The Intertoto Cup

[Kingsmills]

It's that time of year again when ICT will shortly have to decide whether to enter UEFA's diddy competition.

It seems that Hibs and Falkirk have expressed an interest so far so the first task would be finishing higher up the SPL than either of these rivals. I seem to remember that the last time Brewster was in charge we did express an intention to enter but were pipped by Hibs who finished that season well ahead of ourselves.

My own view is that the training camps in Italy while very professional don't seemed to have cured our age old fault of being notoriously slow starters, this season being a particular case in point.

I would far rather us try at least for a this competition which would give the players at least two guaranteed competitive matches before the season proper gets under way and the bonus of giving the fans at least a taste of European football.

As far as I'm aware we don't have the barrier of any ageing rock stars standing in our way this year !

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Fer fecks sake - lets put our energies into the Eurovision Song Contest first.

[Kingsmills]

Maybe we should have signed Elton instead of Marius !

[4ize]

No, nay, never - scrap the European jolly, keep the players at FG and offer them the cash equivalent of the trip's cost per head as an 'early starter' bonus if they win or draw four out of the first six.

[chris123]

I will be on the continent over the summer, so would probably try and make one of the games.

Out of interest, who else would make the effort to attend our first ever competitive European fixture?

[Kingsmills]

I would certainly attend the home leg and, depending on location and date, might arrange a short break to coincide with the away.

[4ize]

I will be on the continent over the summer, so would probably try and make one of the games.

Out of interest, who else would make the effort to attend our first ever competitive European fixture?

Out of interest, will you be on the continent for business or pleasure? To ask who would 'make the effort' is a little misleading - were it down to motivation I suspect most people would gladly toddle off to the Continent; most people, if money were no obstacle, would probably go to every away game by helicopter and buy a few more internationals for the club without asking for anything in return. Most people, unfortunately, aren't in that happy position. Glad you're doing so well though!  :022:

[Proctor]

I would definatly go to a continental away trip. I feel we NEED to do this. Pre season for us is often a complete joke and the chance of playing in a European competition would get us raring to go and halt the traditional poor start to the season. Even lower league Scottish clubs seem to get a better pre season than us.

[Alex MacLeod]

What about a flybe cup competition each pre-season between flybe's four sponsored teams. ICT, Norwich, Exeter and Southampton as a more realistic warm up to the start of season.

[chris123]

I will be on the continent over the summer, so would probably try and make one of the games.

Out of interest, who else would make the effort to attend our first ever competitive European fixture?

Out of interest, will you be on the continent for business or pleasure? To ask who would 'make the effort' is a little misleading - were it down to motivation I suspect most people would gladly toddle off to the Continent; most people, if money were no obstacle, would probably go to every away game by helicopter and buy a few more internationals for the club without asking for anything in return. Most people, unfortunately, aren't in that happy position. Glad you're doing so well though!  :022:

What?

Not thats its any of your buisness, but I'm staying with my father, (who moved to France because he could not afford a house in Garthdee!) and I said "effort" because last time I checked it was difficult to travel to some remote latvian town, when most people would prefer to have a holiday with their families, hence requiring effort.

Edited: Would be an excellent idea Alex, but would Southampton and Norwich really give up a glamour tie to play ourselves and Exeter?

[Kingsmills]

They would if our joint sponsors made it worth their while. I'd still prefer , if possible, to have a crack at the Intertoto Cup.

[Charles Bannerman]

It's that time of year again .......

Already!? Please! Not again!!  :crazy07:  :029: :019: :020:

[Grabe]

Our pre-season games this season were a joke and probably was reason for slow start. Would be behind going intertota if possible....nothing ventured n all that!!! :022:

[clacher_holiday2]

Our ore season preparations are always terrible!

[CaleyD]

If memory serves me right then I think Alan Savage was in favour of the Intertoto, or gave the impression that he thought it was something we should be seriously looking at.  I believe we would have been looking at it last year but it was CC that put a stop to it as he was working with some group of sports scientists and had a very set pre-season plan in place which would have been scuppered by involvement in the competition.

I don't know enough about fitness and preparations for the season etc to say whether or not it is a good or bad idea from a training point of view, but that's for Brewster and the Coaching staff to worry about.  For me, as a fan, I would relish the idea of a bit of pre-season competition against someone other than Peterhead, Clach and C*unty.......that's just getting so feckin boring and has barely changed since the club was formed, whether it is the Intertoto or something else, we could do with a change, something to challenge the players a bit more and something to get (even a little) excited about.

It's the one time of the year when the club have the ability to offer us something different from the monotony that is playing the same teams 3/4 times a year in the SPL and it should be grabbed with both hands.

[Kingsmills]

If not the Inertoto then the club should think about a "mini tour" of part of England fitting in a couple of matches at least against clubs playing in the Championship or better.

The annual pre season training camp followed by the usual low calibre friendlies id patently failing to get the players up to speed for the begining of the season.

[Kind of Blue]

Brewster was lukewarm in his support of the club's involvement a few season ago, and I doubt much has changed to alter his view.

I personally cannot see the attraction of being involved as we coud well end playing some obscure eastern european team which will cost the club a fortune to get to.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Like Chris I will be abroad again this summer - my Ibiza club DJ tour - but I am more likely to be incontinent.

What a feckin crackin idea Alex - ya should post that one to Flybe.

Play the games at Exeter and Soton - two semis one day at Exeter - a final and a 3/4th place the next day at St Marys - get flybe to put on cheap charter flights fer ICT and Norwich supporters.

[Guest TinCanFan]

Whatever happened to the planned Texas Tour last season?

[Kingsmills]

I think Sharleen Spiteri had a throat infection.

[Libero]

I think Sharleen Spiteri had a throat infection.

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