyone knew it when he played in Scotland, but to go down to the EPL and still play great at 19 is something special. He was far too good for the SPL and he will go on to even bigger things. Now if Hamilton can get guys like him. Why can't we?

[caleykid1994]

because Hamilton have in theory the pick of maybe 3-4million of people to choose from whereas we have maybe 30-40 thousand. we may find one but they could find a team of them.

[DornochCaley]

because Hamilton have in theory the pick of maybe 3-4million of people to choose from whereas we have maybe 30-40 thousand. we may find one but they could find a team of them.

The annoying thing for me is than we don't get anything near the young players that Hamilton have had the past few seasons. Easton, McCarthy, McCarthur ect.

[Council Juice]

Hamilton are just taking advantage of having a very good setup geared towards youth and the fact they have a good reputation for it. Also given their location so close to Glasgow they can offer young players the location they crave. As most of their young kids are from that area.

[caleyrule]

This wee boy is fantastic. Everyone knew it when he played in Scotland, but to go down to the EPL and still play great at 19 is something special. He was far too good for the SPL and he will go on to even bigger things. Now if Hamilton can get guys like him. Why can't we?

Liam Polworth, and to an extent Kyle Whyte?

[Johnboy]

This wee boy is fantastic. Everyone knew it when he played in Scotland, but to go down to the EPL and still play great at 19 is something special. He was far too good for the SPL and he will go on to even bigger things. Now if Hamilton can get guys like him. Why can't we?

Liam Polworth, and to an extent Kyle Whyte?

This wee boy is fantastic. Everyone knew it when he played in Scotland, but to go down to the EPL and still play great at 19 is something special. He was far too good for the SPL and he will go on to even bigger things. Now if Hamilton can get guys like him. Why can't we?

Liam Polworth, and to an extent Kyle Whyte?

We've also got Nick Ross and Graeme Shinnie, but sadly we are stuck with a management team, who just don't rate them.

[Oddquine]

This wee boy is fantastic. Everyone knew it when he played in Scotland, but to go down to the EPL and still play great at 19 is something special. He was far too good for the SPL and he will go on to even bigger things. Now if Hamilton can get guys like him. Why can't we?

Liam Polworth, and to an extent Kyle Whyte?

We've also got Nick Ross and Graeme Shinnie, but sadly we are stuck with a management team, who just don't rate them.

Is it not rate.......or is it just that directors/management are still in the "get back up this season" mindset, and experience in ICT's U-19 youth squad pales into insignificance compared to those with even limited experience of games in the lower divisions elsewhere?

Perhaps, if/when, we are sitting comfortably in the middle of the table, out of relegation or promotion danger, then the building for the future will begin and good younger players will get their chance to show what they can do. If not, why bother having a youth set-up at all? We neither appear to use it or make money out of it.

[Council Juice]

This wee boy is fantastic. Everyone knew it when he played in Scotland, but to go down to the EPL and still play great at 19 is something special. He was far too good for the SPL and he will go on to even bigger things. Now if Hamilton can get guys like him. Why can't we?

Liam Polworth, and to an extent Kyle Whyte?

We've also got Nick Ross and Graeme Shinnie, but sadly we are stuck with a management team, who just don't rate them.

Is it not rate.......or is it just that directors/management are still in the "get back up this season" mindset, and experience in ICT's U-19 youth squad pales into insignificance compared to those with even limited experience of games in the lower divisions elsewhere?

Perhaps, if/when, we are sitting comfortably in the middle of the table, out of relegation or promotion danger, then the building for the future will begin and good younger players will get their chance to show what they can do. If not, why bother having a youth set-up at all? We neither appear to use it or make money out of it.

That one thing I've always noticed at ICT. We rarely seem to bring on players of our own and instead either poach from county or in the past Aberdeen (Duncan, Wyness, Rory Mac)

I'd like to see some kids get their chance of the bench. Blood them in. And not look for replicas elsewhere, who probably command higher wages anyway.

[Renegade]

I always thought (as did many others) that Iain Vigurs was ICT's big prospect. Unfortunately Butcher didn't agree.

[CaleyP]

I always thought (as did many others) that Iain Vigurs was ICT's big prospect. Unfortunately Butcher didn't agree.

I also thought that, it wasn't just us that thought that though, Billy stark had him down as one of the best younsters in scotland in the paper a couple of months back. it is clear that we only play players that are on a wage at this club.

[caleytillidie]

I always thought (as did many others) that Iain Vigurs was ICT's big prospect. Unfortunately Butcher didn't agree.

I also thought that, it wasn't just us that thought that though, Billy stark had him down as one of the best younsters in scotland in the paper a couple of months back. it is clear that we only play players that are on a wage at this club.

If he was that good then surely there would have been bigger teams in for him when we released him. Not that big a loss for me and cant see him going onto bigger and better things

[DornochCaley]

Yes, they are good young players, but they havn't really shown how good they are have they? Problem for me is that Hamilton are using a good youth set up to good wee players. But we are causing ourselves problems by having a ***** youth set up and one that doesn't even look across all the highlands!

[Renegade]

I always thought (as did many others) that Iain Vigurs was ICT's big prospect. Unfortunately Butcher didn't agree.

I also thought that, it wasn't just us that thought that though, Billy stark had him down as one of the best younsters in scotland in the paper a couple of months back. it is clear that we only play players that are on a wage at this club.

If he was that good then surely there would have been bigger teams in for him when we released him. Not that big a loss for me and cant see him going onto bigger and better things

Really? But then again, you do seem to be one those posters that think Butcher is the greatest thing to happen to ICT ever...

Yes, they are good young players, but they havn't really shown how good they are have they? Problem for me is that Hamilton are using a good youth set up to good wee players. But we are causing ourselves problems by having a ***** youth set up and one that doesn't even look across all the highlands!

Whilst location is a big factor in why sides like Hamilton do so well, I have thought myself that perhaps at times ICT have cast the net too far to look for players. There must surely be one or two local guys, perhaps even in the Highland League, who have potential, and with perhaps a bit of training could make the step up to this level.

[Council Juice]

I always thought (as did many others) that Iain Vigurs was ICT's big prospect. Unfortunately Butcher didn't agree.

I also thought that, it wasn't just us that thought that though, Billy stark had him down as one of the best younsters in scotland in the paper a couple of months back. it is clear that we only play players that are on a wage at this club.

If he was that good then surely there would have been bigger teams in for him when we released him. Not that big a loss for me and cant see him going onto bigger and better things

Really? But then again, you do seem to be one those posters that think Butcher is the greatest thing to happen to ICT ever...

Yes, they are good young players, but they havn't really shown how good they are have they? Problem for me is that Hamilton are using a good youth set up to good wee players. But we are causing ourselves problems by having a ***** youth set up and one that doesn't even look across all the highlands!

Whilst location is a big factor in why sides like Hamilton do so well, I have thought myself that perhaps at times ICT have cast the net too far to look for players. There must surely be one or two local guys, perhaps even in the Highland League, who have potential, and with perhaps a bit of training could make the step up to this level.

Well it worked for Steve Paterson. Found a few gems in the highland league did he not?

[Oddquine]

Yes, they are good young players, but they havn't really shown how good they are have they? Problem for me is that Hamilton are using a good youth set up to good wee players. But we are causing ourselves problems by having a ***** youth set up and one that doesn't even look across all the highlands!

Can you explain to me how they can show how good they are (regardless of whether you are talking about the current ex U-19s or the current Scotland U-16 players and any other decent players in the youth system) if ICT is not prepared to give them a chance..........and a chance is not sitting on the bench and getting on for the last few minutes of a game already won.

The Hamilton system would be just as crap as you think the the ICT one is, if directors/management were not prepared to take a chance and accept the consequences. ICT is not prepared to take that chance because they fear the consequences.

There is nothing wrong with the ICT youth system, as far as it goes....there is, however a problem with the attitude of the ICT hierarchy towards their youth system...as evidenced by the removal of the under 19 tier, which is the one which holds onto the best of those trained at cost to ICT over the years.

Out of interest, just how do you know that the ICT youth set-up doesn't even look across all the Highlands? How could you know, as there is minimal information given about the youth setup on ICT's website compared to other teams within the system, such as Ross County?

(is this not going off topic a shade? maybe worth a thread of its own)

Edited January 18, 2010 by Oddquine

[martinskye]

o ICT over the years.

Out of interest, just how do you know that the ICT youth set-up doesn't even look across all the Highlands? How could you know, as there is minimal information given about the youth setup on ICT's website compared to other teams within the system, such as Ross County?

(is this not going off topic a shade? maybe worth a thread of its own)

Well, around this part of the Highlands it's only Ross County that do make sort of effort looking for young players. I'm not slagging off our set-up, but I'm way more impressed with County's. They hold training weeks in school holidays and seem to convert these wee primary school kids into Ross-County fans in a matter of days. It would really be good if ICT could follow their suit and build a relationship with kids and hopefully this will entail more 'bums on the seats'.

[TheKnowledge]

When I was in school, County had players from Inverness and Dingwall, where as Caley had players from Inverness and Nairn. I reckon it just depends on who gets there first.

[DornochCaley]

Yes, they are good young players, but they havn't really shown how good they are have they? Problem for me is that Hamilton are using a good youth set up to good wee players. But we are causing ourselves problems by having a ***** youth set up and one that doesn't even look across all the highlands!

Can you explain to me how they can show how good they are (regardless of whether you are talking about the current ex U-19s or the current Scotland U-16 players and any other decent players in the youth system) if ICT is not prepared to give them a chance..........and a chance is not sitting on the bench and getting on for the last few minutes of a game already won.

The Hamilton system would be just as crap as you think the the ICT one is, if directors/management were not prepared to take a chance and accept the consequences. ICT is not prepared to take that chance because they fear the consequences.

There is nothing wrong with the ICT youth system, as far as it goes....there is, however a problem with the attitude of the ICT hierarchy towards their youth system...as evidenced by the removal of the under 19 tier, which is the one which holds onto the best of those trained at cost to ICT over the years.

Out of interest, just how do you know that the ICT youth set-up doesn't even look across all the Highlands? How could you know, as there is minimal information given about the youth setup on ICT's website compared to other teams within the system, such as Ross County?

(is this not going off topic a shade? maybe worth a thread of its own)

Don't start all you're ***** with me. I have written letters to ICT many times and i have had letters telling me where they scout in the Highlands. And the ICT youth set up is pathetic. Ross County are far superior in this feild.And i didnt say they were **** players did i? Idiot. I said they havn't shown it so we can't say for sure if they are that good or not. A boy in the year below me plays for ICT under 17's and told me that compaired to Ross County, ICT are pathetic youth wise.

Edited January 18, 2010 by DornochCaley

[ICTFCkev]

Yes, they are good young players, but they havn't really shown how good they are have they? Problem for me is that Hamilton are using a good youth set up to good wee players. But we are causing ourselves problems by having a ***** youth set up and one that doesn't even look across all the highlands!

Can you explain to me how they can show how good they are (regardless of whether you are talking about the current ex U-19s or the current Scotland U-16 players and any other decent players in the youth system) if ICT is not prepared to give them a chance..........and a chance is not sitting on the bench and getting on for the last few minutes of a game already won.

The Hamilton system would be just as crap as you think the the ICT one is, if directors/management were not prepared to take a chance and accept the consequences. ICT is not prepared to take that chance because they fear the consequences.

There is nothing wrong with the ICT youth system, as far as it goes....there is, however a problem with the attitude of the ICT hierarchy towards their youth system...as evidenced by the removal of the under 19 tier, which is the one which holds onto the best of those trained at cost to ICT over the years.

Out of interest, just how do you know that the ICT youth set-up doesn't even look across all the Highlands? How could you know, as there is minimal information given about the youth setup on ICT's website compared to other teams within the system, such as Ross County?

(is this not going off topic a shade? maybe worth a thread of its own)

Don't start all you're ***** with me. I have written letters to ICT many times and i have had letters telling me where they scout in the Highlands. And the ICT youth set up is pathetic. Ross County are far superior in this feild.And i didnt say they were **** players did i? Idiot. I said they havn't shown it so we can't say for sure if they are that good or not. A boy in the year below me plays for ICT under 17's and told me that compaired to Ross County, ICT are pathetic youth wise.

lol.

[Oddquine]

Don't start all you're ***** with me. I have written letters to ICT many times and i have had letters telling me where they scout in the Highlands. And the ICT youth set up is pathetic. Ross County are far superior in this feild.And i didnt say they were **** players did i? Idiot. I said they havn't shown it so we can't say for sure if they are that good or not. A boy in the year below me plays for ICT under 17's and told me that compaired to Ross County, ICT are pathetic youth wise.

Ooops! what do the asterisks say...I don't read asterisks..comes with being a pensioner, I do better with decent English.

Just how much more pathetic is it than Ross County......given that ICT has two of their squad in the Scotland under 16's as of now? How many Ross County players have been called up to play for their country lately? So Scotland scouts think those specific players are good enough to be called up..but you know different.

Out of interest, how many Ross County u-19 players have had a decent run in the first team?

If you have a friend playing for ICT who thinks it is crap...why has he not managed to find himself another better youth squad? I was under the impression that ICT resigns youth players from year to year...so all he has to do is refuse to resign if it is that bad, and tout his skills among other teams.

If you have written to ICT regarding their youth policy, more power to your elbow..if you phrased it better than this post.

However you have singularly failed to show where the youth setup at ICT is markedly different to that at Ross County, bar the fact that ICT has dropped their under 19 squad..and I have already said that I felt that that was a big mistake......and something which will eventually come back and bite them on the bum.

[Oddquine]

When I was in school, County had players from Inverness and Dingwall, where as Caley had players from Inverness and Nairn. I reckon it just depends on who gets there first.

Probably.

The Inverness/Nairn envelope has a much larger proportion of options than the whole of Ross-shire and Skye. More schools= more kids............so I suppose less reason to look elsewhere and increase the cost of travel for the club.

Have to say I did think that ICT had kids from other counties....but they were maybe not picked up through the community system but through scouting.

[Oddquine]

Well, around this part of the Highlands it's only Ross County that do make sort of effort looking for young players. I'm not slagging off our set-up, but I'm way more impressed with County's. They hold training weeks in school holidays and seem to convert these wee primary school kids into Ross-County fans in a matter of days. It would really be good if ICT could follow their suit and build a relationship with kids and hopefully this will entail more 'bums on the seats'.

ICT certainly used to do the school holiday courses........but maybe not now they are so hard up.

But given the number of schools from Inverness to Nairn, maybe the school holidays just aren't long enough to get up to Caithness and Sutherland.

[DornochCaley]

Don't start all you're ***** with me. I have written letters to ICT many times and i have had letters telling me where they scout in the Highlands. And the ICT youth set up is pathetic. Ross County are far superior in this feild.And i didnt say they were **** players did i? Idiot. I said they havn't shown it so we can't say for sure if they are that good or not. A boy in the year below me plays for ICT under 17's and told me that compaired to Ross County, ICT are pathetic youth wise.

Ooops! what do the asterisks say...I don't read asterisks..comes with being a pensioner, I do better with decent English.

Just how much more pathetic is it than Ross County......given that ICT has two of their squad in the Scotland under 16's as of now? How many Ross County players have been called up to play for their country lately? So Scotland scouts think those specific players are good enough to be called up..but you know different.

Out of interest, how many Ross County u-19 players have had a decent run in the first team?

If you have a friend playing for ICT who thinks it is crap...why has he not managed to find himself another better youth squad? I was under the impression that ICT resigns youth players from year to year...so all he has to do is refuse to resign if it is that bad, and tout his skills among other teams.

If you have written to ICT regarding their youth policy, more power to your elbow..if you phrased it better than this post.

However you have singularly failed to show where the youth setup at ICT is markedly different to that at Ross County, bar the fact that ICT has dropped their under 19 squad..and I have already said that I felt that that was a big mistake......and something which will eventually come back and bite them on the bum.

Well Ross County actually have a number of youngsters that get on the bench regulary. Same as in our case. But Ross County have a built up a better team than us now anyway! Well put it this way, Ross County under 17's played Inverness 17's 4 times last season. They won 3 times and drew once. Also, Ross Grant, a boy from Tain who plays for County, was Captain for Scotland Under 16s a season or two ago. He also has played for the 19's a few times.

[CaleyP]

I always thought (as did many others) that Iain Vigurs was ICT's big prospect. Unfortunately Butcher didn't agree.

I also thought that, it wasn't just us that thought that though, Billy stark had him down as one of the best younsters in scotland in the paper a couple of months back. it is clear that we only play players that are on a wage at this club.

If he was that good then surely there would have been bigger teams in for him when we released him. Not that big a loss for me and cant see him going onto bigger and better things

Im sure your football knowledge is better than billy stark's...ha! it's people like you is the reason our youth isn't given a chance in the first team...no forsight.