(FM13) Super Caley go ballistic or they are atrocious: a Scandinavian Shankly story

[withnail316]

On 28/03/2018 at 12:05, deltablue said:

Arbroath in a cup final seems odd

Very, very odd. 

[Dexter_Morgan]

Great going getting Europe in the first season 

[Nobby_McDonald]

You didn't get the chance to make Celtic look atrocious. Arbroath had already done it.

[withnail316]

54 minutes ago, Dexter_Morgan said:

Great going getting Europe in the first season 

Cheers DM. Definitely can't complain. 

26 minutes ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

You didn't get the chance to make Celtic look atrocious. Arbroath had already done it.

Judging on how the league games went, there's no way we'd have a shiny cup sat in the trophy cabinet if it wasn't for Arbroath beating Celtic, so I hope the chairman was generous and bought all the Arbroath players and coaches a shedload of beer after the game...

[withnail316]

May

SPL: Aberdeen 2-3 Inverness
Once again we had to come from behind in this one, but this team seems to have an excellent power of recovery to do just that. We were 2-1 down at half time (Shinnie) but Erskine and Sutherland ensured we left our near-neighbours (if you can call 103 miles "near") with all three points. 

SPL: Inverness 3-0 Dundee United
Perfect, bar an injury to Sutherland which ended his quest for the golden boot. Pål André Helland, Gary Warren and Nick Ross on target. 

SPL: Inverness 0-3 Celtic
Meh. Who cares?

Final table

[Nobby_McDonald]

Well done Withnail.

[withnail316]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Season summary 2012/13

League (Scottish Premier League)
Media prediction: 8th
Finished: 2nd (qualified for the Europa League)

Cups
Scottish Cup: quarter finalists (winners were Celtic)
Scottish League Cup: winners

Europe
N/A (Arsenal beat Chelsea in the Champions League final, Porto beat Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final)

Top scorers
Shane Sutherland: 44 appearances (43 starts): 23 goals (21 in the league) 
Billy McKay: 40 appearances (36 starts): 20 goals (13 in the league)

Top assists
Shane Sutherland - 15 in all competitions. 

Positives
It's been an outstanding first season in Scotland. I'd have been delighted with a top 6 finish, but to get second was simply marvellous. Sure, we're a long, long way behind Celtic, and we only took one point from them over four games, but a 76 point haul is just wonderful, and having a trophy is the cherry on top. I really like the vast majority of the squad, so I want to keep most of them around next year, and if we have room in the budget I would expect to be awarding three or four new contracts. The partnership between Sutherland & McKay has been excellent, with young Connor Pepper (8 goals and 9 assists in 20 appearances - just 9 starts) providing excellent cover. I'd consider selling McKay this summer if I can find reasonable cover, which would allow Pepper a first team spot next season. Financially the club is looking solid too, we end the season with around £1.75m in the bank, although I'm not convinced I'll see much of that for transfers over the summer unless I raise some cash through player sales. I also have these two youngsters I'd like to integrate into the first team squad next year.

Concerns & disappointments
Almost non-existent, at least this season. My biggest disappointment was the youth intake, but that is very much to be expected until we can spend a bit of money on the facilities and youth coaching, which should hopefully come over time. I am a little concerned at the injury-prone nature of the squad, too. 

Ambitions
Having had such a great campaign this year, I'll be aiming for a Europa League spot next year. I'd love to think we can get through at least one round of European qualifying for the sake of our coefficient, but I often find the Europa League draw is far more taxing than the Champions League, so I won't hold my breath.

Surprise of the season
A top-two finish is a huge surprise, but this has to be Arbroath, doesn't it? In fairness to Celtic, they had only rotated because they were due to play Fenerbahce in the Europa League (they won the tie and made the quarter finals before losing to Athletic Club) but still. 

Manager's player of the season
This could have gone to a number of contenders, but I really can't look beyond Shane Sutherland. If I'd had the players to play 4-3-3 at the start of the season, he wouldn't have even made my first 11, but he was outstanding. 

Fans' player of the season
Shane Sutherland

Attendances
Lowest attendance: 2,397 (v East Fife in the League Cup)
Highest attendance: 7,024 (v Ross County)
Average attendance: 4,921 (5,225 in the league)
Average attendance percentage: 63% (7,750 capacity stadium)

Finances
£1.7m in credit

Edited April 1, 2018 by withnail316

[withnail316]

10 minutes ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

Well done Withnail.

Cheers, Nobbster. 

[withnail316]

Edited March 29, 2018 by withnail316

[kidthekid]

Well done

[withnail316]

4 hours ago, kidthekid said:

Well done

Thanks, man.

[withnail316]

Another Bosman deal secured tonight: 

I'm now sorely tempted to sell Billy McKay, although I expect to carry on playing 4-4-2 (I simply don't have the reputation to attract the players I'd want for a radical overhaul of the squad, not to mention the lack of money available to do that anyway) so keeping four strikers is probably for the best. 

[withnail316]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Season preview - SPL 13/14

Media expectation: 4th (of 12)
Board expectation: qualify for the Europa League

Transfer budget (remaining): £650,000
Wage budget: £29,700p/w (£6,750p/w under budget)

It's taken me a while, but we're finally about ready to get the new season up and running. I'd mentioned at the end of last season that I didn't want to make too many changes to the squad over the summer, and I'd like to think that I've stuck to that idea in the business that I've done, but I'm conscious that I have over half a million available to spend, so let's see what happens!

I'm a little disappointed that the board have demanded European football again this year, but I'm still fairly confident that we can squeeze into that top four once more. It could just be my perception, but it feels like I have more options in the squad this year, so I think we are stronger than we were. I have no expectations at all for our European campaign, but I'd like to think we can make the semi finals of both cup competitions (depending on who we draw of course!)

I'd asked the board to consider buying the stadium - we currently rent it for £50,000 a year - but that was ambitious on my part to say the least. It is something I'll keep asking about though, as right now we have to play European games at St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park, which is a mere 230 mile round trip for our fans! My request to upgrade the youth facilities was also given short shrift, but we are spending more money on our youth coaching, which can only be a positive. 

Transfers

We've managed to bring a fair amount of money into the club this summer, so the season will start with us having around £3m in the bank. The biggest deal of the summer was for midfielder Andrew Shinnie, who spent much of last season out injured. He demanded a move on the day the players arrived back for pre-season training, and although I had wanted £1m, I was happy to accept Watford's offer of £900,000 (plus 50% of his next transfer fee), which shatters the club's previous transfer record of £300,000. Also moving to England was midfielder Mark Doninger, who is off to Sheffield United for £250,000. Marc Noble, Matt Murphy, Daniel Devine, Gavin Morrison and Antonio Reguero all left on frees after their contracts expired, while promising youngsters Ryan Christie and Kyle White went on year-long loans to feeder club Queen of the South. I had wanted to sell centre back Simon King, but any offer I received was derisory. I decided to keep him around for one more year and instead loan out my star youth prospect, 19 year old defender Matthew Cooper, who has gone to Falkirk for a season. 

You've already seen three of my new arrivals, the Bosman deals for Luke James (from Hartlepool), Ryan McGiven (Man City via Hibs) and Michael McGovern (Falkirk.) We did however spend a little bit of cash, too. Winger David Wotherspoon arrives in a record £250,000 deal from Hibernian, Craig Eastman returns for another loan spell from Arsenal, and Celtic left back Joe Chalmers arrives on a year-long loan to provide cover for Graeme Shinnie. 

Unless somebody really special becomes available, I suspect we're now done with our transfer activity for the summer. I should point out it is still July mind, so there's still a long way to go until I can confirm that! We have one more friendly left to play, before the season gets underway with a trip to St Mirren in the last weekend of July. 

[kidthekid]

Wotherspoon looks the part. I predict him to led the tea in assists if fit

[withnail316]

6 hours ago, kidthekid said:

Wotherspoon looks the part. I predict him to led the tea in assists if fit

I'm pleased we got him, but there's no guarantee he'll start. Both he and Aaron Doran are very similar in quality, so there will be lots of rotation between them. 

A good problem to have though.

[withnail316]

[withnail316]

It's still July and two Scottish clubs have fallen in Europe already. Cup runners up (and relegated) Kilmarnock are out on away goals after a 2-2 draw with Groningen, while Dundee, who finished just above them and qualified via the Fair Play table, lost 1-0 on aggregate to HJK Helsinki. Building up the country's coefficient is going to take a loooonnnggg time, I suspect. 

We'll meet Belgian side AA Gent in the third qualifying round. 

Edited April 2, 2018 by withnail316

[withnail316]

UEFA Europa League
Third qualifying round

1st leg: AA Gent 0-2 Inverness
A dream of a first leg sees us return home with a comfortable lead. Shane Sutherland endured a miserable opening day of the league season (more on that later) but he was back to last season's form here, and powered us in front after 46 minutes. He then turned provider for debutant striker Luke James, who fired home a second just six minutes later. Comfortable day at the office. 

2nd leg: Inverness 2-1 AA Gent
Another good display, although marred by two injuries. Thankfully, the one to Sutherland will only last a couple of weeks, but Aaron Doran is out for at least 2 months, which stings. Sutherland scored both goals before he got hurt, and their reply only arrived in stoppage time.

We'll meet AZ of the Netherlands in the play off. 

[kidthekid]

Great result against Ghent. AZ in 2013 was probably a really good team, so this may be a sterner test.

[withnail316]

This feels like a big moment in my career so far, a first win against Celtic. Granted, they played for 50 minutes with 10 men, but still...

[withnail316]

9 hours ago, kidthekid said:

Great result against Ghent. AZ in 2013 was probably a really good team, so this may be a sterner test.

Suspect you're right, but I have no expectations for the European adventure, so I'll just see what happens. 

[withnail316]

On a free.... pity it's not FM18's Coman, but still...

Edited April 3, 2018 by withnail316

[withnail316]

UEFA Europa League
Play off

1st leg: AZ 3-0 Inverness
Thirteen minutes of utter madness have as good as ended our European campaign. Three sloppy defensive errors and AZ have a foot and a half in the group stage.

2nd leg: Inverness 2-3 AZ
I asked the lads to have a go in front of a sell-out crowd (at our own stadium, which was nice), and that's exactly what we did. The first half was very tame, and we found ourselves down to 10 men after a cynical Fraser Mullin challenge on 53 minutes. Six minutes later we were in front through Sutherland though, and the tie was in the air when Helland made it 2-0 after 61 minutes. That woke AZ up though, and two goals in four minutes sucked the atmosphere out of the stadium, and a scorching free kick with 10 to play ensured AZ went back to Alkmaar with a huge aggregate win. 

[withnail316]

August

SPL: St Mirren 0-2 Inverness
Not sure how we left Paisley with three points, but I'll definitely take it. Shane Sutherland had a stinker here, but Billy McKay replaced him after 65 minutes and had found the net within six minutes of coming on, and Conor Pepper made it two with 10 to play. Annoyingly, McKay picked up an injury right on full time that will see him on the sidelines until October. 

SPL: Inverness 1-0 Celtic
A first win over the Glasgow giants, although once again we rode our luck. Gary Hooper got himself sent off just before half time, and Ross Draper took advantage of the extra space to drill home from 20 yards after 55 minutes. Celtic pushed on, but we held firm for a great victory. 

SPL: Falkirk 2-1 Inverness
Something inevitable about beating Celtic and losing to Falkirk, but there you are. Despite Luke James putting us in front, we fell asleep defensively and left with nothing. 

SPL: Hearts 1-3 Inverness
Much, much better, and it came about thanks to a change of shape to a 4-2-3-1. The beneficiary of that change was Liam Polworth, who got to start in his favoured attacking midfield role, and he bagged a double from his natural position. Ross Draper grabbed the other one from distance. 

[withnail316]

Time for one more deal before the window closed. 

O'Hara cost £220,000 from Kilmarnock, and although I've signed him as a defender for now (Simon King picked up an injury ruling him out until November) I'll be training him up as a ball winning midfielder for the future. 

[kidthekid]

I predict that you may be selling O'hara for big money soon

[withnail316]

2 minutes ago, kidthekid said:

I predict that you may be selling O'hara for big money soon

Bags of potential in him, definitely. He's the type of player I'd prefer to build my team around rather than sell though, so I guess I'll have to see what his attitude is like in future. 

[withnail316]

Oooff. I've no plans of moving on, but in a journeyman save, I'd throw in an application. 

[withnail316]

September

SPL: Inverness 2-1 Aberdeen
Always good to win a "local" derby, but we haven't quite clicked this year in the same way we did last season. We fell behind early on but Luke James immediately levelled, and Ryan McGiven's bullet header 10 from time secured the points. 

SPL: Inverness 2-1 Dundee United
Still not overly convincing, but I'll take it. David Wotherspoon scored his first for the club from distance, and Joe Chalmers curled home a free kick soon after. We drifted in the second half and allowed them back into it, but fortunately we held firm to secure the points. 

SPL: Ross County 1-1 Dundee United
Another game, another average performance. I thought Liam Polworth had won the derby with 8 to play, but we fell asleep from a late corner, and they got a leveller they just about deserved. 

Scottish league cup 3rd round: Inverness 3-0 Hamilton Accies
A much-changed XI put in a great display here, so I may keep a few of them in the side for the next league game. O'Hara, Sutherland and Ross with the goals, which secure a quarter final at Pittodrie against Aberdeen. 

[Dexter_Morgan]

A better month for you there

[Nobby_McDonald]

23 hours ago, withnail316 said:

Oooff. I've no plans of moving on, but in a journeyman save, I'd throw in an application. 

Yeah, Bournemouth have dropped a bit.

[withnail316]

October

SPL: Inverness 4-1 Motherwell
This was much more like the performances of last season, with Shane Sutherland dominating from the front. He put us in front after 29 minutes with a bullet header, then made the second for Aaron Doran. Josh Meekings bagged his first for the club from a corner early in the second half, and McGivern sealed it with a rocket late on. 

SPL: Inverness 3-1 St Johnstone
Another great display. Two more for Sutherland and one for Helland, and even though we played for half an hour with 10 men, we never looked troubled. 

SPL: Hibernian 1-0 Inverness
Can't complain at the performance, but Hibs won it with a rocket of a free kick 10 from time. 

SPL: Inverness 2-0 Dundee
Routine as you like. Luke James ended a bit of a drought early on from 15 yards, and Richie Foran's second half header secured a comfortable win. 

Scottish league cup quarter final: Aberdeen 0-1 Inverness
Didn't see this coming, especially as I sent out a shadow team with so many starters struggling for fitness. Conor Pepper hadn't scored since the opening day, but he coolly slotted home to round off a brilliant break after 62 minutes, and we shut them down brilliantly for the rest of the game. We'll meet Hibs in January's semi final, while Celtic play St Mirren in the other game. 

[withnail316]

GET IN!! Massive deal for the club. 

[withnail316]

First job offer... 

Even if I had an eye on leaving, I'd have to be a lunatic to take that. 

[withnail316]

Not bad on a free, eh?

Much needed too, as Ryan McGivern has just been ruled out for four months. 

[withnail316]

November & December

SPL: Inverness 1-1 St Mirren
A long way off the pace here, but an 88th minute Richie Foran header earned us a valuable point. 

SPL: Inverness 3-1 Falkirk
Falkirk are just beginning to drop down the league after a strong start, and they were never really in this. Aaron Doran fired us in front from distance before McKay doubled our lead, and Nick Ross slotted home a lovely third. 

SPL: Celtic 3-0 Inverness
Once again, 'meh'. We're still a considerable distance from challenging for victories at Celtic Park, and they were far too strong for us here. 

Scottish cup 4th round: Inverness 2-0 Dundee
Much better, and we should have scored even more. Shane Sutherland and Ross Draper with the goals. 

SPL: Aberdeen 2-0 Inverness
Dreadful. Utterly woeful. We may as well have stayed on the bus. 

SPL: Inverness 2-1 Hearts
Brilliant in the first half, lazy in the second, but thankfully we got the points. Strikers James and Sutherland with our goals. 

SPL: Inverness 4-2 Ross County
A blood & thunder type derby, in which we raced into a 2 goal lead thanks to a double from Luke James. County fought back to level, but James fired in his third straight from kick off, and Helland's penalty secured the points late on. 

SPL: Dundee United 1-2 Inverness
United are having a good season, and were in front after just two minutes. I let the players have it at half time though, and Chalmers' free kick restored parity on 73 minutes. Pepper won it after 87, even though we played more than half an hour a man light. 

[Dexter_Morgan]

Pretty much looks like 2nd again. Keane should be good enough as first choice for a few years too so that was a great signing

[withnail316]

On 09/04/2018 at 08:11, Dexter_Morgan said:

Pretty much looks like 2nd again. Keane should be good enough as first choice for a few years too so that was a great signing

It's a nice little gap, but we need to sort out our away form if we're going to maintain it. 

[withnail316]

Two Bosman deals for next season:

[deltablue]

Ryan looks like a decent deal.

[withnail316]

1 hour ago, deltablue said:

Ryan looks like a decent deal.

Yeah, even with his lack of pace, he should be an excellent addition to the squad.

[withnail316]

A little bit of immediate transfer news. 

Arsenal decided to send Philip Roberts back to us for another loan spell, and with Cillian Sheridan arriving in the summer, that meant Billy McKay became surplus to requirements. He may have scored 20 goals last season, but this year he's struggled for form and fitness, so I was delighted to accept an offer from Rangers for £350,000. Also leaving us was Welsh international midfielder Owain Tudor-Jones, albeit to a surprising destination. He's joined BATE Borisov for £450,000, while defender Simon King has gone on loan to Bristol Rovers for the rest of the season. 

[withnail316]

GTF. No chance he's going there. 

[withnail316]

January

SPL: Motherwell 4-1 Inverness
Utterly dreadful performance, and Michael Higdon ripped us to pieces on his way to a hat-trick. Shane Sutherland at least found the back of the net, but we got what we deserved here. 

SPL: Inverness 3-0 Hibernian
We're a completely different animal at home compared to on the road, and we had no mercy for Hibs on our patch. Luke James scored twice, and late on Chalmers scored another screamer in stoppage time. 

SPL: St Johnstone 1-4 Inverness
Magnificent, and a much needed away win. James and Sutherland grabbed two very early goals to set us on our way, and Ross and Doran sealed the points in the second half. 

SPL: Dundee 1-3 Inverness
Away wins are clearly like busses. Sutherland, Doran and an OG gave us two away wins in four days. 

SPL: St Mirren 3-1 Inverness
No shock with this scoreline, especially when I consider the team I put out in preparation for the league cup semi final just three days later. The story of the game though was not Luke James's late consolation goal. his 12th of a productive first season, but of the injury to Michael Keane that rules him out until April or May. 

The month also brought another Bosman signing:

[withnail316]

[withnail316]

February

Scottish league cup semi final: Hibernian 0-3 Inverness
The third trip to Hampden in my time at the club, and once again we finished on the right side of the result. Hibs started the game well, but Shane Sutherland took advantage of a defensive mix up after 31 minutes to drill us in front, and a Helland rocket made it two on half time. We spent most of the second half sitting deep, but Josh Meekings popped up with 9 minutes to play to drill home from 10 yards to seal our spot in the final. Once again Celtic fell at the semi final stage, so we'll meet St Mirren in next month's final. 

SPL: Inverness 3-3 Celtic
On paper you'd think I'd be thrilled with a point here, ensuring an unbeaten home season against the runaway leaders, and especially as we equalised in the 95th minute from a long-range Gauld free kick. Not the case - we were 2-0 up at half time thanks to a Sutherland double, only to be torn to pieces in the second half. Next time...

Scottish cup 5th round: Inverness 3-0 St Mirren
A dress rehearsal for next month's league cup final - hoping it goes the same way! Luke James (2) and Conor Pepper with the goals in a comfortable win. 

SPL: Falkirk 3-2 Inverness
Another frustrating away game, our 7th away defeat in the SPL this season. Pepper scored two more, but it's no use if we don't start playing until we're 3-0 down...

SPL: Inverness 3-1 Aberdeen
Again, we're a different beast on our own patch. Meekings drilled us in front after 27 minutes, and Doran doubled it with a missile from 30 yards. They spawned a way back into the game with 20 to go, but Shane Sutherland's 17th of the season in the 88th minute secured the points. 

SPL: Hearts 1-2 Inverness
The old "game of two halves" at Tynecastle. Hearts HAMMERED us in the first half and deservedly led at the break, but a tactical switch (and a half-time rollicking) and we picked up considerably. Polworth levelled after 67 minutes, and Luke James won it with 8 to play. 

[withnail316]

Youth intake

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along. 

[Nobby_McDonald]

Rubbish intake.

[withnail316]

March (1)

SPL: Inverness 1-0 Dundee United
A bit of a 'meh' performance, but I'll take the points. Luke James was the difference between the two sides. 

Scottish cup quarter final: Hibernian 3-1 Inverness
Another frustrating quarter final, although with one eye on the league cup final, I'd had to pick a weaker side. Luke James put us in front, but we lost Nick Ross to a red card early in the second half. Hibs ran over us with the extra man in the second half. 

SPL: Inverness 1-0 Motherwell
Again, this wasn't great. Shane Sutherland drilled home the winner after just 6 minutes, and although we should have had at least one more, Motherwell couldn't find a way back. 

[withnail316]

40 minutes ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

Rubbish intake.

Yep, two poor years in a row.