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It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge)
Press Conference. The Caledonian Stadium, Inverness. 7th June 2008
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>The gathered press settled as the new chairman stood up, took a drink of water, and cleared his throat.
"It's been a sad time for my family and this football club. My brother's death came as quite a shock to us all, and we would like to thank everyone for their messages of condolences and kind wishes. I'm sure he was happy to have seen the football club he brought together into the Scottish League rise to become one of the top three or four sides in the country, and I know he really enjoyed last season's successes. For that I, personally, would like to offer my thanks to manager Colin Jordan."
"However, there comes a time when change is needed, and I feel it is my job to bring about this change. The name of this club is Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Caledonian Thistle. That's about as Scottish as you can get. Many of the players who have come to this club, and this city, probably don't even understand that. I want that to change. Success is one thing, but I want to see success that the average man on the streets of Inverness can associate with. It's time for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, with it's most Scottish of names, to lead the way in a new revolution. We are going to bring Scottish football back to the Scottish people."
"This team will be challenging for the League title, and for European recognition, with an all Scottish side. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. No questions please."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
01-08-2004, 10:16 AM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #2
This game is played on CM 01/02, on the save game from my other Inverness Caledonian Thistle story. If you don't want to know what happens between the current date of that story and June 2008, then don't read this!
Leagues in play are Scotland and England only.
01-08-2004, 09:03 PM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #3
Inverness Caledonian Thistle supporters will be in shock after revelations last night at a press conference held by their new Chairman. In comments already labelled as "borderline racist" and "xenophobic" by some observers, the Chairman claime that he was "going to bring Scottish football back to the Scottish people".
No further information was given at the press conference, but this paper has learned from sources close to the club that this attitude almost certainly means that the highly successful Caley Thistle squad of last season will be broken up and replaced by Scottish players. This will all have to be arranged extremely quickly, as the season kicks off in less than two months.
Manager Colin Jordan, whose job itself must be under threat given his English background, was not available for comment. He'll certainly have his work cut out in the next few weeks.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
01-08-2004, 10:29 PM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #4
"Too right!", Jordan said to himself as he threw the paper on the desk in front of him. He had received his instructions from the Chairman, and there could be no doubt or misinterpretation. On the desk in front of him were two piles of cards, one large, one small, and a large glass of single malt. There were some good things about Scotland at least! The smaller pile of cards were the players the club was allowed to keep, or rather those that would be allowed to play in competetive matches from now on. Jordan fanned them out. Even in his slightly inebriated state he could only count six.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Kevin Miller The first choice goalkeeper at the club for the last 4 and a half seasons, currently away at the European Championships in Cardiff with the International side, and probably completely unaward of the trouble at home. 26 year old, with 215 appearances. It wasn't all bad then.
Malky Mackay 36 year old centre half who didn't play at all last season and only 10 times the season before. Rumoured to be retiring. 162 appearances for the club.
Ross Tokely 29 year old defensive midfielder who hasn't been a regular choice for six years, but has been at the club for his entire career. 173 appearances over those nine seasons, and his tenth could be the most interesting yet.
James White 27 year old right sided defender in his seventh season at the club. Has had four seasons as a regular pick, but has never been first choice. Probably will be now, at least for some time. 120 appearances.
John Rankin 24 year old left sided midfielder who has been the club since 2001 when he was Jordan's second signing. A regular now for 3 years. 188 appearances.
Russel Duncan 29 year old striker, the other original member of the Caley Thistle squad. Four times supporters player of the year. 248 appearances and 115 goals is an outstanding record in itself. Hasn't been a regualr pick for a couple of seasons. Is now.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The other pile - 26 cards in this one - that was far too painful. Some of the players had been at the club nearly as long as he had. Some were officially Scottish by naturalisation, but had played for other international teams so would no longer figure in the clubs plans. They all had two choices. Stay at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and don't play first team football again, as least as long as the current Chairman was in charge, or move on. Jordan knew what most would choose, and who could blame them?
Sighing, he picked up the first card from the bigger pile in one hand, picked up the phone in the other, and started dialling.
01-09-2004, 08:48 PM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #5
It's not bloody fair! We were doing so well. 2nd in the league and Quarter Finals of the Champions League, and now all those players have had to go. All the wheeling and dealing that had got me that far, down the drain in five minutes. It's been a constant stream of departures ever since that fateful day in early June, and without the £14 million we'd accrued through wheeling and dealing we would have been really stuffed. Clubs all over Europe have been coming to us with derisory offers, knowing that we more or less have to accept them. I'm sure some of them have been laughing! And on the other hand, the transfer price of Scottish internationals has gone through the roof!
Ah yes, the players we've brought in! These arrived at a similar rate to those going out. We needed top quality Scottish players in every position, and we had no choice but to pay over-inflated prices. The players coming in:
9th June: Grant Brebner 30 year old Attacking Midfielder, signed from Motherwell for £1.3m. He's been in the Premier League since 1999 with 'Well and prior to that Hibs. Obviously every player I signed at this stage was a first teamer, but now I'm not so sure.
Kenny Miller 28 year old Forward who I can now say is the fastest thing on two legs in Scotland. Has 19 caps and 6 goals in the last four seasons. It took a rather large £3.5m to prise him away from Fulham, where he hadn't really bedded in. Has two seasons with Rangers under his belt, and is another ex Hibs player.
11th June: John Fisher 24 year old Central Defender, capped at Under 21 level, and with a possible international future ahead of him. Paying £2.1m was the easiest part of the deal. Persuading him to leave a Liverpool side he had just broken into was another matter entirely.
12th June: Michael Stewart 27 year old uncapped Defensive Midfielder who cost a small fortune from Celtic. The final figure was never revealed to me, and it was complex because of a player exchange being involved. Probably about £5m though. Out of the Old Trafford stud, returning to top flight football via Arbroath.
15th June: Stephen Pearson 25 year old Attacking Midfielder who returns to Scotland after spending most of the season at Wolves. Another from the Motherwell stable. Wolves begrudgingly accepted £3.1m, the same fee they had paid!
16th June: Steve Mitchell 24 year old Striker. Plying an occasional trade in a Bristol City side in the top flight of English football after a move from East Stirling, Steve returned to Scotland for £1.6m plus a player.
17th June: Scott McLean 21 year old Attacking Midfielder with the added benefit of being able to play right across the park. Originally a Partick Thistle player, Scott had made it as far south as Blackburn. £1m, plus a decent like-for-like player, persuaded Rovers to let him return.
Darren Fletcher 24 year old Midfielder, capped at Under 21 level. It took £4m and a £10k per week contract to get this one to leave Manchester United. Hopefully it'll turn out to be the right move for him.
19th June: Steven McLean 25 year old Striker. Signed for £975k from Ayt, mainly because I thought the money was probably running out. Actually looks to be one of the best signings after pre-season.
22nd June: Philip McGuire 28 year old Central Defender. Nearly £4.9m from nearest rivals Aberdeen, and demanded another £10k contract. Capped three times (twice last season) for his country though.
23rd June: John Kennedy 24 year old Central Defender, also from Aberdeen. What they're going to do for defenders next season I don't know! Only £1.3m for the Under 21 capped player who came through the ranks at Celtic.
5th July: Robert Malcolm 27 year old Utility Defender. By far the highest payed player at the club, on £17k per week. Cost £3.5m from Middlesborough, and took a £6k pay cut to help us out. Probably the best defender in Scotland at the moment, although he hasn't won an international cap since 2004. 13 caps in all, he will play at left back initially.
8th July: Craig Easton 29 year old right sided Midfielder with 12 international caps. Signed from Derby for a bargain £475k. A real eye-opener in pre-season.
16th July: Richard Montgomery 26 year old left sided Defender. £600k from Arbroath for a covering defender. Not a lot more than that to say really.
17th July: David McEwan 26 year old Goalkeeper signed on a free transfer after being released by Blackburn. Originally a Livingston player. Everybody has to have one!
And that's it. 20 players to take us, well, who knows where? Now we had to see how they would play together. The answer? Quite well really. 4-0 at Victoria Park against Ross County (2 goals for Steven McLean, 1 for Easton and 1 for Stewart) and an identical result against St. Johnstone (2 this time for Kenny Miller, 1 for Scott McLean and another for Easton) was all better than I expected. The league starts next week.
Ed note: Squad listings are going to be interesting here: Two K Millers and Two S McLeans at the moment :o
01-10-2004, 11:17 PM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #7
Not a bad start to the season. Ayr looked pretty hopeless when they came to the Caledonian, and the only surprise was that we only beat them 1-0. Kenny Miller got the first goal of a new era, and the fans went home happy. But then, in the two weeks before our next match, we got just what we didn't want. First, Scott McLean strained his calf, and then Steve Mitchell sprained his wrist. On the face of it, McLean's is the worst (but more of that later), and we're effectively down to one left sided midfielder for the rest of the month.
I did manage to make another signing, though. Manchester United released 20 year old Andrew McLean (Another McLean!) at the end of July, and by the 2nd of August he was a Caledonian Thistle player. He's one for the future, but in a squad of 21 we might not have that liberty.
The second game eventually came round, Dundee the visitors at the Caledonian. We got off to a similar start, with Darren Fletcher getting the opener this time. It looked all on as though we were going to get an identical result. Until Dundee got an equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time. Most annoying. Still, most of the players haven't had much of a pre season, what with having to move lock, stock and barrel to Inverness, so obviously it'll take a while to get them up to full match fitness.
Steve Mitchell strained his wrist again during the match, so I had the physio check him out. he found nothing odd in the fact the same injury had recurred, but discover an underlying groin injury. Anyone less professional would have had to comment on the likelihood of a link here, but we kept a straight face and packed him off to see the specialist. He'll need an operation and some intense physio, meaning we probably won't see him for a month either.
01-11-2004, 01:03 AM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #8
Well, after five matches we're third in the league, which can't be all that bad. We've also dropped lucky with what looks like a nice group in the Champions League, and a home draw in the League Cup. But that's all jumping the gun really. Our first away match took us to Rugby park, to face bottom side Kilmarnock. This game saw us making one hell of a start, shooting to 3-0 up in fifteen minutes. One in the first minute for Steven McLean, then two in two minuted for McLean again and Fletcher certainly queitened the home crowd! We let them back into the game when we should have killed it off. Goals in the 27th and 67th minute made for a nervous few minutes until Kenny Miller made certain the result and Fletcher scored a 5th in the last minute. 5-2, a most pleasurable introduction to travelling with an all Scottish team.
Four of my players were named in the (fairly obviously) Scotland squad later in the evening, although the four chosen surprised many, me included. Both keepers Miller and McEwan were chosen, along with Robert Malcolm and Philip McGuire. The trip, to Romania, would be a tricky one.
Dennis Melander was another old school Caley Thistle player departing, for Kilmarnock. We banked a cheque for £2m pounds from that sale along with the £1.8m from UEFA for getting to the group stage of the Champions League. As I said, the draw there was favourable, with our Group E rivals set to be AIK, NK Dinamo of Croatia and Borussia Dortmund. In a day of draws, we were paired with Dunfermline in the League Cup.
There was a sellout at the Caledonian (although one person didn't turn up according to the official figures) for Livingston's visit. Steve McLean continued his good form, scoring in the 36th minute to put us 1-0 up, but again we succumbed to a sucker punch, the equaliser coming a little earlier this time, but three minutes wasn't enough for us to reply.
Four days later we got back to winning ways at Arbroath's Gayfield Park. An unusual 3rd vs 4th pairing, but it's early in the season yet. Goals from Fletcher and Brebner in either half sealed a win and 3rd place after 5 games.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Celtic 5 13 +9Hearts 5 12 +4Inverness 5 11 +6Rangers 5 10 +4Arbroath 5 9 +1Hibs 5 7 +1</pre>
I registered all 21 of our Scottish players for the Champions League. Efforts to bring any more in before that particular deadline failed. Meanwhile McEwan picked up his first cap and Malcolm his 14th, both as substitutes, in the Romania game. They won't have enjoyed it though. Scotland had 3 sent off as they lost 6-0 in their first World Cup qualifying game. It's a long way back from there!
Some good news to end the month - Steven McLean is rewarded for making the step up to Premier League level with the Player of the Month award. Hopefully the first of many! See, told you it wasn't bad!
01-11-2004, 11:02 PM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #9
It's been a bloody tiring month. Trips to Sweden and Croatia, our first League defeat, our second league defeat, and thankfully a decent result to end the month. Playing two games a week is really taking the toll on the small squad though. Clive Clarke has left us. £350k was a really ludicrous offer, but we had to accept for his sake as much as the club. Hopefully I'll be reinvesting that soon. I need more players. They need to be as good as the ones I have.
We had an absolute 'mare at Tynecastle. Jermaine Pennant ran rings round us, and he scored one of their goals as they went 2-0 up in the first half. Kenny Miller was on target before half time, but Pennant added another after the break. The final score was 4-1 and there were some words spoken after the game. Stewart was picked out as the single worst offender, but really every player from 1 to 11 was bad. And on top of this we had to go to Stockholm.
The trip to Sweden was one I want to forget quickly. Stewart was in the middle of it again, but this time I honestly believe it wasn't his fault. The referee saw fit to send him off for tugging one of the opposition players shirt early in the game. It was still 0-0 at that point, and we weren't playing badly. It finished 2-0. You just can't cope with a player less in top European competition.
It was a long, miserable journey home. And we had Celtic to entertain on Sunday.
Playing the league leaders, with us having tired legs, I was expecting a thumping. We set out to defend, and did it quite well, but John Hartson snuck one in with twenty minutes to go and that was that. It dropped us to fifth, not exactly the sort of league position I've been used to in previous seasons.
Our luck changed big time against Borussia Dortmund, the favourites for our Champions League group. We really struggled again to get a fit eleven players together, and I really feared the worst, but Phil McGuire got up from a corner to put us in front. Yegor Titov equalised, but Ross Tokely (told you we were desparate) put us back in front ten before the break. For the entire of the second half it looked like we would hold out at 2-1. That was until Nicolas Anelka finally converted one of his chances in the 90th minute to equalise. Dropped heads? Us? Never! Three minutes into stoppage time, John Rankin banged in his first goal of the season. Well needed European points.
The Scotland squad for the next two qualifiers was announced after the match. Only McGuire and Miller were called up this time.
The trip to Croatia was a long one, and the hotel in Zagreb wasn't one of the best in Europe. After the home side had taken the lead in the first ten minutes things looked gloomy, but Stewart levelled on the quarter hour mark, showing the good side of his game for those who had been doubting him already. Kev Miller kept us in it from that point on, and when Pearson chipped home in the 4th minute of stoppage time, I feared for our safety in getting away from the stadium. God Bless Stephen Pearson! That goal might just be worth his £3.1m transfer fee.
We ended the month, a long hard month of seven games, with a trip to Firs Park. In between times we found out that if we beat Dunfermline in the league cup, our reward is a home tie against one of the old firm sides. We're not really up to beating them yet, so that's another competition we won't be winning. Motherwell were another side outdone by us after taking a first half lead. This time it was a Steve McLean double with quarter of an hour to go, taking the striker to five for the season, which did for them. At least we gave them time to come back this time, but they couldn't make it. 2-1 the final score, and we end the month in 5th.
Phew!
01-14-2004, 09:54 PM
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) Post #10
Someone once said that a week is a long time in football. They were certainly right! And that means that a month is an absolute age. This month started badly, deteriorated, and then endedon a high. It all started off with a knock on the door on the first...
Two players whom I expected better from, James White and Kevin Miller, were at the door, and they weren't happy. Apparently they had got it into their heads from somewhere that we should be doing better in the league. I agreed, until I found out that actually they thought we should be top! Come off it! We've never consistently been higher placed than both Old Firm clubs! Besides, if they're unimpressed they should perhaps look at their own performances, or maybe talk to the Chairman. Still, in the interest of peace and harmony, I didn't go off on one at them, I just asked them for their commitment to help me take the club forward.
Miller didn't get that chance, as I dropped him from the squad to face Dunfermline. To be honest, I would probably have dropped White as well had their been a suitable replacement. However, as expected, we beat them. The scoreline only said 1-0, with Fletcher getting the goal, but we throroughly outplayed them for the entire game. Celtic just pipped Rangers in a penalty shootout, so we face them in the next round.
Scotland beat Armenia 3-1 with Phil McGuire on the bench, and then win 1-0 in Georgia, where McGuire picks up his 4th cap. That improves their chances of at least making the playoffs.
Words of unrest have by this time spread round the dressing room, though. A third long-termer, Russel Duncan, shows his displeasure, and is joined by John Kennedy and Scott McLean. I ask Kennedy if he would like to help us out by playing out of position (I reckon he could make it as a striker or attacking midfielder) but he isn't interested. Maybe they all have a point? Certainly, losign 2-1 at Dens Park to next to bottom Dundee isn't particularly convincing. John Rankin got the only goal just before half time, sandwiched by two Dundee goals. For the first time in five seasons, we were at risk of dropping out of the top 6.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Celtic 10 25 +13Rangers 10 22 +12Hibs 10 19 + 8Hearts 10 19 + 6Arbroath 10 16 + 1ICT 10 15 + 2Motherwell 10 14 - 2Aberdeen 10 11 - 3</pre>
Time for more reinforcements. 8 times capped defender Lee Wilkie joins from Wolves for half a million. A bargain, as far as I can tell, for the 28 year old who simply hasn't fitted in the Black Country, despite being a success in Manchester, Coventry and Derby. Lee was inelligible for the Croatian side's visit as our attention turned back to the Champions League. A pity, as I feel we could have done with him. We lost 2-0. Two goals for Mihael Mikic, the second in the last minute, in a game which saw our Midfield crumble under the continental pressure. The fans were not a happy bunch after that particular performance!
The Spanish striker was far from our minds as we battened down the hatches, expecting a battering from Rangers. It never came though, and we went 1-0 up through McGuire. Nothing in response from Rangers. Ten minutes later, 2-0 up, Pearson with the effort. Still nothing. Kenny Miller added a third in the second half for one of our best results of our Premier League history, never mind just this season, leaving the only sour note a facial injury to Phil McGuire which will keep him out for a couple of weeks. Needless to say, the result pleased everyone. Pearson in particular was brilliant, as was Wilkie on his debut from the bench.
We carried the good form into the must-win home tie against group leaders AIK. We had to wait until the second half, but eventually the scoreline was the same. James White took out some of his frustration with his first goal of the season, with Fletcher and Brebner adding goals at regular intervals. A point in Dortmund will see us through, although if Dinamo and AIK draw we may not even need that. We even manage to grasp our 5th place back to end the month, as we pip Arbroath in what was admittedly a tight 3-2 victory. Man of the Match for Kenny Miller, as he knocks two in the game, his 5th and 6th of the season. Rankin got the other as we went 2-0 up, but Malcolm contributed to the Arbroath comeback with an own goal. Winner from Miller a minute later was utter class, though.
With nothing to complaing about in the results, attention turns for some reason to McGuire. Two separate stories in the last week of the month suggest he shouldn't be in the team, or even that he shouldn't be at the club! I give both journalists a piece of my mind, and admittedly they are good enough to print my views, which gains me a bit of respect from the fans and Chairman. Almost unnoticed in the furore is the arrival of Peter Marshall from Hibs. £2.7m was rather pricey for the 20 year old attacking player, but I feel he'll come good either this season or next. Anyhow, the fee is mitigated by the departure of Chris Barker to Aberdeen for £1.5m.
Month end sees Miller, Wilkie, McGuire and Stewart called up to the Scottish squad, and Marshall called up to the Under 21s. It also sees the arrival of the Manager of the Month award at the Caledonian. Who would have thought that a couple of weeks ago?
It's not Caley, it's Caledonian! And don't you forget it laddie... (Lisbon Lions Challenge) 
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