Duncan

[RossP]

Who is to blame for this "terrible" season ? Clue - Look to the back of the Main Stand.

Brian Irvine?  :004:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Niculae is a "former" international with NO kudos fer several seasons. He is getting paid on the back of his PAST reputation. If he lived up to it then I doubt that there would be any argument - he quite simply hasnt - His overall performances have been bettered by the large majority of the squad- and that includes Duncan.

Niculae came here grasping at straws and I suspect that he and his agent underestimated the SPL. ICT hyped him up and gave him a chance - he simply has not delivered.

And Harry - it makes a BIG difference when the "star" player is a bit of a damp squib. I am having more of a pop at our Board fer the signing. and CD - Rosscoe knows that Brew was in the background in regard to CC - and he knows that the signing of MN was the final straw fer CC. It is a sad thing loyalty. Lets sign a team of mercenaries.

11/08/07

Laff if ya may but my job is a lot to do with observation and intuition. That was not a together ICT out there today. There is a lot of bitching going on and pointing of the fingers. The team spirit and "all fer one" ethos that has served us well fer years, and helped us survived, is sadly missing. We lost our shape today and the game because it appeared that some players decided to do their own thing - or was it tactical - which would be even worse.

I have never seen so much moaning and whingeing and lack of camaraderie. Am I wrong? Please tell me that I am - If not we are in deep ****tt if we dont sort it out pronto. 

18/08/07

I will be very interested to see how he performs on his home debut next week and the reaction of the fans. I have read on several threads that he is "class" and has played well. Well I would say BOLLICKS as he has not impressed me in the least. The hysteria has blinded some fans.

He is NOT fit and should not be starting - He should NOT have got 90 minutes today - he was clearly fecked. He may well improve and I would love to see what he is like behind the scenes and at training. He is either going to improve and be the Messiah or he is going to take us down.

He has that air of arrogance but does he have the heart and the committment. He strolls about the pitch, caressing his hair,he looks lazy and has no sign of pace. Good players have a presence about them, they do 1-2 things in a game that take yer breath away or something that sepeartes them from others. Juanjo had that quality, so had Bingham - Niculae doesnt.

Sure he has good touches but not awe inspiring. He doesnt run the line - he is not a penalty box player - he is a target man. Bayne is evidently not the partner. And the goal today - bad mistake by the full back who slipped - superb cross from Niculae but Cowie's run was the "class" in the move.

[Harry Chibber]

Niculae is a "former" international with NO kudos fer several seasons. He is getting paid on the back of his PAST reputation. If he lived up to it then I doubt that there would be any argument - he quite simply hasnt - His overall performances have been bettered by the large majority of the squad- and that includes Duncan.

Niculae came here grasping at straws and I suspect that he and his agent underestimated the SPL. ICT hyped him up and gave him a chance - he simply has not delivered.

And Harry - it makes a BIG difference when the "star" player is a bit of a damp squib. I am having more of a pop at our Board fer the signing. and CD - Rosscoe knows that Brew was in the background in regard to CC - and he knows that the signing of MN was the final straw fer CC. It is a sad thing loyalty. Lets sign a team of mercenaries.

11/08/07

Laff if ya may but my job is a lot to do with observation and intuition. That was not a together ICT out there today. There is a lot of bitching going on and pointing of the fingers. The team spirit and "all fer one" ethos that has served us well fer years, and helped us survived, is sadly missing. We lost our shape today and the game because it appeared that some players decided to do their own thing - or was it tactical - which would be even worse.

I have never seen so much moaning and whingeing and lack of camaraderie. Am I wrong? Please tell me that I am - If not we are in deep ****tt if we dont sort it out pronto. 

18/08/07

I will be very interested to see how he performs on his home debut next week and the reaction of the fans. I have read on several threads that he is "class" and has played well. Well I would say BOLLICKS as he has not impressed me in the least. The hysteria has blinded some fans.

He is NOT fit and should not be starting - He should NOT have got 90 minutes today - he was clearly fecked. He may well improve and I would love to see what he is like behind the scenes and at training. He is either going to improve and be the Messiah or he is going to take us down.

He has that air of arrogance but does he have the heart and the committment. He strolls about the pitch, caressing his hair,he looks lazy and has no sign of pace. Good players have a presence about them, they do 1-2 things in a game that take yer breath away or something that sepeartes them from others. Juanjo had that quality, so had Bingham - Niculae doesnt.

Sure he has good touches but not awe inspiring. He doesnt run the line - he is not a penalty box player - he is a target man. Bayne is evidently not the partner. And the goal today - bad mistake by the full back who slipped - superb cross from Niculae but Cowie's run was the "class" in the move.

I don't know what games you've been at IHE but for me Niculae has been a cut above and one of the main contributors to our excellent recent form.  He isn't perfect but compare him to other SPL forwards in the division and I think you'd find that most if not all SPL managers would have him on board

what were you expecting?

[davieB]

FFS...even a thread on DUNCAN turns into a Niculae thread :rotflmao:

And in case anyone's forgotten, this is the same Duncan who was mouthing off to the press last season after CC dropped him. From what I remember, several players were mouthing off to the press around that time. It seems that the legendary team spirit hasn't been evident for a while now....well before this season anyway.

Still, why spoil another cracking conspiracy theory.

[Johnboy]

This has turned into a Niculae thread, 'cos Duncan mentioned him in relation to his pay demands.... :018:

Have to agree with Harry re Marius's recent form....  If we do make the top six this time, he would be entitled to take some of the credit....

[chris123]

This has turned into a Niculae thread, 'cos Duncan mentioned him in relation to his pay demands.... :018:

Have to agree with Harry re Marius's recent form....  If we do make the top six this time, he would be entitled to take some of the credit....

Can I just ask, did he actually drop Marius' name in the quote, or is that just the courier and lazy journalism.

[Johnboy]

Read all about it...

[Caley Stan]

"There's no doubt that the wage structure at Caley Thistle has moved on a fair bit in recent times and I feel I should be up there".

That's the quote from Duncan.

"Duncan maintains that he turned down the initial offer because it did not meet his expectations and believes that any new deal should reflect a wage similar to what the top players, such as Marius Niculae, receive".

And that's the line from the Courier.

The Duncan story was covered by nearly all of the national newspapers and his press conference is on BBC online.

Only in the Courier has the name Marius Niculae been mentioned in relation to this. Unless Russell said this to a reporter, it's a pretty stupid line for the Courier to take.

Of course Marius's wages have caused disruption and of course out of conract players are going to feel they have got a right to ask for more money because of the riduculous wage Marius receives, but the Courier makes it look like Russell wants 4 or 5 grand a week and as much as i love him as a player, that's just silly.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

what were you expecting?

A player who you would leave the game feeling that he had made it worth it - a player who could produce a little bit of magic - a player who would make the opposition look like wallies - a player who could score goals out of the blue and spectacularly - a player that you would pay money to travel for cos you just knew that he could turn a game in an instant.

Bingham and Juanjo were the main two - Niculae couldnt lace their boots when it came to my criteria.

Harry - I have gone to most of the away games and he has been dire - no goals - two moments of above average skill - he has lost us games away. At home he is a bonus but he is an average SPL striker with a poor goal return fer what he is being paid.

[starchief]

what were you expecting?

A player who you would leave the game feeling that he had made it worth it - a player who could produce a little bit of magic - a player who would make the opposition look like wallies - a player who could score goals out of the blue and spectacularly - a player that you would pay money to travel for cos you just knew that he could turn a game in an instant.

Bingham and Juanjo were the main two - Niculae couldnt lace their boots when it came to my criteria.

How strange.  I think he's achieved all the things you mentioned (after a slow start).  I don't think we've had a player as talented as Niculae since the likes of Charlie Christie.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

:017:  A classical example of visual processing disorder -

A visual processing, or perceptual, disorder refers to a hindered ability to make sense of information taken in through the eyes. This is different from problems involving sight or sharpness of vision. Difficulties with visual processing affect how visual information is interpreted, or processed by the brain.

I suspect that this devotion will eventually be classed as an outburst of mass hysteria in the history of psychology. It is beginning to match instances akin to:

Nigerian Genitalia Vanishing Epidemic of 1990

During 1990, an episode of "vanishing" genitalia caused widespread fear across Nigeria. Native psychiatrist Sunny Ilechukwu (1992) said that most reports of attacks involved male victims. Accusations were usually triggered by incidental body contact with a stranger in a public place, after which the "victim" would feel strange scrotum sensations and grab their genitals to confirm that they were still there. Then they would confront the person as a crowd would gather, accusing them of being a genital thief, before stripping naked to convince bystanders that their ***** was really missing. Many "victims" claimed that the ***** had been returned once the alarm had been raised or that, although the ***** was now back, "it was shrunken and so probably a 'wrong' one or just the ghost of a *****" (95). The accused was often threatened or beaten until the ***** had been "fully restored," and in some instances, the accused was beaten to death. Ilechukwu (1992, 96) described the scene in one city:

Men could be seen in the streets of Lagos holding on to their genitalia either openly or discreetly with their hands in their pockets. Women were also seen holding on to their breasts directly or discreetly by crossing the hands across the chest. It was thought that inattention and a weak will facilitated the "taking" of the ***** or breasts. Vigilance and anticipatory aggression were thought to be good prophylaxis.

During 1990, an episode of "vanishing" genitalia caused widespread fear across Nigeria. Native psychiatrist Sunny Ilechukwu (1992) said that most reports of attacks involved male victims. Accusations were usually triggered by incidental body contact with a stranger in a public place, after which the "victim" would feel strange scrotum sensations and grab their genitals to confirm that they were still there. Then they would confront the person as a crowd would gather, accusing them of being a genital thief, before stripping naked to convince bystanders that their ***** was really missing. Many "victims" claimed that the ***** had been returned once the alarm had been raised or that, although the ***** was now back, "it was shrunken and so probably a 'wrong' one or just the ghost of a *****" (95). The accused was often threatened or beaten until the ***** had been "fully restored," and in some instances, the accused was beaten to death. Ilechukwu (1992, 96) described the scene in one city:

Men could be seen in the streets of Lagos holding on to their genitalia either openly or discreetly with their hands in their pockets. Women were also seen holding on to their breasts directly or discreetly by crossing the hands across the chest. It was thought that inattention and a weak will facilitated the "taking" of the ***** or breasts. Vigilance and anticipatory aggression were thought to be good prophylaxis.

OR

Fifteenth Century Germany

A nun in a German nunnery fell to biting all her companions. In the course of a short time all the nuns of this convent began biting each other. The news of this infection among the nuns soon spread, and it now passed from convent to convent throughout a great part of Germany, principally Saxony and Brandenburg. It afterwards visited the nunneries of Holland, and at last the nuns had the biting mania even as far as Rome. (Zimmermann cited in Hecker 1844, 127)

I fear that very soon, in the Highlands, that supporters of ICT will be walking around holding their private parts, indulging in wanton violence and biting each other.  :001:

[stomach]

???  :017:

All very "interesting"  :014:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

tHANK YOU FER YOUR APPRECIATION - It has always been my goal in life to share my advanced psychological knowledge with my peers.

[stomach]

I for one am REALLY glad you did  :023:

[Johnboy]

I fear that very soon, in the Highlands, that supporters of ICT will be walking around holding their private parts, indulging in wanton violence and biting each other.  :001:

A lot of us already do that.....  :018:

Can you turn your advanced psychological knowledge to the conundrum that is Marius Niculae...

How would you explain how someone who has played all over Europe at the highest level, including international level,  just can't do anything right, when it comes to some of this country's top soccer venues such as Fir Park and Love St....?

:024:

[ictchris]

I think IHE should turn his pyschological raindancing on himself and try to explain why he is so obsessed with Marius Niculae?  

A player who you would leave the game feeling that he had made it worth it - a player who could produce a little bit of magic - a player who would make the opposition look like wallies - a player who could score goals out of the blue and spectacularly - a player that you would pay money to travel for cos you just knew that he could turn a game in an instant.

Niculae does all this on a regular basis.  Your main gripe with him is that he isn't brilliant 100% of the time - who is?  Certainly not Bingham or Juanjo.

Niculae is a "former" international with NO kudos fer several seasons. He is getting paid on the back of his PAST reputation. If he lived up to it then I doubt that there would be any argument - he quite simply hasnt - His overall performances have been bettered by the large majority of the squad- and that includes Duncan.

Niculae came here grasping at straws and I suspect that he and his agent underestimated the SPL. ICT hyped him up and gave him a chance - he simply has not delivered.

Niculae hadn't played football for over a season when we signed him.  Perhaps that's why he took a few games to get into his stride, since when he has been one of our best players, scoring several vital goals, contributing to a great run which has seen us move from relegation candidates to challenging for the top six.  I imagine Niculae could score a hat-trick in every game from now until season's end and you'd still be on here complaining.

With regards to Russell, I like him as a player.  His passing can be wayward at times (i.e. last Sunday) but he is a vital cog in the machine.  I really hope we make him a new offer to keep him - I'm sure he isn't expecting the mythical ?5,000/week that MN gets but just a raise.  He is now an established SPL player after all.  I'd hope that we aren't letting him go in order to fund pay hikes to other players - to coin a phrase "Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine"?

[Joonya]

i am one of these who has rarely been impressed by RD.

The first match I saw him in was against Clyde down at Broardwood, and I didn't really rate him then. I still dont.

Yes there have been games where he's put in a Man of the match performance, but they are few and far between. Yes there are games he scores goals, even match winners, but they are few and far between. There are matches he links well with others and creates goals, but again they are few and far between.

How he/the courier can compare him to Niculae is, in my opinion, laughable. Niculae has had the rare display of laziness as every other player (past and present) has done whilst at ICT. Niculae gets blasted for this, yet RD deserves more praise and is branded an 'unsung hero'?

I would rather see Richie Hart in the starting line up. His control is better, his distribution superior, and although he doesnt score many (if at all) he creates far more opertunities and opens up the oposition on more regular intervals.

No-one is irreplaceable!!! Iain Stewart left and we got Wyness. Brown left and we now have Fraser. Bobby Mann left and we got Darren Dods. Dods then left and we now have McGuire. Dargo left and we got Niculae. the list is endless.... and you can do similar examples for every club in the world. (Cantona & Cole, Romario & Ronaldo, McAllister & Miller.....)

My point is, if Duncan wants more than he is worth then he should seek a new contract elsewhere. ICT have always, to my knowledge, offered the best than can for any player (even Niculae took a wage cut to play for us).

[chris123]

i am one of these who has rarely been impressed by RD.

The first match I saw him in was against Clyde down at Broardwood, and I didn't really rate him then. I still dont.

Yes there have been games where he's put in a Man of the match performance, but they are few and far between. Yes there are games he scores goals, even match winners, but they are few and far between. There are matches he links well with others and creates goals, but again they are few and far between.

How he/the courier can compare him to Niculae is, in my opinion, laughable. Niculae has had the rare display of laziness as every other player (past and present) has done whilst at ICT. Niculae gets blasted for this, yet RD deserves more praise and is branded an 'unsung hero'?

I would rather see Richie Hart in the starting line up. His control is better, his distribution superior, and although he doesnt score many (if at all) he creates far more opertunities and opens up the oposition on more regular intervals.

No-one is irreplaceable!!! Iain Stewart left and we got Wyness. Brown left and we now have Fraser. Bobby Mann left and we got Darren Dods. Dods then left and we now have McGuire. Dargo left and we got Niculae. the list is endless.... and you can do similar examples for every club in the world. (Cantona & Cole, Romario & Ronaldo, McAllister & Miller.....)

My point is, if Duncan wants more than he is worth then he should seek a new contract elsewhere. ICT have always, to my knowledge, offered the best than can for any player (even Niculae took a wage cut to play for us).

As much as I like Russel Duncan, that is an excellent post.

[+Tree]

We should not fear the losing of players. This does not mark a good or bad team. Over time all teams will lose some players, particularly clubs like ourselves.

The key part is in the replacements which are taken in or indeed promoted from the youth ranks. This will be the factor on which both the club and Brew should be judged, not whether players choose to move on.

I rate RD highly and would be sorry to see him move. What is not acceptable is paying wages which are unsustainable - ask Livi, Dunfermline or Dundee fans! The situation with Marius has not helped, however given his international pedigree (in the past or otherwise) the argument is clear for a higher wage to be paid - whether as an individual we agree with this or not. I expect an improved offer to be made - we can wait and see whether this is acceptable.

I expect that Dennis will sign.

With regard to Tokely I am not keen to see him move on, however after his performances on the field this year and issues behind the scenes during CC's reign (which I'll not go into), to be honest I find it hard to get too excited about him moving on.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I think IHE should turn his pyschological raindancing on himself and try to explain why he is so obsessed with Marius Niculae?  

A player who you would leave the game feeling that he had made it worth it - a player who could produce a little bit of magic - a player who would make the opposition look like wallies - a player who could score goals out of the blue and spectacularly - a player that you would pay money to travel for cos you just knew that he could turn a game in an instant.

Niculae does all this on a regular basis.  Your main gripe with him is that he isn't brilliant 100% of the time - who is?  Certainly not Bingham or Juanjo.

Niculae is a "former" international with NO kudos fer several seasons. He is getting paid on the back of his PAST reputation. If he lived up to it then I doubt that there would be any argument - he quite simply hasnt - His overall performances have been bettered by the large majority of the squad- and that includes Duncan.

Niculae came here grasping at straws and I suspect that he and his agent underestimated the SPL. ICT hyped him up and gave him a chance - he simply has not delivered.

Niculae hadn't played football for over a season when we signed him.  Perhaps that's why he took a few games to get into his stride, since when he has been one of our best players, scoring several vital goals, contributing to a great run which has seen us move from relegation candidates to challenging for the top six.  I imagine Niculae could score a hat-trick in every game from now until season's end and you'd still be on here complaining.

With regards to Russell, I like him as a player.  His passing can be wayward at times (i.e. last Sunday) but he is a vital cog in the machine.  I really hope we make him a new offer to keep him - I'm sure he isn't expecting the mythical ?5,000/week that MN gets but just a raise.  He is now an established SPL player after all.  I'd hope that we aren't letting him go in order to fund pay hikes to other players - to coin a phrase "Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine"?

Well  :023: a lot of it is wind up - as you probably sussed - it is one of the few things that gets cnuts responding on here these days. He has NOT impressed me and most games I go to I really do look fer summat just a bit different. He is a skilful, seasoned, talented pro who is past his sell by date.

The difference home and away is astounding - that suggests that he is dependent on others - especially the "workers" - the "runners". He clearly is 50-60 % of the player he was. He has no pace - he has little movement - he plays very intelligently with the first time ball or touch - BUT apart from the cross fer Cowie at Midden and a "dummy" at Killie he simply has not done anything to suggest to me that he is extra special. His goal rate is "terrible" given his tag and, although he has improved, his shooting is below par.

I, HONESTLY, wish that he would excite me - he simply hasnt. And fer the money that we are paying that is my main gripe. Plus he is clearly upsetting the spirit - But as I have said before I feel that the peeple who brought him here and damaged our wage structure are the ones to blame. And I am only obssessed with ICT and I feel Niculae is taking the club down.

[Caley Stan]

the peeple who brought him here and damaged our wage structure are the ones to blame.

Correct. And it's them that should be taking a slagging on this thread rather than Marius who, for all his deficiencies, gives his all and has improved over the season. If Duncan walks, i hope he holds another press conference to tell us exactly what effect this signing has had on the rest of the squad.

[Johnboy]

the peeple who brought him here and damaged our wage structure are the ones to blame.

Correct. And it's them that should be taking a slagging on this thread rather than Marius who, for all his deficiencies, gives his all and has improved over the season. If Duncan walks, i hope he holds another press conference to tell us exactly what effect this signing has had on the rest of the squad.

I was surprised Rankin didn't mention the Marius effect.... that is if there is such a thing...

[Sir C the 3rd]

Its about time we cleared out the squad anyway.  We had too many players under Charlie Christie,  I just don't see the point in a club like ours having a massive squad.  If we can trim it down it frees up more money for better quality players and wages.

We could easily lose at least 1 striker.  If Richie Hart is not going to get a game,  send him on his way.  Dean McDonald is going and Barry could possibly be retiring.  Thats a fair bit of cash,  especially if you consider we've got ?110,000 from Rankin,  lost his wage and hopefully getting in money for Barry Robson.

I have a hunch Brewster may have a couple of quality signings up his sleeve which will be on decent wages plus we will probably have to pay transfer fees for.  Unlike 10CC i think he'll be out and about now looking at players,  rather than clutching at straws in the summer.  So in a way Marius' wage may be a good thing for the club as it shows we can pay the wages for quality players and perhaps will give us that little extra we need to reach the top 6.  You can say what you want about Marius but he gives 100% and thats all you can ask of the guy.  People have their opinions on the guy but he's done well in the past 2 months or so,  probably becasue he's getting his fitness and probably more importantly his confidence back after such a long time out.

Going back to Duncan,  I actually think he's having a laugh.  I'm sure he knows no-one in the SPL would take him outside Gretna and St.Mirren and they won't be paying what he seems to be looking for.  But if he doesn't like what we offer him,  he's another player who we can send on his way.  In my opinion again he gives 100% but would be no big loss if he were to  go.

[Alex MacLeod]

Maybe so Sir C but I can name at least three first div teams who would pay him better than ICT.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Its about time we cleared out the squad anyway.  We had too many players under Charlie Christie,  I just don't see the point in a club like ours having a massive squad.   If we can trim it down it frees up more money for better quality players and wages.

We could easily lose at least 1 striker.  If Richie Hart is not going to get a game,  send him on his way.  Dean McDonald is going and Barry could possibly be retiring.   Thats a fair bit of cash,  especially if you consider we've got ?110,000 from Rankin,  lost his wage and hopefully getting in money for Barry Robson.

Unlike 10CC i think he'll be out and about now looking at players,  rather than clutching at straws in the summer.  So in a way Marius' wage may be a good thing for the club as it shows we can pay the wages for quality players and perhaps will give us that little extra we need to reach the top 6.   You can say what you want about Marius but he gives 100% and thats all you can ask of the guy.  People have their opinions on the guy but he's done well in the past 2 months or so,  probably becasue he's getting his fitness and probably more importantly his confidence back after such a long time out.

Going back to Duncan,  I actually think he's having a laugh.  I'm sure he knows no-one in the SPL would take him outside Gretna and St.Mirren and they won't be paying what he seems to be looking for.  But if he doesn't like what we offer him,  he's another player who we can send on his way.   In my opinion again he gives 100% but would be no big loss if he were to  go.

Wow - I agree - but good point from the aging rigger as well - Agree about Marius as well and I really hope that yer comment about Brew and the transfer window is also true - but if it isnt  :024: