INVERNESS CT
LAST SEASON: 10TH
NOTABLE INS: Ross Draper (Macclesfield), Simon King (Gillingham), Jason Oswell (Crewe), David Raven (Tranmere), Antonio Reguero (Gandia), Gary Warren (Newport)
NOTABLE OUTS: Kenny Gillet (AEK Larnaca), Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen), David Proctor (Edmonton), Gregory Tade (St. Johnstone), Greg Tansey (Stevenage), Ross Tokely (Ross County), Jonny Tuffey (St. Johnstone), Roman Golobart (Wigan, end of loan), Steve Williams (Bradford, end of loan), Sam Winnall (Wolves, end of loan), Claude Gnakpa, Thomas Piermayr
THE SQUAD (u-21 outfield players in italics)
Goalkeepers: Ryan Esson, Antonio Reguero
Defenders: Chris Hogg, Simon King, Josh Meekings, David Raven, Graeme Shinnie, Gary Warren
Midfielders: Aaron Doran, Ross Draper, Richie Foran, Owain Tudur Jones, Gavin Morrison, Liam Polworth, Nick Ross, Andrew Shinnie
Forwards: Billy McKay, Jason Oswell, Shane Sutherland
STAR MAN: Andy Shinnie was just getting into some great form when he broke his foot in January. Inverness are heavily dependent on his creativity and his late runs into the box.
YOUNG GUN: 19 goals in 20 games for Jason Oswell last season sounds impressive - but they came in the Welsh League. The 19 year old forward has looked good in pre-season though.
THE SEASON AHEAD: Yet another squad clearout at Inverness - and concerningly several first team players chose to leave rather than to accept new deals. ICT's form last season dipped alarmingly after Andy Shinnie got crocked and if he and the injury-prone Aaron Doran can't stay fit there will be a lack of creativity as well. If the new signings contain a gem or two there might be a pleasant surprise for the fans; if not, it will be another struggle near the bottom.
THE MANAGER: Terry Butcher talks a good game, but fans were increasingly frustrated by long ball play and rigid, unsuccessful tactics last season. While he has built up a lot of credit over three and a half years in the Highlands, and he won't be out the door unless ICT are stuck at the bottom, there is concern over whether he can take the club further.
PREDICTION: 11TH
KILMARNOCK
LAST SEASON: 7TH
NOTABLE INS: Rory Boulding (Livingston), Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren)
NOTABLE OUTS: Danny Buijs (Sparta Rotterdam), Zdenek Kroca (Tescoma Zlin), David Silva (Olhanense), Dieter Van Tornhout (Royal Antwerp), Ben Gordon (Chelsea, end of loan), Mohamadou Sissoko (Udinese, end of loan), Lewis Toshney (Celtic, end of loan), Dean Shiels
THE SQUAD (u-21 outfield players in italics)
Goalkeepers: Cameron Bell, Anssi Jaakkola, Kyle Letheren
Defenders: Ross Barbour, Gary Fisher, Garry Hay, Rory McKeown, Michael Nelson, Ryan O'Leary, Alex Pursehouse, Jeroen Tesselaar
Midfielders: James Dayton, James Fowler, Gary Harkins, Lee Johnson, Liam Kelly, Manuel Pascali, Danny Racchi, Jude Winchester
Forwards: Rory Boulding, Ross Davidson, William Gros, Paul Heffernan, Chris Johnston, Matthew Kennedy, Rory McKenzie
STAR MAN: Italian Manuel Pascali enters his fifth season at Rugby Park, and the club will hope he has recovered sufficiently from a broken leg to exert his usual influence either in central defence or midfield.
YOUNG GUN: 18 year old forward Rory McKenzie scored plenty of goals on loan at Brechin last year and appears to have a bright future.
THE SEASON AHEAD: The big loss, aside from loanees Gordon and Toshney, is the manager's own son Dean, who was pivotal to Killie's play. Paul Heffernan will get goals, but it's hard to see who will complement him. Jeroen Tesselaar looks a good addition at left back and the team have held onto the highly rated Cammy Bell and Liam Kelly for now. I'm not sure they will break into the top six, but they will not be in a relegation battle unless their rumoured financial problems turn out to be true.
THE MANAGER: His insistence on passing the ball doesn't always work, but Kenny Shiels at least has earned plaudits for Kilmarnock's style of play and is of course much loved in those parts after the team's League Cup win. This year will tell us if he can take the team into the top six.
PREDICTION: 8TH
MOTHERWELL
LAST SEASON: 3RD
NOTABLE INS: Simon Ramsden (Bradford)
NOTABLE OUTS: Tim Clancy (Hibernian), Jordan Halsman (Morton), Steven Lawless (Partick), Stephen Craigan (retired), Ross Forbes, Steve Jennings, Jamie Pollock, Gary Smith
THE SQUAD (u-21 outfield players in italics)
Goalkeepers: Lee Hollis, Darren Randolph
Defenders: Adam Cummins, Steven Hammell, Shaun Hutchinson, Jonathan Page, Simon Ramsden, Steven Saunders
Midfielders: Stuart Carswell, Omar Daley, Tom Hateley, Chris Humphrey, Keith Lasley, Nicky Law
Forwards: Michael Higdon, Robert McHugh, Jamie Murphy, Henrik Ojamaa
STAR MAN: Nicky Law was superb in an attacking midfield role last season, with his skill and eye for a pass.
YOUNG GUN: It's good to see highly rated defender Steven Saunders is back from a cruciate ligament injury to take his place in Motherwell's back line again.
THE SEASON AHEAD: Can Motherwell sustain last year's progress? Their obvious weakness right now is a lack of depth, with only one signing so far, and the departures of midfielder Jennings and defender Clancy. But with Higdon, Murphy and Ojamaa up front, the team will not be short of goals, which gives them a considerable advantage over most of their peers. That, plus one or two more new faces, may be enough to keep the club near the top of the table.
THE MANAGER: I wasn't convinced by Stuart McCall's managerial credentials before he arrived at Fir Park, but a cup final appearance followed by Champions League qualification (at the expense of Rangers, of course) vindicate his appointment and suggest that he knows what he is talking about.
PREDICTION: 4TH
L.
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