new contracts

[Alex MacLeod]

Any word on his shoulder injury ??

No mention anywhere of extent of injury

[MissICT]

I'd be bad to see black go but brews no one of this biggest fans.

[FortressICT]

Black is saying he is more than happy to stay. He is playing superb. Managed to control his temper. And even doing a newspaper article saying he wants to stay, his family are settled etc, it just shows what an incompetent Manager Brew is. He has been winning me over recently, but if he does snap up Blackie on at least a 3 year deal then I will again be well in support of the sacking of him.

He should also have players like - Vigurs, Fraser, Munro, Cowie, Duff and Zander all snapped up on long term deals already. But he doesn't have a clue on this side of things so don't expect anything to be honest.

[Scotty]

Black is saying he is more than happy to stay. He is playing superb. Managed to control his temper. And even doing a newspaper article saying he wants to stay, his family are settled etc,

I read that too .... we must get him signed up. The only reason for not signing him up would be if HE refuses, and it sounded like he was not going to do that with his "make me an offer" type plea.

I have been impressed with Black when listening to commentary over the last few months, but was really impressed with him when I saw a game in person last week. He has matured in so many ways over the last season or two and quite simply would be the first name on the teamsheet of 99% of people asked to pick a team out of our squad.

[MrAsterisk]

Black is saying he is more than happy to stay. He is playing superb. Managed to control his temper. And even doing a newspaper article saying he wants to stay, his family are settled etc,

I read that too .... we must get him signed up. The only reason for not signing him up would be if HE refuses, and it sounded like he was not going to do that with his "make me an offer" type plea.

I have been impressed with Black when listening to commentary over the last few months, but was really impressed with him when I saw a game in person last week. He has matured in so many ways over the last season or two and quite simply would be the first name on the teamsheet of 99% of people asked to pick a team out of our squad.

Hmmmm, in a quandry, I agree with Scotty - Oh the shame of it

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Taxi for Brewster if does not offer Black a decent three year contract.

[Alex MacLeod]

I think we are being a bit harsh on Brewster here. We dont know what's happening. What I do believe though is that Brew decides who he wants or doesn't want and its the Director of Football who then sorts out the contract side. I have seen nothing that indicates that Brew doesn't want Blackie. He has started in all ten competitive games this season. That says to me that he's a pretty vital part of the plans.

The board will decide what they can afford to offer any player. Not Brew

Edited October 5, 2008 by Alex MacLeod

[MrAsterisk]

Brewster made it known that Rankin was up for grabs = enough said

[Kingsmills]

Now that Black has made it clear that he's happly in principle to stay we should be pulling out all the stops to get him signed up for another three years.

I can see him maturing into the sort of player by then who might command the club's highest ever outgoing transfer fee.

[davieB]

I've no idea what goes on behind the scenes regarding contracts, but we do seem to regularly be in a position where our contract offers (or non contract offers) make weekly news.

From what I've read, Blackie seems perfectly happy here, and is as good as saying he wants to stay.

I can't believe for one minute that our board can't see that we've got, potentially, one of our best ever players saying he wants to stay either. On what basis could they possibly not give him a new contract?

Every transfer window there seems to be some unfounded rumour regarding Blackie, so surely if he wasn't wanted he'd have gone by now. If he doesn't get a new contract that says to me that it's nothing to do with Ian wanting to move on, or another club wanting him, it says WE don't want him.....and if that's the case than there needs to be some very serious questions asked.

[CaleyD]

I sometimes wonder if we don't make enough of an allowance for "Agent Intervention" or non-intervention. It's very much the case these days that a Manager/DoF is simply not allowed to approach a player directly in regards to contracts.

It was this kind of thing that (reading between the lines) resulted in Dennis departing from ICT and I wonder if it could be the same for others. If the club aren't allowed to talk to a player directly and the agents aren't telling players that the club have been in touch then everyone can be left in the dark until it's too late.

I don't know the situation with Black, I don't even know if he has an agent, but with reports in the paper the other week about the club being keen to sit down to talk to him and then Black saying he's not had any talks, then you have to wonder just where the breakdown in communication is happening. If an agent has a sniff that someone else is interested and he thinks he can make a few quid from moving a player on then it's in his (the agents) interests to disrupt negotiations between player and current club.....and that's the biggest downfall of using agents these days, they are all in it for themselves only.

[roby]

from a source, that i believe to be reliable, todays decisions by brew made it clear, blackie not being considered for a new contract.

The 3 most gifted players at our club are Black , Cowie and Vigours. Potentially they are the most valuable both on and of the park. What does our club do? Get themselves in a position where come January we could lose all 3 on pre contracts. Bennett should get a grip and tie up all 3 with decent contracts giving each of them the assurance should a bigger club come along with a decent offer they would be allowed to leave. At least this way the club would get reimbersed for their loss.

[Scotty]

I am with CaleyD on this one ..... there are almost always now three parties involved in negotiations and I think most of us have a similar opinion about agents !

A couple of weeks ago the noise coming from the club was that they wanted to sit down with certain players in coming weeks and discuss things. Last week the noises were coming from the player basically saying he wants to do the same. Lets hope the agent (if there is one) can organise that to happen sometime during this international break.

[kencar]

P&J are reporting that discussions are to begin this week with Munro, Fraser & Black

P&J LINK

[RiG]

P&J are reporting that discussions are to begin this week with Munro, Fraser & Black

P&J LINK

I'm sure that same story has been released every week for the last month

[RossP]

P&J are reporting that discussions are to begin this week with Munro, Fraser & Black

P&J LINK

I'm sure that same story has been released every week for the last month

I was thinking the same thing when I read that. Fingers crossed the International break brings 3 points for Scotland and 3 new contracts signed for Black, Fraser and Munro. I've all but given up on Cowie signing up again, but the way he's playing just now I wonder if anyone will be interested in signing him at all!

[FortressICT]

Cowie is saying in the Courier that the prospect of fighting for a top six place could inspire him to stay at ICT.

What a muppet, if Leeds do come in with an offer, I'd certainly take it unless a Championship club came in:

- Better quality of League

- Better quality of players - playing with and against

- Better fans

- Better stadium

- More money

- More ambition at the club

- Better chance of winning a league

- If promoted, Championship would be a much better and so much higher quality of player than SPL.

- Potentially massive cup games V Man U, Chelsea etc.

For all of these reasons, even for just 1 or 2, I would leave ICT for Leeds. But let's hope Don doesn't.

[AJS]

Leeds cant be paying much more than scottish clubs as they are skint and have been for the last 2 seasons. They live off free-be's and veterans without a club. They are like the Dundee of England.

[Kingsmills]

Leeds may be on their uppers but they would still be able to pay players salaries at several times the rate we could.

[Alex MacLeod]

Cowie is saying in the Courier that the prospect of fighting for a top six place could inspire him to stay at ICT.

What a muppet, if Leeds do come in with an offer, I'd certainly take it unless a Championship club came in:

- Better quality of League

- Better quality of players - playing with and against

- Better fans

- Better stadium

- More money

- More ambition at the club

- Better chance of winning a league

- If promoted, Championship would be a much better and so much higher quality of player than SPL.

- Potentially massive cup games V Man U, Chelsea etc.

For all of these reasons, even for just 1 or 2, I would leave ICT for Leeds. But let's hope Don doesn't.

There's a lot more for Don to think about than the list you produced Ross. Will his woman want to move? New baby, close to family etc. Life is not all about money.

[FortressICT]

I know that. I'm really just talking on the Football side of things, but as you have said, family is the most important thing. But Football is a very short career, best to get the most out of it and that's including money.

[CaleyD]

Any word on his shoulder injury ??

No mention anywhere of extent of injury

I heard earlier today that Blackies injury isn't as bad as we might have feared and that he should be fit for the Tic game.

[AJS]

Heard Black went for a scan just to be sure. Duff and Duncan could miss the Celtic game. Is McGuire suspended for it?

[Alex MacLeod]

Heard Black went for a scan just to be sure. Duff and Duncan could miss the Celtic game. Is McGuire suspended for it?

No. His suspension is for one reserve game.

[johnnykipper]

Munro to sign a 2 year extension tomorrow.