Very surprised to hear Butcher (from Bbc sport) saying that missing out was a "blessing", not sure what he means but have a feeling it may be to do with ammount of games that we would play in a week.

I was very heartbroken at full time but think Butcher may be right.

Onwards and upwards to next season :-) :-).

Butcher would have had a very different view if we had won today or if Motherwell had taken anything from Perth. Can we take it from his comments that we will be trying hard not to qualify for Europe next season. I quite like Terry but that comment was ridiculous. The big man has gone down in my estimation. 

 

Blessing my ar*e.

Edited May 19, 201312 yr by Kingsmills

With St Johnstone last year coming out and saying they would be at a loss financially entering europe I can understand where Terry is coming from. I can't see the funds for next season being any higher than this years one. 

Yeh, playing in Europe has had a devastating effect on St Johnstone's season. No wonder they made no effort to repeat the exercise !

He wouldn't be saying that had we done it.

The bright side for me is that I don't need to shell out on getting my expired passport renewed, for another year at least.

Here's a crazy thought for you. If we had made it to Europe and had,say, 500 fans willing to spend £500 each following us on our travels....that's £250,000 that those people could now donate to the player budget instead!

Yeh, playing in Europe has had a devastating effect on St Johnstone's season. No wonder they made no effort to repeat the exercise !

 

I am taking it from a financial aspect. Of course the players are ambitious and want to play at a high level and playing in Europe players have a chance to develop their reputation. As I said from financial side of things I can see the point that Terry was making to the media. 

Terry was making a very bad excuse and clutching weakly at straws but it obviously worked as a number of ICT fans seem to have fallen for the line.

Terry was making a very bad excuse and clutching weakly at straws but it obviously worked as a number of ICT fans seem to have fallen for the line.

 

I don't think so, Terry was telling it as it is. 

 

Listen we were beaten and lost out on Europe - so be it. It's been a great season regardless of today. End of last season, if you told me we would finish fourth in the league I would have thought you're on something. As Terry said in the pre match interview, we've made a lot of firsts and broken records this season. For me Europe was just an added bonus. We fell short today, like we did at the Semi final but we just have to pick ourselves up and have a go next season. 

A blessing maybe but we have also lost a couple of hundred thousand pounds by losing 3rd place!

A blessing maybe but we have also lost a couple of hundred thousand pounds by losing 3rd place!

Maybe so, but how much more have we gained by finishing 4th rather than 11th!?

Narcissist

Butcher is a class one Pryck, he *****d up big style today and has'nt the guts to apologise.  

Of course it's not a blessing.  I fully accept his point that we are not geared up for Europe as a club but that spectacularly misses the point .  None of us would be expecting success in Europe - it would just be nice to be there for one round even if we did get gubbed by some team from Moldova I've never heard of.  Apart from an early pre-season there would be no gearing up neccessary.  All the club would need to do is turn up on the day and enjoy the experience.  For ever after the club and all the supporters could say we've been in Europe. 

A blessing maybe but we have also lost a couple of hundred thousand pounds by losing 3rd place!

I don't think it's as much as that - it's probably nearer £80,00. I saw the figures once and I think the drop between 2nd and 3rd is over £100,000 but 3rd to 4th is rather less.

Certainly what he said to me was that the club isn't geared up for Europe (and I would suggest nor should it be, given the remote chance each year which came a lot closer this time.)

What I would be wondering is how the team would get wherever. For instance chartering planes is expensive if scheduled flights don't work out. Then there could well be visas to be acquired, accommodation to be paid for. Is there an entry fee for the Europa League? Are there any implications for hosting the home leg?

And to echo the arguments surrounding that Diddy Cup whose name escapes me for the moment but which was given consideration in Charlie's time, what are the implications regarding being fit and ready to play by mid July - and the possible consequences for the next season?

How much money is to be made from this stage of the Europa League?

I am not saying that ICT qualfying for Europe would necessarily have bee a bad thing. But I would suggest that, alongside the kudos and the novelty, there would also have been a significant down side.

You said it yourself Charles

 

""(and I would suggest nor should it be, given the remote chance each year which came a lot closer this time.)""

 

It's not as if we'll ever have to charter flights on a regular basis is it?  I'm sure the club could stomach sending the squad on a plane somewhere once every 10 years or so.  Take into account the money made from an extra home fixture plus the financial benefits of being in a position to qualify (league or cup) and youre talking a very reasonable loss for the prestige and excitment gained just by being in the draw.

 

Any season-long fitness issues brought about by starting the season earlier would be unforgivable.  Its these players job to stay in top condition throughout the year, there would be a coaching question if the number of games being played over a seaosn became an issue for any of our squad.

 

infact wouldnt it only be one extra game, as all European qualifiers get a round off from the League Cup?

Very sad comments and quite insulting to the fans. One of the things that has made this season so exciting is that we have been chasing a prize until the very end. To turn round afterwards and say that we didn't much fancy the prize anyway makes the whole thing feel a little empty.

I also find some of the projections of financial burden a little far-fetched. The idea that we would need a bigger squad is just silly. We were looking at probably 2, at best 4 extra games - no more than you face in a good season in one of the cups. As for the costs of travel etc., I don't know the details but there are many clubs smaller than ours competing in the competition and they seem to cope.

It's been a great season but there can be greater seasons. Talk to any fan from the numerous small Scottish clubs that have represented this country in Europe and they'll tell you it was one of the proudest moments of their lives, not to mention the fun some of them had following their team abroad. If we don't aspire to that then what are we doing?

Good final point Caley Stan.

 

Whats the point of looking to spend less and play less, if the only benefit is better league form, pressumably so we can try and qualify again?

Let there be no doubt that Terry is as gutted as anyone about not getting 3rd place and Europe.  He's simply trying to put a brave face on it in saying our failure removes certain problems from the table.

 

But as far as I can see from the BBC article he never actually used the word "blessing" and that just looks like the journalist's caption on the brave face approach. Did he actually say it?

Terry was making a very bad excuse and clutching weakly at straws but it obviously worked as a number of ICT fans seem to have fallen for the line.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22587914

 

steve lomas

"it cost over £110,000 for the plane and we only got £90,000 for the round."

 

 Stj Chairman Brown

" qualifying for Europe by leapfrogging Inverness Caledonian Thistle on the final day of the season did not mean a boost in income".

Edited May 19, 201312 yr by Ayeseetee

St Johnstone's progress mirrors that of ICT over the past few years, hasn't it?

 

They have done very well indeed but, apart from their sojourn into Europe having been an emotional blast, what did they actually gain financially? Little if anything? And many of their players, like ours, just move on after the season ends--I mean it's not like every player is going to stay with ICT for years to come so the lasting benefits are difficult to assess, except, perhaps in the lives of the individual players. But we are thinking more of the lasting benefits to the club right now aren't we?

 

ICT are not exactly in a commandingly-strong financial position. Just hanging on and trying very hard to get out of debt, more like. 

 

So, going into Europe may indeed be a negative thing at this stage. And a big challenge. You don't want this team to  come home beaten, you want them to impress and be noted around the football scene. That way we will be  more of an attractive target for up--and-coming young talent from all over the place which is what will keep the roster fresh, interesting and very good for our Manager, Terry, to get his teeth into and keep him challenged and here for the foreseeable future.

 

The last thing we need at this stage of our progress is a series of new managers coming in one after the other , confusing the players with their different methods and  personalities. Stability and steady progress with a manager who is respected for his achievements and drive is what we need for the next few years. 

 

It's a different situation if we get stronger and stronger over the next three years and then are ready for the European stage.

 

The average Canadian lives from pay cheque to pay cheque and feels that going into heavy debt is their right to satisfy their sense of entitlement about getting all the stuff of a modern existence. ..cell phones, cars, large TV,.'s, house, holidays etc.  Now the price of houses is falling like a stone  and the picture does not look half so rosy economically with all businesses crying the blues because prices are so high for everything and people just don't have the resources to go out and spend now like they used to. So, if they do not have savings to tide them over, then what? 

Likewise, overspending and ambitiously over-reaching by the management of ICT  does not seem to be the  correct course for the team at this stage. More like Mission Impossible if the reserves are not there  for the rainy day.

 

The correct course for ICT is to continue to make steady, cautious progress and prove that ICT can now continue to compete with the best and continue to finish high in the league. Hopefully crowds will get larger and when we venture to put our tootsies into the hotter water of Europe we can at least afford to buy Welly boots to protect them from burns.

 

Plaudits for everyone in the team , the Management and the fans who have supported this team this fantastic year.

Why have ICT been at the top table for so long while other more established clubs, with much bigger backings and advantages have finished below us and struggled? Luck with managers? Good scouting? while other clubs have driven themselves into unmanageable debt and their future is bleak, we are surpassing them in every area. RC must be paying some of the players I saw yesterday a lot more than what we are, I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

I'd rather miss out on Europe because we were fiscally responsible than drain our resources on January signings, as that is what I saw yesterday.

Two good pre season friendlies against European opponents will suit us fine. This season is in the history books and we finished 4th, got to a Semi and 5th Round of the SC. Some achievement on our budget, squad and crowds!! 

Can't believe some of the posts on here and elsewhere. At the start of the season what do players and fans look fer. SUCCESS. So we celebrate the fact that we fecked up a League Cup semi final and a place in the Europa Cup - bollicks. Those comments were made in an attempt to avoid talking about the ridiculous tactics and selection and the fact that we were completely outplayed, outfought and outthinked

100% spot on IHE. Shocking comments from butcher, he's gone down in my estimation.