The General Ross County Chat Thread

[staggy4life]

1 hour ago, Lanky Highlander said:

Looking forward to getting a look (hopefully) at Hale on Saturday.

He's suspended. 

I don't know why he wouldn't be serving his 1 match suspension carried over from NI Cup competitions v Stranraer though unless he wasn't registered in time? It's an odd one.

Edited July 16 by staggy4life

[Pete the Jakey]

1 hour ago, Lanky Highlander said:

Looking forward to getting a look (hopefully) at Hale on Saturday.

Given the summer we’ve had, hale on Saturday might well be on the cards. 

[Lanky Highlander]

2 minutes ago, Pete the Jakey said:

Given the summer we’ve had, hale on Saturday might well be on the cards. 

 

[Sonam]

On 16/07/2024 at 04:51, forkboy said:

...and that aside, the decision is already made, Don is the manager, what's to be gained with being down on the hiring, as a County fan? If it doesn't work then it doesn't work. He did enough last season to get the opportunity so I'm happy to let it play out. If we're stranded bottom come the end of October then I'll start having second thoughts.

I really can't believe that there a some fans already appearing to turn on Don Cowie! Quite shocking.

Of course he has a lot to prove still. He is also fairly inexperienced.

Yet the transfer window is open until Friday August 30th at 11:30pm.

I think the real judgement & questions to be asked is have County got enough quality, experienced Scouts.

I do expect Roy Macgregar as always to put money in. Yet, they have to be decent finds, checked over by Don Cowie.

It's far too early to argue & panic. While the League Cup has great memories, this season it is not the be all & end all of the season.

Staying up is! Just hope the club can unearth some quality, fast & talented players. County have proved that they are a great stepping stone to bigger things.

Patience & time, regardless if we lose to Raith Rovers on Saturday.

My panic will begin if the team are crap after 30th August. Until then, best get behind local lad Don Cowie.

 

[Mackie The Staggie]

4 hours ago, Sonam said:

I really can't believe that there a some fans already appearing to turn on Don Cowie! Quite shocking.

Can't turn on him if you never thought it was a good idea in the first place.....

[Sonam]

2 hours ago, Mackie The Staggie said:

Can't turn on him if you never thought it was a good idea in the first place.....

I don't think any manager would be perfect. Unless they have excellent contacts throughout the game not only in Scotland, but in the English Championship, Div 1 & 2.

So, who are we talking about here if it wasn't Cowie? 

Comparing to other Scottish  Premiership clubs? Go on, name some instead of constant criticism before the season really starts?

[Sonam]

3 hours ago, Mackie The Staggie said:

Can't turn on him if you never thought it was a good idea in the first place.....

Sometimes I wonder if so called 'fans' like you just wait there with baited breath and  take that position just to say 'I told you so' when it doesn't work out. Good boost for your ego in a strange way.

Shame you can't take the same negativity and shout it to the opposition and criticise their players & often worse managers.

Despite who the manager is, Ross County are really a Championship club. Hope that they make some signings that saves County from relegation spot or play off spot.

Doubt we will get a Jackson Irvine, Simon Murray type player, Charles-Cook, Joseph Hungbo, Liam Boyce or Karim Boukraa etc.

3rd bottom suits me, as long as we also get some entertainment along the way.

[Lanky Highlander]

1 minute ago, Sonam said:

Sometimes I wonder if so called 'fans' like you just wait there with baited breath and  take that position just to say 'I told you so' when it doesn't work out. Good boost for your ego in a strange way.

Shame you can't take the same negativity and shout it to the opposition and criticise their players & often worse managers.

Despite who the manager is, Ross County are really a Championship club. Hope that they make some signings that saves County from relegation spot or play off spot.

Doubt we will get a Jackson Irvine, Simon Murray type player, Charles-Cook, Joseph Hungbo, Liam Boyce or Karim Boukraa etc.

3rd bottom suits me, as long as we also get some entertainment along the way.

Ouch. That's out of order. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't make them less of a fan. 

[Mackie The Staggie]

9 minutes ago, Sonam said:

I don't think any manager would be perfect. Unless they have excellent contacts throughout the game not only in Scotland, but in the English Championship, Div 1 & 2.

So, who are we talking about here if it wasn't Cowie? 

Comparing to other Scottish  Premiership clubs? Go on, name some instead of constant criticism before the season really starts?

Dougie Imre - Has done a fantastic job with very limited resources at Greenock Morton.  He should be in the short list for any job going in the bottom half of the premiership imo, but it feels as if Imire is overlooked because Morton is viewed as "unsexy" (which it is tbf, but should no take away from the job he's done there)

As for the reasons why I remain unconvinced that Cowie is the correct person.

• We went into the bottom split with the best chance to keep as away from the playoff we have ever had.  But when push came to shove we had a terrible performance against Livi, a total thrashing from Motherwell, a failure to hold on away to St Johnstone and when we needed something to get the win against Aberdeen with a man advantage there was no change in our game plan.  
• The signing of Ricki Lamie
• the tactics/structure have a striking resemblance to how we played under MacKay.  Now that's to be expected, afterall Cowie's aprentership was under him.  However those didn't work out for us and I'm really hopping we see something different.
• We were carried more by Simon Murray's goals than any real sense of tactical brilliance from Cowie.....again see Regan Charles Cook carrying Malky to a top 6 finish in his first year and then abject failure the following season.  We no longer have that and Brophy/White are just not going to cover that shortfall at all.
• The signing of Ricki Lamie

[Mackie The Staggie]

9 minutes ago, Sonam said:

Sometimes I wonder if so called 'fans' like you just wait there with baited breath and  take that position just to say 'I told you so' when it doesn't work out. Good boost for your ego in a strange way.

What do you mean by "So called fans". 

Is there a grade I must hit to be a County fan or is based on how many years of service?  

Do you have a badge to show who are the proper fans and who aint?

Does being a fan mean backing anyone who is local, regardless of having some concerns about what has been shown since they took over?

please, let me know oh gatekeeper of the Staggies.

[StoneThrowAway]

1 minute ago, Mackie The Staggie said:

What do you mean by "So called fans". 

Is there a grade I must hit to be a County fan or is based on how many years of service?  

Do you have a badge to show who are the proper fans and who aint?

Does being a fan mean backing anyone who is local, regardless of having some concerns about what has been shown since they took over?

please, let me know oh gatekeeper of the Staggies.

I think it's because you've not posted enough youtube videos m8.

[BuieCounty]

Anybody been having a spy at training at all, any unfamiliar faces resembling creative midfielders? 

 

 

[forkboy]

8 hours ago, Sonam said:

I really can't believe that there a some fans already appearing to turn on Don Cowie! Quite shocking.

Of course he has a lot to prove still. He is also fairly inexperienced.

Yet the transfer window is open until Friday August 30th at 11:30pm.

I think the real judgement & questions to be asked is have County got enough quality, experienced Scouts.

I do expect Roy Macgregar as always to put money in. Yet, they have to be decent finds, checked over by Don Cowie.

It's far too early to argue & panic. While the League Cup has great memories, this season it is not the be all & end all of the season.

Staying up is! Just hope the club can unearth some quality, fast & talented players. County have proved that they are a great stepping stone to bigger things.

Patience & time, regardless if we lose to Raith Rovers on Saturday.

My panic will begin if the team are crap after 30th August. Until then, best get behind local lad Don Cowie.

 

Honestly quite a strange reply to mine when it ends with essentially what I was saying: "if we're bad I'll worry then, until then no point focusing on hypotheticals".

For the record I am quietly optimistic that Don Cowie will work out. But I was responding to non-County fans who were listing examples of fan favourites who didn't work out as club managers, & I think in that context "it is impossible to know that this appointment will work, all managerial appointments have risk attached" is not unreasonable or unfair. It's not a matter of panicking as it is just being realistic.

[Lanky Highlander]

25 minutes ago, Mackie The Staggie said:

What do you mean by "So called fans". 

Is there a grade I must hit to be a County fan or is based on how many years of service?  

Do you have a badge to show who are the proper fans and who aint?

No no, you've got it all wrong.

It's not a badge, it's a certificate proving you've cleaned all the seats in the Jail End with your tongue and have got a staggie tattooed on your left arsecheek.

[Pete the Jakey]

1 hour ago, Mackie The Staggie said:

 

• the tactics/structure have a striking resemblance to how we played under MacKay.  Now that's to be expected, afterall Cowie's aprentership was under him.  However those didn't work out for us and I'm really hopping we see something different.

I'm sorry but that point is utter bollocks.  Malky Mackay never started with 3 up front for a kick off.   

[Mackie The Staggie]

1 hour ago, Pete the Jakey said:

I'm sorry but that point is utter bollocks.  Malky Mackay never started with 3 up front for a kick off.   

MacKay - usual setup with a back 3, 2 wingbacks with the aim to create overlaps.  Centre mid of 3 with a late runner into the box (the lovely Yan) and Murray and White feeding of scraps.

County line up in pre-season friendly at Brora & Clach plus the League cup last Sat - 3 centre backs with wing backs attempting to create overlaps but with no real width, a centre mid of 3 with one of them to bomb late into the box (Randall this year it seems) with 2 forwards feeding of whatever may come their way.

Edit: I'll grant you, there may be some subtle difference that I don't get to see (I don't see every game during the season's as I'm usually shooting the North Caley games instead) but the general feel I get so far is there's not much difference in how the teams structure looks.

Edited July 17 by Mackie The Staggie

[Mackie The Staggie]

51 minutes ago, Lanky Highlander said:

No no, you've got it all wrong.

It's not a badge, it's a certificate proving you've cleaned all the seats in the Jail End with your tongue and have got a staggie tattooed on your left arsecheek.

Oh I have that certificate, but it was during the "Derek Adams the first" days in the 2nd division.   I just never got it recertified for when the seats went in......Damn.

 

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

You are not a real fan unless you are ogling pretty women in the stadium and posting about how horny it made you.

[Steve Carrella]

Christ,  the sooner the football starts the better!

Edited July 17 by Steve Carrella

[Savage Henry]

2 hours ago, BuieCounty said:

Anybody been having a spy at training at all, any unfamiliar faces resembling creative midfielders? 

 

 

For all the talk about certificates - I for one only completed 50% of the tasks - this is the key point.  That current squad has zero creativity.  It doesn’t have to be a Dhanda 10 - an attacking CM if any note.