Diddy or Doddy Cup

[tm4tj]

v Hamilton this weekend in the SPFL Trust Trophy

Club Statement

 

[IBM]

It could be the Doddy Diddy Cup. 
Our under 18’s will put in a good effort and could do well although they will have to be prepared for some crunching tackles from Hamilton!

[WYNESS101]

Least Ridgers and Samuels will get a game 

[Alan]

The youngsters can't do any worse than the supposedly first team. Good luck  to them and I'm sure they'll give 100% throughout

[+standbydave]

These young guys are playing for our club, they deserve all our support. It is a shame they are put in this position, so let's get right behind them.

[IBM]

1 hour ago, WYNESS101 said:

Least Ridgers and Samuels will get a game 

Is Samuels not injured?

[Robert]

I’m sorry, I disagree with the club on this.

We certainly should not risk anyone carrying a knock, but we should play those who are fit and use Saturday to try and build confidence in a game where league points are not at stake.

Fans like a cup run and we should be aiming to have one in this, particularly as our promotion hopes are fading so quickly.

This season could effectively peter out which is in nobody’s interests. 

[Scotty]

16 minutes ago, Robert said:

I’m sorry, I disagree with the club on this.  We certainly should not risk anyone carrying a knock, but we should play those who are fit and use Saturday to try and build confidence in a game where league points are not at stake.

Agree. You put the best team you can on the park in every game. Don't risk anyone who is injured or not fully fit but put out the best team you can from those available and only put the youngsters in where you have no option or where you feel they are good enough. 

Bigger worry is why we have so many injured? Is it the training regime? lack of recovery plans? putting players in too early after injury? Poor medical routines? I don't recall us ever having things quite so bad. ever.

 

[Yngwie]

Deciding to effectively forfeit a cup tie is not a decision that the club would take lightly, but I can see the rationale, we just can’t take the unnecessary risk of more first teamers getting injured, in what is a pretty insignificant tournament in both financial and footballing terms.
I was surprised by the announcement but probably shouldn’t have been, given what Gardner said recently about the team not training fully during this crisis, to reduce scope for further impact injuries to arise.
 

[+snorbens_caleyman]

55 minutes ago, Scotty said:

You put the best team you can on the park in every game.

Presumably the Diddy Cup has no rules about that?  There have certainly been recent disputes about that in the Football League, which had - maybe still has - requirements for you to play as strong a team as you can.

[+old caley girl]

36 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Presumably the Diddy Cup has no rules about that?  There have certainly been recent disputes about that in the Football League, which had - maybe still has - requirements for you to play as strong a team as you can.

Time will tell.....

[Scotty]

1 hour ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Presumably the Diddy Cup has no rules about that?  There have certainly been recent disputes about that in the Football League, which had - maybe still has - requirements for you to play as strong a team as you can.

The club will no doubt argue that this is exactly what is happening. the wording of the statement is literally a 'don't travel' notification with a pretty passive aggressive dig at the SPFL. 

"because of our continued unprecedented injury situation and the lack of assistance we applied for via the proper channels at the SPFL, the club will have no choice but to play a team in this tie which will not include many of our current 1st team squad."

If there is blowback, they will argue they asked for assistance, were given none and simply played the strongest team they could. It would be hard to argue that given recent team lines.  

 

 

 

[Satan]

Diddy cup. Simple.

Great run out for the next crop of youngsters,  in a no pressure situation. 

Let's face it. On our current trajectory this game is a direct pathway to the 1st team squad in the not too distant future.

[Jaggernaut]

I have mixed feelings about this decision. Firstly, I think that you should go out to win every competition that you enter, or why bother entering or taking part? Secondly, you should always play your best eleven. Football, apart from needing skill and sometimes luck to win games, is a confidence game, and we could certainly do with a good shot of confidence right now, a good result in the cup could be invaluable towards the next game against Hamilton and give us momentum. 

On the other hand, there may be repercussions playing the under 18s, as the authorities might see this as disrespecting the competition and a fine, that we can ill afford might come our way. I'm sure the under 18s will be delighted to get this chance to play, and it's a path to the first team and I hope they do well, but then again, if they take a big beating, and I can't see or expect Hamilton to take it easy on them, what will that do for their moral? Some might say forfeit the game if it means so little to the the club in the great scheme of things, and save on the expenses for the club and supporters at this time of year, and the cost of living crisis.

It is what it is, and the club have made their feelings known, but did they really think they would get any sympathy from the authorities? Was ICT not forced to play a game down at QOS, when they had just witnessed a horrific RTA, and had to be on the coach much longer than they thought and told there couldn't be a postponement and unless they played they'd forfeit the three points?

Maybe they will pull off a shock result, maybe Hamilton will not take us seriously, as we sometimes seem to do in games, maybe Hamilton will rest players as well! Whatever happens, let's hope that there are no more players added to the injury list, and that we get to the bottom of the injury crisis eventually. 

[+DoofersDad]

4 hours ago, Scotty said:

The club will no doubt argue that this is exactly what is happening. the wording of the statement is literally a 'don't travel' notification with a pretty passive aggressive dig at the SPFL. 

"because of our continued unprecedented injury situation and the lack of assistance we applied for via the proper channels at the SPFL, the club will have no choice but to play a team in this tie which will not include many of our current 1st team squad."

If there is blowback, they will argue they asked for assistance, were given none and simply played the strongest team they could. It would be hard to argue that given recent team lines.  

 

 

 

If the club say they "will have no choice", then presumably they will also have no choice the following week (also at Hamilton) unless several players who played against Dundee have miraculously recovered from previously unreported injuries sustained in that game.  I do sympathise with the plight the club is in and I would be supportive of bringing in 2 or 3 youngsters for the game. But public statements like that really aren't very helpful.  We may have a long injury list, but the team that played against Dundee are all in the first team squad.  One or two may have picked up injuries in that game but clearly we have a choice to play a team which consists of entirely 1st team squad players.

[bdu98196]

Yet another positive mood enhancing statement from the club. Regardless of competition, we're basically saying don't turn up and watch our youngsters play as its not worth it (perhaps they aren't worth it) - regardless of whether this is meant to  help fans given rising costs etc, its poorly worded and I'd imagine does little for morale. PR is not the clubs strong point and neither is dressing room psychology it seems. 

[Pele_Is_God]

I presume Ryan Esson will be taking the team on Saturday? 

[Hearach]

Just a reminder that the Supporters Travel Club are still running a bus to Hamilton on Saturday. Whether aged 16 or 36 the team need our support. Let’s get behind the boys.

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

From what I recall most our serious injuries have been during games.  

On the basis that most key players will be back by the end of January, 2023, it makes sense to conserve energy and players in less important games. I want a win in the league game against Hamilton but this year am happy to give it our best shot in the Cup especially giving younger players experience. Other clubs do the same. 

With expensive floodlighting and other costs and little sponsorship from this cup I see no need to take risks or seek progression at the expense of the league.

[+snorbens_caleyman]

18 hours ago, Jaggernaut said:

... did they really think they would get any sympathy from the authorities?

Exactly what "assistance" did they ask for from the authorities?

Either they said that because of the injury situation, they would not put out the strongest available team.  In which case they could expect little sympathy.  Or did they ask for a postponement - and for how long?

Edited December 6, 2022 by snorbens_caleyman

[Robert]

45 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Exactly what "assistance" did they ask for from the authorities?

Either they said that because of the injury situation, they would not put out the strongest available team.  In which case they could expect little sympathy.  Or did they ask for a postponement - and for how long?

It may refer to the request to bring the loan players back. 

[IBM]

4 minutes ago, Robert said:

It may refer to the request to bring the loan players back. 

I am sure that is what they are meaning.  Has it changed over the years as you could re-call a player that was on loan in the past or does the club have to put in a clause in the loan contract?

[+snorbens_caleyman]

12 hours ago, IBM said:

I am sure that is what they are meaning.  Has it changed over the years as you could re-call a player that was on loan in the past or does the club have to put in a clause in the loan contract?

From a very quick look at the SPFL rules, it looks as though there is provision for emergency recall of recognised goalkeepers - provided that that was written into to the "temporary transfer" contract - but not for outfield players.

Temporary transfer periods must be aligned with "registration periods" - basically must end in either the January transfer window or at the end of the season.

[STFU]

The club are kicking up a stink about not being able to bring back the loan players and having to play U18s.

A wee reminder that ALL the loan players are part of the U18 squad!

Just another moan to distract from the reality that is the shambles we have become.

[Robert]

Mark Ridgers was on Radio Scotland tonight and confirmed he will be in the team on Saturday. He said he hopes to use it as a platform to regain his place.

In the introduction to the piece, the presenter said Mark had confirmed there had been a “disagreement” with Billy Dodds during the Morton game in which he was subbed.

I can’t but wonder if he will be moving on in January or the summer. I hope not, but if he is still here after January I’d guess his future with us will depend on whether Dodds is being retained for next season.