Congratulations Rory!

[Johnboy]

Strewth

The lads not even played this week and he is still getting stick. If you can't comment and be happy for him don't bother leaving a comment on this thread. Theres already a thread slagging Rory off elsewhere. This thread is entitled congratulations, it's not another method of getting cowardly digs in again. He has not had the best of times in recent games but give him a break, somebody has belief in him.

Well said....   :022:

[12th Man]

Well done Rory enjoy the experience and you'll also able to get the crack with your old mate Consadine,

[Mrs Pauliebee]

It's never dull with Rory around!

[Alex MacLeod]

Well said Harry and TM4.

IHE, the Mr and Mrs McAllister who are connected to Rory ive in Aberdeen :blah01:

[Scotty]

six strikers in the squad and rory is probably the worst out of the six but lets a least give him a bit of credit. he's been a good player at reserve and youth level and has obviously impressed someone in our own management and around the scotland setup. people go on about our players not being recognised at international levels and when one does people question it.

Rory has probably been thrown into the first team to early and is yet to prove himself but at youth level he has proved to be a decent player. Saw him play for scotland U20's last season and he did not look out of place at all!!

:clapping03: :clapping03:

congrats to Rory for getting into the squad. I still stick to my belief that he needs to go out on loan or back to the reserves for a while to get his confidence back, but this call-up may also work in his favour. It is clear that someone, somewhere (or maybe multiple people) see SOMETHING in the lad, but unfortunately - with the exception of 1 game V Celtic - it is not translating into performances on the park in the SPL.

I would also go along with what CaleyD said "I actually hope the lad goes out there, bangs in a goal or two and gives us all the two fingers."

[beachcomber]

Well done again to Rory.

I'm inclined to agree with the ICT and Scotland management teams who obviously have some faith in the potential they see in Rory as opposed to the boo boys on here who can even turn his selection for the national team into an opportunity to blade him.  He has been thrust into the spotlight too quickly and hopefully if we avoid injury amongst the other main strikers (assuming they prove themselves to be better than Rory) he will be given time to develop at his own pace.

To divert the thread slightly,  I don't want to be down on Zander Sutherland, but on what basis are people on here touting him for the ICT 1st team and Scotland - as far as I'm aware he's had next to no SPL experience, and the most memorable thing I can remember him doing was giving away a penalty within about a minute of appearing as a sub one week. (at least I think it was Zander, but will happily stand corrected). Turning Highland League defences inside out in friendlies is one thing, doing the same in the SPL is another. One concern I have about Zander is that he appears very small and lightwight to make it at the top level where most of the players, even wingers are pretty solid these days. I hope my doubts are unfounded though and he turns out to be the new Davie Cooper.

[FortressICT]

"To divert the thread slightly,  I don't want to be down on Zander Sutherland, but on what basis are people on here touting him for the ICT 1st team and Scotland - as far as I'm aware he's had next to no SPL experience, and the most memorable thing I can remember him doing was giving away a penalty within about a minute of appearing as a sub one week. (at least I think it was Zander, but will happily stand corrected). Turning Highland League defences inside out in friendlies is one thing, doing the same in the SPL is another. One concern I have about Zander is that he appears very small and lightwight to make it at the top level where most of the players, even wingers are pretty solid these days."

i think zander has done well better than rory to prove he is up to sort of SPL standard.what makes rory better than zander?you said zander is small and lightweight...rory isn't exactly the strongest is he.rory has done nothing well except 3goals in 47 appearances!!

[beachcomber]

i think zander has done well better than rory to prove he is up to sort of SPL standard.

Where and when ??

Just to re-iterate, I don't want to appear down on Zander, because personally I haven't seen enough of him to make a call, but I will be delighted if there's firm evidence of his potential. He just seems to me to be a fans favourite for no obvious reason.

[jamie ictfc]

one word................."how???"

[Scotty]

I think Rory is getting a raw deal in this comparison ....

Rory has made 11 starts for ICT and 32 appearances from the subs bench. As discussed at length in other threads, and therefore not needed to be discussed in this one, he has failed to impress a lot of fans when playing for the first team.

However, as a few people have said in both the earlier threads and in this one, there is obviously something that those in the ICT setup and those in the Scotland setup are seeing that we are not or that is not being translated into SPL performances. He doesnt get into a Scotland squad just so that McLeish can claim he has named a player from ICT, he gets there because someone in that setup recognises there is a skill or ability there that they can work with.

I hope he benefits from being named in the squad and training with the national team and coaches, I hope he uses this opportunity and the low estimation of some fans to motivate himself to do better at his club, I hope he does prove all of us wrong and then stick two fingers up at us for doubting him.

Rory was touted as a huge prospect before he broke into the first team. Zander is getting the same treatment. Zander has started only 2 games and come on as a sub in 4 more so like it or not he would be a very controversial call-up for the U20 squad let alone the U21s.

Every season, I get sent questionnaires by various football magazines (like 442) asking for predictions for the forthcoming season. One of the questions is always "who will be the youngster to break through this year" or something similar. two seasons ago, my answer was Rory, this season my answer was Zander. There is every chance we could be having the same discussion about Zander this time next season or the season after if he makes the breakthrough but doesnt meet expectations.

[Mee]

Yes it was Zander who gave away a pen within a minute of coming on in his (first?) SPL appearance, oops!

Being a devotee of the Reserves, I've seen him play a fair bit and he always impresses me, if he loses the ball, he goes after it, when he's got the ball he's always looking to see who's in a good position, or he'll have a go himself. You hardly ever see him lose the rag but he's not scared of anyone. He's a naturally talented footballer with the odd cheeky wee trick to take your breath away. I think he's great  :003:

Rory has also shone in the Reserves but not as brightly, he seems to give up easily or lose interest, but he CAN play, he needs to work on his motivation and a wee bit of support from his own fans (or at least less harsh criticism) might go a long way. I was chuffed for him when he scored in the recent U-20 WC qualifiers, it would be great if he could also score for us, our lack of other strikers has given him a good chance which unfortunately, he hasn't taken  :010:

Just about all our strikers have had shaky starts and gone through dry spells, don't ever remember any of them taking so much abuse!  :symbol_question:

[CaleyD]

Zander has done the exact same as Rory did before breaking in to a regular squad position - he's been running rings around the opposition at junior and reserve level.  The difference is that Rory was thrown in at the deep end due to injuries.  That may have hindered his progress and I'm sure if the club feel that is in any way the case they will not want to repeat it with Zander.

I don't think too many people are looking to send Rory packing, instead they are calling for him to go on loan or to take a step back for a bit.  We have seen a lot of harsh comments, but I think much of that is born out of fan frustration at the situation.

[tm4tj]

Poor old Rory

No, I am not touting him for the managers job and I never saw him in the Kingsmills or Marriot and I did not see him shopping in Tesco's either, but................

................with all the hullaballo going on at ICT nobody has mentioned that Rory came on as a second half sub against the Czech Republic in the U21 game on Tuesday, when Scotland won 1-0. So some good new for Rory at least. There is a wee bit about him in the official site.

[stomach]

I think the selectors of the squads must think to themselves - well this boy is always in the squad of an SPL side, gets on quite a bit and even starts a few games, so therefore he must be good. Which unfortunatly he isn't

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Said it before - this feels like Barry Robson reincarnated. The night Bazza gets his first cap coincides with Rory and the Czech win. Being a seer this intrigues me.

And what Manager/Coach would be a role model to Rory, teach him the tricks of the trade and build him up and spped him up ??

[ICTJackson]

good luck rory

maybe theyll teach you to shoot properly

[kencar]

Dropped from the squad for the qualifiers

[Strathman]

Knox said after the Czech match that he would see who was getting games in the first team for the next squad. Elliot played on Saturday for Hearts. At least Rory got an under 21 cap. Is he the first ICT player to get an under 21 cap while playing for ICT?