Our First Signing Failure

[Alex MacLeod]

James, I dont think Leeds United are a good benchmark. Leeds are the best team in div and have been both seasons they've been in it  Unfortunately 10 point deduction last season and 15 points this have hampered the journey back up. This is the team that was Div 1 champions prior to the Premiership being formed. They were the Man U / Chelsea / Arsenal in the prem early days. They hit on hard times around five years ago, got relegated and plummeted down through the championship. In that time they have still managed to maintain a big fanbase and are now trying to get back to where they would like to be.  They are now out of administration, and provided they can keep it that way, will get back to the top flight in the next 3 seasons.

[4ize]

James, Leeds were ever cloggers -  thinking back to Oldham's brief time in the Premiership, I remember watching players getting kicked off the park at Elland Road by hired thugs with a pair of boots. A club which employs Vinnie Jones needs no introduction, methinks.

Perhaps you've had a career where you've never had a manager who couldn't see your strengths and knew how to use them - if so, you've been very lucky, because it doesn't happen to us all. Thompson's progression at Morecambe was hampered by a manager who had no idea what to do with him (I did actually point this out in my original post), but he stuck with the club in the Conference, where it's a wee bit more difficult to get noticed than in the League, and is now taking his pay day. Had he not had the difficulties I've mentioned, he would probably have fancied a couple of seasons in the SPL before looking to his retirement fund.

Killen and Porter happened to be in the right place, on the right form, at the right time - again, this doesn't happen to everyone, and to write people off because they're 27 instead of 24 when they make the move to a higher level is naive.

If you're going to dub the number of goals scored by a forward as insignificant and irrelevant then you may as well wave away every measure of success in any football match. The striking similarity between the two players' records in the SPL and League One is not a coincidence, however much you might wish it to be. If anything, given the finishing positions of the players' clubs in the seasons I listed, the SPL is an easier league than League One.

[Guest Mahonio]

I am noticing a lot of people on this topic mentioning leeds,  What the **** has Leeds got to do with our first Signing failure may i ask!!?

Back on Topic, and my opinion is that at least he has started his transfer recruitment process or at least tried to, i also think that a lot of lower league English clubs have released a few decent players which Brew can look at.

I would like him to sign Barrowman, John Parkin (stoke), Juanjo and Joe Murphy (GK- Sunderland).

[4ize]

Well, it's turned into a bit of a chat about where we should or should not be sourcing players and, by extension, where the SPL stands in the leagues there are in the British Isles. Leeds Utd probably figure in that debate, cloggers or no  :016:

[tokelyisvictorious]

I get the feeling that we will need to grow accustom to the headline 'caley signing failure' or 'brewster target snapped up'.

PLayers from england will never move up here, most honestly believe that Inverness is the back and beyond and that we don't have tv.

Brew will have to use all his contacts possible to get a few quality players this summer.

But then again we have cowie, munro, fraser and (so far) niculae.  We could only have use for a couple of backups.

[Hiro]

If you're going to dub the number of goals scored by a forward as insignificant and irrelevant then you may as well wave away every measure of success in any football match. The striking similarity between the two players' records in the SPL and League One is not a coincidence, however much you might wish it to be. If anything, given the finishing positions of the players' clubs in the seasons I listed, the SPL is an easier league than League One.

I should have made myself clearer when talking about their scoring records. I was actually meaning in comparison to each other. Killen wasn't exactly a 25 goal a season guy whereas Porter clearly is. Killen had a lucky streak at Hibs, no more no less. Personally I feel Porter could play at Championship level without a problem. I'll ask you this though, if Porter or Killen had gone to a bottom 6 SPL team (Yes I know Motherwell were before Mcghee took over) would they have scored as many goals?

The bottom 8 in the SPL are of a similar standard to the bottom of the championship. If that makes them top of league 2 standard then fair enough. I feel the debate is not about whether any players can make the step up but the type of player that can make the step up.

[4ize]

Well, we're sitting here with Niculae who, on talent, should be banging them in for fun, so the position and the supply are clearly issues. I still believe that both Porter and Killen, though thoroughly different players, have found their level (Killen's is obscurity at Old Firm standard), and it isn't a million miles away from League One. I'm glad, though, that you're talking about the type of player rather than his age, because Brew, for all his faults, gave a master class in being a bossy centre forward in his first spell with us.

"It's the fitness, stupid"  :004:

[RichieKass]

There are a fair few SFL second division teams who'd struggle in League Two, but we're bidding for Barrowman, and I tell you what, if Scunthorpe win promotion Thompson will be playing at a higher level than the SPL the season after next.  I think you wildly overestimate the quality of this league, certainly towards the bottom (you know, where we are?).

well said - league one isn't a poor quality league by any standards and the championship whips the arse of most ay the SPL

[Scotty]

If we want to sign players from England then I have said it before ... lets look at areas that have direct air links to Inverness and find some way to offer the players a bit of a sweetener by way of including a few air tickets for them to get down the road a few times during the year ..... Inverness is not far when you only have to travel an hour or two !!!

Also - lets use Niculae to our advantage !!! Here we have a current international player who will (hopefully) be strutting his stuff at Euro 2008 and maybe getting the name ICT mentioned a few times ..... Just as some players might think we are a wee team in the middle of nowhere because of their lack of knowledge, Inverness suddenly becomes a bit more attractive when players are told that we have two current international players, one of whom is playing in Euro 2008 !!! Some see Marius as a millstone around the ICT neck ... in this instance he could be a benefit to the club !!!

[4ize]

Inverness suddenly becomes a bit more attractive when players are told that we have two current international players, one of whom is playing in Euro 2008 !!!

Couldn't agree more Scotty. Even the Gers getting to the UEFA cup final gives us a hand in recruiting, I'd imagine, but playing in the same squad as internationals should be a boost. Although my flag may be coming down at the end of the group stages    :003:

[Alex MacLeod]

Scotty, are we talking Tiree, Wick, Stornoway

Or is it Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh

Or maybe Norwich, Middlesborough, London, Manchester, Bristol

Or Stockholm, Bergen, Dublin, Belfast

Christ when you look into it we could take players from anywhere  :003:

[Scarlet Pimple]

Hii Scoty

Watched Toronto against L.A. yesterday on the telly.

I thought L.A. werwe a pretty slick team but they simply had no finishing power and no Beckham to boost them. Where was he this week--tootling around Britain giving off his big smile eh?  and Toronto were all over them at the end.

Good win  Scotty. Great crowd, man, however do you do it? Much bigger seating arrrangements of course --thguis some greater options I suppoose for promotion.    ICT eat your heart out.

[Scotty]

Watched Toronto against L.A. yesterday on the telly. I thought L.A. werwe a pretty slick team but they simply had no finishing power and no Beckham to boost them. Where was he this week--tootling around Britain giving off his big smile eh?  and Toronto were all over them at the end. Good win  Scotty. Great crowd, man, however do you do it? Much bigger seating arrrangements of course --thguis some greater options I suppoose for promotion.    ICT eat your heart out.

LA had Beckham and Donovan missing on international duty, Toronto had 6 of their normal starting 11 missing. MLS really have to figure out how to read the international calendar as they make absolutely no allowances for international games ..... having said that ... happy with 2-0 and another good attendance.  (Scarlet - apart from enlightened Canadians, we also have many ex-pat Europeans/South Americans in Toronto who love their football !!!)

Scotty, are we talking Tiree, Wick, Stornoway Or is it Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh Or maybe Norwich, Middlesborough, London, Manchester, Bristol Or Stockholm, Bergen, Dublin, Belfast Christ when you look into it we could take players from anywhere  :003:

If the next world superstar is hiding in Tiree as opposed to Timisoara then so be it ..... I just think it would be less insular and short-sighted to actually make use of the features/benefits the club can offer - including transportation links - to attract players to the club.