Mystery Winger

[ictchris]

From todays Inverness Courier:

Christie sizes up mystery winger

Published:  05 January, 2007

CHARLIE Christie could soon have the attacking wide player he has so long courted — but the Caley Thistle manager is not revealing the name of his latest transfer target.

Inverness had representatives at three Scottish League games on Tuesday and Christie admits that one player in particular made an impression.

But other than letting on that the mystery man is between 19 and 24 years old and can play out wide, he stayed tight-lipped.

“We had some very positive feedback on one player, but we have not spoken to the club he plays for yet so I can’t make any further comment,” Christie said.

“If we do speak to the club and they are happy with everything then we would look to bring the player in on trial if possible.

“The player in question is a wide player and he fits the bill as being someone in the 19-to-24 age range who wants to step on with his career.

“In the past we have been hugely successful bringing in players from other divisions and I want that to continue.”

Any clues as to who this is?  If we had scouts at First Division games could it be Dougie Imrie, left-sided Clyde attacker?

[Yngwie]

Or Eddie Malone.

[ictchris]

Is Malone not a full back?

[Guest MIDGE55]

Knowing the ambition of ICT it must be a 2nd or 3rd division player! Why not live a little instead of being so cautious. All ICT will ever be is a bottom six club unless they start "splashing out" instead of counting the coppers.  ICT will probably never be relegated, but will never make the top 4 either, unless they spend some money. Why people pay to go and watch knowing that 9 times out of ten they will finish mid-table is beyond me!

[beachcomber]

  ICT will probably never be relegated, but will never make the top 4 either,

Disagree on both counts, we will have dire seasons when relegation is a distinct possibility if not a probablility, and no doubt there will be purple patches when we fly high which will hopefully co-incide with the regular challengers going the other way

Relegation strugglers or European challengers-  which will come first ?

[Stevie]

Knowing the ambition of ICT it must be a 2nd or 3rd division player! Why not live a little instead of being so cautious. All ICT will ever be is a bottom six club unless they start "splashing out" instead of counting the coppers. 

The days of SPL clubs "splashing out" are long gone. The money madness of 90's with clubs living beyond their means, almost going to the wall, will never return.

ICT are a well run club, with their average gate at something like 4500, where does the money for the big signing come from ?

[Guest MIDGE55]

Get the decent signings, and hopefully far better footy, with far better results than off late, therefore attracting a decent crowd, thus more money through the gate. 5 extra people through the gate creates about £100 so the money can be recouped when there is something decent to watch, as surley a few hundred more would attend.  Also heard a lot of people saying they no longer go to the games because of CC. 4 or 5 of us used to go to every home game and as many away cup games as poss, but not been since he was put in charge.

[RiG]

Is Malone not a full back?

Left full back IIRC?

[Alex MacLeod]

The club needs to earn the cash before it can spend it. Midge55, if people like you supported the club through everything that goes on, and not spit the dummy when you disagree with something, then perhaps we would have the funds. Its not just about splashing out big fees for players, its about being able to pay them week in week out whether they play or not.

[Guest MIDGE55]

Ive supported them thru the ups n downs over the years and helped out every sat at all the home games which is more than most of the fans have ever done, but they really did take the p@ss by giving CC a long-term deal. I would have understood them taking him on to the end of the season and then getting in a decent head coach. Half the fans at the Rangers games aren't fans anyway. If they were they'd be there week in week out, instead ICT are lucky to get 3,500/4,000 at every game.

[CaleyD]

At a time where just about every other team is having to drastically cut it's cloth to survive ICT are on the ascendance.  The time will come when it all becomes a little more even and thats when we will truly reap the rewards of "counting the coppers".

[kencar]

Knowing the ambition of ICT it must be a 2nd or 3rd division player! Why not live a little instead of being so cautious. All ICT will ever be is a bottom six club unless they start "splashing out" instead of counting the coppers.  ICT will probably never be relegated, but will never make the top 4 either, unless they spend some money. Why people pay to go and watch knowing that 9 times out of ten they will finish mid-table is beyond me!

ICT will probably never be relegated?? I wish I had your confidence. Like it or not we are a mid-table team at best and avoiding relegation is our main aim EVERY season. Talk of a top 4 place is simply ridiculous and I admire the fact the club lives and succeeds within a limited budget. You need to a reality check mate  :018:

[metalgecko]

I used to jump on the "they're not real fans unless they go to every game" bandwagon.

Now, I see things differently. We have 3500 regular home turnout. The cost of going to games is ever increasing and going to every game is almost unaffordable for many. So, if say a family of 4 had the choice of going to watch ICT play St. Mirren or ICT play Rangers, which would they rather? Easy choice. For the bigger games we have 5000 fans. The extra 1500 pay their money like anyone else.

So it's more than unfair to call them "not real fans". Someone who buys a shirt but can't make the game can be just as much as a fan as someone who doesn't buy a shirt but goes to every game.

And yes, I do both. Buy the shirts and go to all games.

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Filling the stadium for each game by sensible pricing is something I would like to see. I'm not sure we have the balance right although I do appreciate the fact that there has been juggling to help. I put a question to the chairman about discounting on a certain day before games but this was not picked up in the summary answers. It also bugs me that more businesses have not taken season tickets. As a season ticket holder it would not hurt me if certain unfilled seats were discounted significantly for credit card sales say between 0900 and 1200 each Friday before a game similar to Ryanair's or Easyjet's policy. I also wonder whether their is sufficient demand for temporary seating for old firm games that could be justified. Maybe the unfilled end could be sold as space for corporate boxes.

If we could cut certain prices but generate more income through extra customers this would have extra benefits. That's a commercial judgement but if it paid off we might be able to invest more in one or two extra players assuming we keep rewarding the existing players for their continued dedication against well paid or massively overpaid players - the Sebo phenomenon.

[The Mantis]

ICT will probably never be relegated

Weren't you telling us recently we were going down under CC? Or was that Private Fraser?

Also heard a lot of people saying they no longer go to the games because of CC. 4 or 5 of us used to go to every home game and as many away cup games as poss, but not been since he was put in charge.

Tough **** for them then. Missed 2 humpings of Rangers amongst other things.

[Kind of Blue]

Mantis, well spotted re Midges sudden revisionist take on relegation.  I suppose he had to change his view now that we're 13 points ahead of Dunfermline.

As far as splashing out on signings is concerned, we must only spend what we can afford, otherwise it's a very dangerous game and will lead to administration - just ask Dundee and Livi fans.

[Guest eriboll]

Noticed in the Daily Ranger the other day that we are eyeing up Dundee's Deasley but he is a striker - no harm in that.

My main worry is next season - if Gretna ( moneybags) gain promotion then we might have relegation worries :023:

BUT that is a long way off and at the moment we are unbeaten in 2007 if this can continue we'll all get to Hampden - HOORAY :021:

Then CC can retire and the stadium will be fill every home game - AS IF :017:

[Scarlet Pimple]

It is irritating to find almost constantly on this site  a hard , thankfully small, core of fans who are continually coming  down on CC. The man has not even had the chance to get his feet under the table yet and negative judgements should be suspended until a future date based on progress made.

This club is wisely-run financially and throwing money around on big name players does not guarantee that they will play to the top of their ability nor the club's success. Slow and steady progress has been, and will continue to be, a sound policy for ICT.

There also does not appear to be justification for throwing money away on further stands yet , since rarely does the club have full houses to cover the cost of the investment.The bottom line is that the top brass have the figures, appear to be astute businessmen and surely know a lot more about the financial structure of the club than the naysayers amongst the fan base on here who cry for money to be splashed around willy-nilly. I'd like to learn what the total wages bill is likely to be at the end of this season and whether the club will even break-even let alone make a profit.  :024:

[tm4tj]

I originally thought this thread was about midge, the mystery whinger, then I read it again, it's a mystery winger :017:

Midge, you are entitled to your views, but you just appear to be very bitter and twisted towards CC. I fear this is not just football related.

[CaleyD]

Scarlet, I believe I read somewhere recently that the club needed an average home gate in the region of 4500 to allow them to break even - which seems like an achievable target to date.

[Ronaldo]

I am of the opinion that gettng more bums on seats, whether that be through promoting season tickets sales or any imaginitive commercial ploy is absolultely essential, however, to date, I see no evidence of this happening and this disappoints me. Increasing the average gate should be a priority. Where's the razamataz guys? lets get this show on the road and increase he clubs profile! 

And CC's doing a fine job, just look at his record so far 

[RiG]

Graham Sharp of Peterhead?

[Yngwie]

I guess this mystery has now been solved.

[strathyjags]

1 of the only ict signings for a while where 99% of the fans(even clacherholiday2) agrees its a good deal :023: