Charlie dodges Nic flak

Apr 27 2008 By Gordon Waddell

CHARLIE CHRISTIE last night bit back at claims he had railroaded through the big bucks signing of Marius Niculae at Inverness - and insisted he was the one sounding alarm bells about the move.

Ex-chairman Alan Savage bankrolled the deal for the five-grand-a-week Romanian but claimed last week he only did it on the former boss's say-so.

However, Christie said: "I'm annoyed at the way I'm being made to look. I knew it would have a knock-on effect and I brought it to his attention at the time. But the chairman, who was hugely supportive, was determined to take the club forward.

"Alan's way of doing that was by looking at fixing up a couple of big earners.

"It has worked out for other clubs and he felt the threshhold had to be broken sometime.

"Yes, I saw the Niculae DVD. He was terrific and has now had some great games for the club.

"But we had a team meeting at the time and a few of the lads asked even then 'What happens when my deal is up?' I said 'Nothing changes, you speak to us and you take or leave the offer you get.'

"It wasn't ever going to be a tidal shift in the wage structure - we couldn't afford to do that.

"Anyone who knew me will tell you I was wary of spending the club's money almost to the point of being stupid about it. Things like getting health club memberships for the boys or club suits.

"I used to scout around my contacts in the town and get deals to save Caley Thistle a couple of grand."