"The ICT Thread - The Championship Years"

[Central Belt Caley]

19 hours ago, TheScarf said:

It was a lovely finish from the useless hoor to be fair.  Worth the sunburn definitely.

To be fair it’s the only goal I can remember him scoring without looking it up. Only other thing I remember from that game was the Kelty keeper informing me that he was “fucked” when he jogged over to get the ball at one point 
 

20 hours ago, RiG said:

Player - Billy Mckay
Young Player - Cammy Harper
Goal - Mckay's second v Livi

Joking aside, these were my picks too. 

[KirkieRR]

Aaaaaaand, 'The Championship Years' continue.

What to do about Dodds? Can't sack him before the cup final. And then, suppose Caley win?*

 

 

 * On tonight's form, looks somewhat unlikely, I grant you.

 

[SandyCromarty]

billy dodds - MASTER TACTICIAN?

[NorthStand10]

2 minutes ago, SandyCromarty said:

billy dodds - *SECOND HALF* MASTER TACTICIAN?

 

[Jaffa]

If someone can justify giving him a new contract after finishing in the bottom half I am all ears 

[PB1994]

32 minutes ago, Jaffa said:

If someone can justify giving him a new contract after finishing in the bottom half I am all ears 

Surely nobody can. A Scottish Cup final is brilliant but it’s just a bonus. You have to be judged on league results and over the past 2 years it hasn’t been good enough.

[Caley Shaun]

1 hour ago, KirkieRR said:

Aaaaaaand, 'The Championship Years' continue.

What to do about Dodds? Can't sack him before the cup final. And then, suppose Caley win?*

 

 

 * On tonight's form, looks somewhat unlikely, I grant you.

 

I'm sorry but he CAN'T continue and if he does then we need to demand answers from our dud CEO Mr Gardiner because this season has been beyond unacceptable!

Though it's not all his fault, the clown Gardiner himself is equally to blame and so are some of the dross on the park so I would say that whoever the manager is next season has a tough job on his hand though I'm hopeful we'll keep the vast majority of this squad and recruit competently and aim for the title or at the very least, 2nd next season.

 

I'm getting very impatient now as 8 seasons in this league is abysmal!

[Arjy]

So all in all, looking back at the season, we have had our ups and consistent downs. I feel throughout the season it's been too much of the same excuse. Yes we went through an injury crisis but we still had a (fairly) competent squad to compete to maintain a better position to solidify a higher position to mount a better playoff push however, we dropped too many points throughout this period and to me, finishing 6th isn't acceptable. I personally wouldn't be offering Dodds an extension to his contract but more than expect that to be secured, and potentially has been offered this going by comments seen throughout social media.

I feel that Dodds has earned a lot more goodwill than he deserves by getting to the cup final which we're all very much aware of how that has come about.

In the last few months I feel we have started to see Billy's tactics 'come together' in some manner but this is too little too late. I also feel playing a system that focuses on crossing with the players we have up top isn't necessarily the most effective way to play and seems pretty outdated and lacking in imagination. It works from time to time, but not against the better opposition that we need to beat if we are to compete for the title. Additionaly, are we able to maintain this form into the next season? Given how lost we looked when the best team wasn't available I'm not so sure. You cannot bank on having all of your best players available throughout a season. Another point is multiple integral players' contracts are running out, are we able to retain these key players? For example I doubt that the likes of Deas will be staying and an adequate replacement found. And if we don't keep these kind of players will the new ones that come in not only be of a good enough standard but also integrate into the team in time before we end up with another mediocre or worse season? Given how long it's taken the likes of Shaw to turn out good performances I have my doubts.

I'm looking to the next season in hopes we can make the playoffs but this is very much a regression from this year where truly competing for the title seemed very much on the cards.  Ultimately I do not view Dodds as the manager to take us further forward. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.

 

[johnnydun]

1 hour ago, Jaffa said:

I am all ears 

Hiya Billy, hiya pal.

[Juanjo Nostalgia]

 

On 15/04/2023 at 21:21, sophia said:

But we won against Morton, Raith, Arbroath and Cove so double down as you will and fair play to you for spinning it.

My prediction was based upon bolstering our confidence levels with the run of fixtures such as they were and here we are with the prospect of a heightening of our collective expectation.

Why would you want to believe that we can't prosper?

Its ok to change your position in the face of facts. For instance, there is one prominent poster on here who prematurely wrote off Cammy Harper and then defended their position by claiming it was justified as an improving Cammy was playing in a different position. The better policy would've been to accept the circumstance and learn.

I'm delighted that Cammy scored the winner today from left back.

 

Hi @sophia, just wondering if you’re willing to admit you were wrong here?

”It’s ok to change your position in the face of facts…”

Looking back, I did change my position. I initially said we might finish above Morton. Then I said we’d finish behind them.

What’s your latest position on Billy Dodds?

[sophia]

4 minutes ago, Juanjo Nostalgia said:

 

Hi @sophia, just wondering if you’re willing to admit you were wrong here?

”It’s ok to change your position in the face of facts…”

Looking back, I did change my position. I initially said we might finish above Morton. Then I said we’d finish behind them.

What’s your latest position on Billy Dodds?

It was just a bit of fun.

Stay positive.

[Poet of the Macabre]

Over four weeks without a match and then you get to play Celtic...yikes.

Although the idea of you having to fit in a Europa Conference League game at Spurs alongside a Challenge Cup trip to Spartans is interesting.

[Thumper]

9 minutes ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Although the idea of you having to fit in a Europa Conference League game at Spurs alongside a Challenge Cup trip to Spartans is interesting.

Also that right now they'd get better odds against Spurs.

[ebobsboy]

Unlucky chaps but all the best in the cup final. 

[scottbamby]

 I am gutted with our performance tonight. We were miles off it. That first half is just inexcusable. How many fucking times this season I’ve had to watch us lump the ball towards a 5ft 7 Billy Mckay and then lose every resulting second ball is a joke. Absolutely no fight at all either.

Subs and change of shape second half made a real difference, again though totally wasted Samuels by barely playing balls in behind and instead playing predictable pedestrian pish in front of Ayr. Why Nathan Shaw keeps getting moved centrally for Dan Mackay who is about as present as Casper the friendly ghost 4 weeks out of 5 is beyond me. 
 

Realistically, it would’ve been an abomination if we’d somehow made the playoffs given how utterly shite we’ve been for 90% of the season but to lose it in that manner is so frustrating. I really would’ve fancied us given the recent run of form. Going to be massive changes this summer I expect, majority of the squad are out of contract including some vital players such as Allardice and Mckay. 
 

I hear Dodds has signed a new deal, still unconvinced he’s the man to get us out of the Championship however there’s something to be said for continuity. The most important thing for me on top of that is that the players all seem to speak highly of him, despite the trials and tribulations of this year. Choosing to be hopeful we can use some of the funds from the cup run to retain a few, and sign slightly better quality players. 

[Juanjo Nostalgia]

Some “highlights” this season:

- struggling our way past Brechin and Stirling Albion in cups

- getting pumped at Firhill twice

- that night at Cappielow

- losing to Motherwell was fair enough, but the way we played that night might be the worse I’ve ever seen us

- losing to Hamilton four times out of five, including twice in one week

- a recruitment policy that brought in Steven Boyd, George Oakley, Ryan Barrett, Daniel Mackay, Max Ram…

 

But Billy Dodds will get a new contract on the basis of three results against Livingston, Kilmarnock and Falkirk.

[SandyCromarty]

On 12/04/2023 at 21:56, sophia said:

Sandy, you've completely misjudged it. The majority that you refer to are a cohort in cahoots and you're the subject of an online gameshow that others are looking down upon, not unlike greek gods and we're they're puzzled by the persistent and obstinate egocentric negativity.

It's not too late to come out into the light, imbibe a doze of truth and reconciliation, take the step and breathe the positivity Sandy.

little billy dodds MASTER TACTICIAN always bound to fail as we said so many times.

[SandyCromarty]

On 15/04/2023 at 17:59, sophia said:

It's all going to plan so far and I'll spare the blushes of those who have refused to believe and would have us finished prematurely.

Is there now anyone who will predict we won't grab a play-off place?

If silence be good for the wise, how much better for fools.

 Never tell a fool that he is a fool. All you'll have is an angry fool. 

Edited May 6, 2023 by SandyCromarty

[Central Belt Caley]

I totally understand the injury crisis that will be cited by many but we had a fairly full squad against Hamilton and still lost to them twice in 4 days shipping 5 goals in the process to one of the poorest teams in the league. Add to the fact we only managed to beat them once this season. 
 

Recruitment has been dire, Shaw has come onto a game to be fair but the likes of Boyd, Ram and Barrett look(ed) miles off it. Delaney looks decent enough at times and Dan Mackay seems to only show up every few weeks (or when the tv cameras are at the game). To their credit, wee Jay Henderson has been superb. 
 

Are we going to be able to retain a lot of the players who’ve done well this season? Deas will be off, Allardice too most likely. Can we afford Billy Mckay for another couple seasons? Do we trust Robbo and Dodds to recruit 5/6 new players for the first team after the poor recruitment of last season? 
 

The season should be classed as a failure because at a minimum, I (like many others) was expecting playoffs this season and we’ve missed out on them finishing 6th. I suspect the Cup final may mean Dodds has enough goodwill for a new deal. Which I am not necessarily against, but if he’s in charge next season and we have another winless period spanning months then he’s got to be gone that’s what killed us last season and it’s what killed us this season. 

[SandyCromarty]

2 minutes ago, Central Belt Caley said:

I totally understand the injury crisis that will be cited by many but we had a fairly full squad against Hamilton and still lost to them twice in 4 days shipping 5 goals in the process to one of the poorest teams in the league. Add to the fact we only managed to beat them once this season. 
 

Recruitment has been dire, Shaw has come onto a game to be fair but the likes of Boyd, Ram and Barrett look(ed) miles off it. Delaney looks decent enough at times and Dan Mackay seems to only show up every few weeks (or when the tv cameras are at the game). To their credit, wee Jay Henderson has been superb. 
 

Are we going to be able to retain a lot of the players who’ve done well this season? Deas will be off, Allardice too most likely. Can we afford Billy Mckay for another couple seasons? Do we trust Robbo and Dodds to recruit 5/6 new players for the first team after the poor recruitment of last season? 
 

The season should be classed as a failure because at a minimum, I (like many others) was expecting playoffs this season and we’ve missed out on them finishing 6th. I suspect the Cup final may mean Dodds has enough goodwill for a new deal. Which I am not necessarily against, but if he’s in charge next season and we have another winless period spanning months then he’s got to be gone that’s what killed us last season and it’s what killed us this season. 

Good take on what has been a miserable season, that match where Ridgers didn't come out for the second half was the start of cracks showing for me.

I take absolutely no pleasure in the loss last night, to see my team unable to put a game together or have any shape is terrible and the blame lies fair and square with Dodds and his coaching staff, he has to go along with Robertson.