Caley Thistle Signing Spree

[Libero]

Caley Thistle are delighted to confirm seven new signings for the 2013-14 season, the 4 players who have completed their contracts effective from 10th June 2013 are James Vincent, Danny Williams, Ben Greenhalgh and Marley Watkins.

A further 3 players Adam Evans, Harry Hooman and Curtis Allan have agreed terms with the club and will be joining pre-season training at the end of June when their current contracts expire.

 

 

time to get onto wikipedia I think

 

delighted to hear so much work being done so early

 

http://ictfc.com/news/team-news/943-caley-thistle-signing-spree

[AJS]

From what i can find, Watkins is midfielder from Hereford, and Hooman is a centre back from Cheltenham.

 

There is a Curtis Allen that played as a striker for Coleraine but it may not be him. Delighted to see business is getting done this soon though, eager to see who else we bring in.

Edited June 10, 2013 by ajsict92

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Excellent news - await the stats with player profiles BUT this thread can be NOTHING but positives and I can't recall this happening pre merger !!

[Libero]

If its is the Curtis Allen from Coleraine then he sounds like a decent goal scoring forward which we could do with for competition/strike partner/injury cover for Billy

 

happy to see we may be strengthening further:

 

But we're not finished -- offers have been made to one or two others and we await news on them.

 

[gingerjaggy]

STV have aid it is Curtis Allen from Colraine

[gingerjaggy]

i hope we get another midfielder and striker our midfield just needed a little more cover at the end of the season

[Renegade]

I see this centre-back fellow is 6"3.  Nice to see a defender with a bit of height come in.

[CaleyTom]

 

If its is the Curtis Allen from Coleraine then he sounds like a decent goal scoring forward which we could do with for competition/strike partner/injury cover for Billy

 

happy to see we may be strengthening further:

 

But we're not finished -- offers have been made to one or two others and we await news on them.

 

 

BBC sport have it as him

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22842745

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

This is incredible - I have been reliably informed that we have resurrected the careers of Bob Marley, Harry S Truman, Curtis Stigers and Chris Evans - that band could be entertaining and we have the perfect political foil.

[Rainbow]

Wonderful news, now we just need a good backup keeper!

[Kirishima]

I have it on good authority that Marsella was also checking out Strutt & Parker and Munro & Noble. They'll be key players for ICT this season I feel.

[TopSix]

I still think we've missed a trick with not signing Robbie Thomson who was released by Celtic. Surely another goalkeeper will be on the shopping list?

[RiG]

Get Tuffey signed up!

[TopSix]

Get Tuffey signed up!

Because he's 'simply the best'? No thanks. I'd rather see Thomson come north. For those of you at the League Cup match against Stenhousemuir he put in a great shift. Quite incredible it was his first competitive match for Stenny that night too.

[Rival]

Get Tuffey signed up!

Because he's 'simply the best'? No thanks. I'd rather see Thomson come north. For those of you at the League Cup match against Stenhousemuir he put in a great shift. Quite incredible it was his first competitive match for Stenny that night too.

It was his first professional match full stop.

[PaderbornCaley]

Get Tuffey signed up!

Because he's 'simply the best'? No thanks. I'd rather see Thomson come north. For those of you at the League Cup match against Stenhousemuir he put in a great shift. Quite incredible it was his first competitive match for Stenny that night too. It was his first professional match full stop.

comma, he had a great game exclamation mark!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

OK - lets get to the nitty gritty - surely there must be promising youngsters in Scotland who must have the same potential as the Magnificent Seven ? This latest recruitment drive could be termed to be "racist" in the footballing sense.Sorry but SPL sides should be blooding Scottish yoof in the best interests of the future of Scottish football.

[LundavraJag]

It is great news that we've this many players signed up already but as mentioned above, can anyone shed any light on how much scouting we do in Scotland or is there that little to scout? Teams like Dundee United have appeared to do pretty well from the lower divisions. 

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Good news but we need two keepers as a minimum.

[CaleyD]

OK - lets get to the nitty gritty - surely there must be promising youngsters in Scotland who must have the same potential as the Magnificent Seven ? This latest recruitment drive could be termed to be "racist" in the footballing sense.Sorry but SPL sides should be blooding Scottish yoof in the best interests of the future of Scottish football.

 

As I have highlighted numerous times before.....

 

If ICT were to sign a player under the age of 24 from another club in Scotland then they would have to pay a development fee.  Such fees do not exist on cross-border transfers.

 

These fees can vary, but even if it was as little as £25k for each, then 7 young players are going to cost £175k in fees alone....that's about £3365 a week in wages over a year....equivalent to about 10 young players if they're getting £300/£400 per week.....or 3 signings instead of 7.

[Hiro]

 

If its is the Curtis Allen from Coleraine then he sounds like a decent goal scoring forward which we could do with for competition/strike partner/injury cover for Billy

 

happy to see we may be strengthening further:

 

But we're not finished -- offers have been made to one or two others and we await news on them.

 

 

 

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that I recommended Curtis as a potential signing about 4 years ago when he was still with Distillery.  I can't find the post because I am a moron be bothered searching for the post but clearly I'm ahead of the game.

 

In all seriousness he's a decent player but rough around the edges. The step up to full time football will do him wonders but I'm just hoping it's not too late at 25.

[Bluesman]

Re our signings and Scottish talent. Time will tell if other SPL clubs have given chances to young Scottish players this season and it pays off - costs aside. 

 

What I would say is that back in the day one out of every five kids I knew in school played football all the time and one in ten was pretty good, competition to get into secondary school sides was fierce. I wonder how the top local school sides of today would fare against those from 1972.

 

I would love to see more young Scots in with a shout but maybe it's just reality so we have to get prospects where we can. 

[+bughtmaster]

It is a great shame but understandable that we cannot coax Craig Gordon on to our books, Scotland's greatest ever keeper would be a wonderful asset both in coaching and when fit enough as a back up or when full fitness comes our number1.

This multi talented fellow through his media involvement and other interests may not, until fully fit, be looking for impossible (ICT related) money and could do so much for our Club, Even on a short contract with as many get out clauses as he wanted, the kudos he would bring to the Club would be enormous.

Well we can all dream but never the less I'm sure we will find a very suitable replacement for Reguero before the season starts. Ryan in the meantime in the close season can get himself back to full fitness and hopefully show the alertness of old that he lacked this 2012/13 season and that problem will be solved.

Whatever! it looks like exciting times ahead and I eagerly await news of these other probable signings.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

OK - lets get to the nitty gritty - surely there must be promising youngsters in Scotland who must have the same potential as the Magnificent Seven ? This latest recruitment drive could be termed to be "racist" in the footballing sense.Sorry but SPL sides should be blooding Scottish yoof in the best interests of the future of Scottish football.

 

As I have highlighted numerous times before.....

 

If ICT were to sign a player under the age of 24 from another club in Scotland then they would have to pay a development fee.  Such fees do not exist on cross-border transfers.

 

These fees can vary, but even if it was as little as £25k for each, then 7 young players are going to cost £175k in fees alone....that's about £3365 a week in wages over a year....equivalent to about 10 young players if they're getting £300/£400 per week.....or 3 signings instead of 7.

But we ain't even considering any and therefore we are contributing to the death of Scottish football. Are we talking the same deal about out of contract or freed Scottish youngsters ?

[CaleyD]

I don't know exactly who has or has not been considered beyond those which have been given deals.

 

You asked why young players in Scotland weren't being given the same chance and I provided an explanation.  I don't necessarily agree with it, but I do understand it.  Like it, or not, we have a very finite budget and the club need to operate in a way that delivers the most they can from that....and so far it seems to be moving the club in the right direction, both on the park and on the balance sheet.

 

ICT don't set the rules on paying player development fees (or not) in Scotland or cross-border...they can only operate within the rules and systems dictated by the SFA, UEFA & FIFA.  Sadly, it's unrealistic to expect us to be able to compete for the most promising of youngsters available in Scotland (unless we unearth a gem from our own youth system).  It's a smaller market which means the pickings are slimmer and any potential talent is picked up by teams who can either offer better wages/terms and/or can afford to pay a fee (or they cross-borders in the other direction) or they have the finances to take more of a punt by signing them sooner.

 

My understanding is that an out of contract under 24 in Scotland will still generate the need for a development fee if they have been offered a deal by existing club and then move to another Scottish club, although one being freed will not....but if they are being freed, then are they really going to be of a quality required?  Not to mention the fact that you have to wait until they are actually released before you can even talk to them to avoid the development fee scenario...and as that doesn't happen until end of May (or later) then you are adding in the additional risk of sitting on your hands till then and potentially missing out on the kind of players we have signed the last couple of seasons.

 

I'm no stranger when it comes to suggesting a conspiracy, but it really is going some to ignore all of the above and cast about accusations of racism as being the reason the club operates as it does when it comes to signing policy!