***OFFICIAL SUMMER TRANSFER THREAD***

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

5 minutes ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

I actually agree on the two for every position but for me it should be one experienced player with an academy understudy. That’s the only way we can progress the club is to let the academy thrive. Left back could be the perfect set up with White and Hickey. Up front Keena has Naismith and Washington to work with. Zanatta, McDonald and Morrison can all learn from Walker. 

If academy players are good enough, yes, but there should be no more than 6 or 7 in a squad of 24 say. Experience still counts for a lot

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

2 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

Its big not deep. Last night was the first game we had won in quite a while. We go back to Aberdeen in March, for the last win against top level opposition, and that followed directly a defeat at Hamilton.

 

I don't want to be negative, but we need to be realistic, we have a big squad but the players who are on the fringes consistently did not deliver last season.

Last seasons gone ! It's all about now and so far loads of positives 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Just now, Old Castle Rock said:

Levein's problem will be keeping all the squad happy and motivated as it's looking like we have more than enough player's as it is without adding 

Personally believe he needs to move a few on again, I'm sure we will see that as August moves on

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Just now, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

Last seasons gone ! It's all about now and so far loads of positives 

It may have gone, but for the positives I will give you the concerns. 3 goals scored from a bucket load of chances, we have played 2 teams well below us.

 

Proof is in the pudding, we have 3 away games in the first 6 that will tell us exactly who we are, not pre season frolics

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

It's only early and we've only played couple championship clubs but biggest positive for me in those games has been the kids coming through the academy aswell as the positive formation we've played ! Really hope we continue to play the kids and also continue to have right go at teams 

 

 

I'm encouraged. 

 

I'm also very wary, we over egg our kids far too early imo. 

 

Wide players are generally rotated, so having 3/4 options is normal to account for this and ofc injuries. 

 

Our goal should be to catch Aberdeen, whether that's with kids or not I couldn't care tbh. 

 

It's a nice notion, but the Scottish league can be brutal on Youngsters. 

 

MacDonald has always impressed me, his awareness, intelligence and technique has always stood out imo. 

 

Morrison will have a role for sure. 

Irving/ Cochrane  unsure for this season. 

 

Skinny would be another genuine wide option imo and different to MacDonald, Morrison and Mulraney. 

 

Hickey has been a revelation but played two competitive games. 

 

Youngsters are good to play but only if good enough. 

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

5 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

It may have gone, but for the positives I will give you the concerns. 3 goals scored from a bucket load of chances, we have played 2 teams well below us.

 

Proof is in the pudding, we have 3 away games in the first 6 that will tell us exactly who we are, not pre season frolics

3 goals scored yeah but the important thing is we're creating loads of chances which eventually will lead to more goals once our players get more upto speed 

[Armageddon]

Is there ANY chance we will be taking Lafferty back?  We're in a great position to get braw player for less money than we were paying him before, Naismith (who is the answer to all my HMFC problems these days) could be key to keeping him straight.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

5 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

3 goals scored yeah but the important thing is we're creating loads of chances which eventually will lead to more goals once our players get more upto speed 

We haven't played anyone yet. We are weeks, even months away from knowing if we have improved. Scars of last season, wont just sit with fans they will still be with these players too.

A lot of hard work to get properly back on track. Its great being positive, but its also wise to be cautious with optimism, especially this early.

[Ribble]

21 minutes ago, Olly Lee's left boot said:

 

 

Could have a point, a quality cm. 

 

Adam? 

 

Played for Blackpool in a friendly last night

[Romulus]

This is the season we really need to get back into the top 4 and back into Europe (should really be a minimum every year).

 

There is definitely areas of concern within the current squad quality wise. Its great we want to push young players on but they need the quality around them to allow them to flourish.

 

GK's - Short of a good number 1 IMO.

 

Def - The emergence of Hickey and White/Garuccio to come solves the LB issue (not sure on Burns). Pretty well covered in all defensive areas.

 

Centre Mid - Large area of concern. Seems bizarre we are willing to let Lee go given he was involved in a lot of goals last year and also given that Djoum was unlikely to stay. Haring seems to be regularly injured and the jury is very much out on Bozanic. Would love to see Clare, Irving and Cochrane push on this year but really need other options in there.

 

Wide - Walker adds much need creativity and played really well on Friday. Mulraney has come on a lot and hopefully can add more goals this season. Not convinced we have enough options in there especially given our record with injuries.

 

Strikers - Washington and Uche are good first choice options with Maclean and possibly Keena as back up. Would like to see one more in there as there is a concern about lack of goals.

 

Would love to see a GK, CM (or 2 if Lee leaves), winger and a striker.

[Dalstonjambo]

13 minutes ago, Mort said:

Strikers - Washington and Uche are good first choice options with Maclean and possibly Keena as back up. Would like to see one more in there as there is a concern about lack of goals.

 

Naismith surely?

[JamboAl]

30 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

It may have gone, but for the positives I will give you the concerns. 3 goals scored from a bucket load of chances, we have played 2 teams well below us.

 

Proof is in the pudding, we have 3 away games in the first 6 that will tell us exactly who we are, not pre season frolics

Oh dear, yet another naysayer in full flow.

PS -Do you mean the "proof of the pudding is in the eating"?

[OmiyaHearts]

13 minutes ago, Mort said:

This is the season we really need to get back into the top 4 and back into Europe (should really be a minimum every year).

 

There is definitely areas of concern within the current squad quality wise. Its great we want to push young players on but they need the quality around them to allow them to flourish.

 

GK's - Short of a good number 1 IMO.

 

Def - The emergence of Hickey and White/Garuccio to come solves the LB issue (not sure on Burns). Pretty well covered in all defensive areas.

 

Centre Mid - Large area of concern. Seems bizarre we are willing to let Lee go given he was involved in a lot of goals last year and also given that Djoum was unlikely to stay. Haring seems to be regularly injured and the jury is very much out on Bozanic. Would love to see Clare, Irving and Cochrane push on this year but really need other options in there.

 

Wide - Walker adds much need creativity and played really well on Friday. Mulraney has come on a lot and hopefully can add more goals this season. Not convinced we have enough options in there especially given our record with injuries.

 

Strikers - Washington and Uche are good first choice options with Maclean and possibly Keena as back up. Would like to see one more in there as there is a concern about lack of goals.

 

Would love to see a GK, CM (or 2 if Lee leaves), winger and a striker.

Uche cannot be considered a first choice option up front, he's never good enough. I think we need to strengthen our Goalkeeping, Left Back, Centre Mid, Centre Forward and Head Coach. One of each.

 

Unfortunately, apart from centre midfield, I don't see anywhere else being strengthened before the league campaign starts.

[JamboAl]

1 minute ago, OmiyaHearts said:

Uche cannot be considered a first choice option up front, he's never good enough. I think we need to strengthen our Goalkeeping, Left Back, Centre Mid, Centre Forward and Head Coach. One of each.

 

Unfortunately, apart from centre midfield, I don't see anywhere else being strengthened before the league campaign starts.

Is Bill Gates our new Chairman?

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

3 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

Oh dear, yet another naysayer in full flow.

PS -Do you mean the "proof of the pudding is in the eating"?

A naysayer

 

 

Try harder Al. Anything but,  a draw at home to Dundee United and a 2-0 win at Cowdenbeath, hardly the stuff that makes me feel comfortable we are going to get 60 points plus this season. There are still obvious frailties

[JamboAl]

1 minute ago, Sir Gio said:

A naysayer

 

 

Try harder Al. Anything but,  a draw at home to Dundee United and a 2-0 win at Cowdenbeath, hardly the stuff that makes me feel comfortable we are going to get 60 points plus this season. There are still obvious frailties

There are also some positives.

Glass half full or half empty?

[Romulus]

3 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

Is Bill Gates our new Chairman?

Given we have only signed a few players and have released several, you would think we would have the budget for a 3-4 or more players surely?

[Romulus]

6 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

Uche cannot be considered a first choice option up front, he's never good enough. I think we need to strengthen our Goalkeeping, Left Back, Centre Mid, Centre Forward and Head Coach. One of each.

 

Unfortunately, apart from centre midfield, I don't see anywhere else being strengthened before the league campaign starts.

Agree with you on all that but given how good Hickey is I'm not sure we need any more cover at LB.

[Clerry Jambo]

7 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

Uche cannot be considered a first choice option up front, he's never good enough. I think we need to strengthen our Goalkeeping, Left Back, Centre Mid, Centre Forward and Head Coach. One of each.

 

Unfortunately, apart from centre midfield, I don't see anywhere else being strengthened before the league campaign starts.

Wasn't that long ago Uche was the main man on here and we shat it when he was missing.

 

However, we do have more cover now which is the difference so the big fella will need to lift his game

[JamboAl]

1 minute ago, Mort said:

Given we have only signed a few players and have released several, you would think we would have the budget for a 3-4 or more players surely?

Well tell us about it - or are you just guessing?

Releasing and hiring is not just down to numbers of players coming and going eg we got rid of Shaughnessy and Mitchell but as they were loanees we were almost certainly just paying a proportion of their wages.  We also loaned out Sammon so it would be reasonable to assume we were not paying all of his wages.

 

[Mikey1874]

15 minutes ago, Clerry Jambo said:

Wasn't that long ago Uche was the main man on here and we shat it when he was missing.

 

However, we do have more cover now which is the difference so the big fella will need to lift his game

 

With referees seemingly finding it impossible to referee him properly allowing defenders to manhandle him out of the game it could be he'll have to move on.

 

His early hold up play at start of last season was a big part of our early success. And he hasn't been properly fit since. So still needs a chance. 

Edited July 17, 2019 by Mikey1874

[Debut 4]

10 minutes ago, Clerry Jambo said:

Wasn't that long ago Uche was the main man on here and we shat it when he was missing.

 

However, we do have more cover now which is the difference so the big fella will need to lift his game

I agree. Bit premature to be downgrading Uche. 

 

Until someone convinces to be a better option, he’ll still be our focal point up front.  

[Alex Kintner]

2 minutes ago, Debut 4 said:

I agree. Bit premature to be downgrading Uche. 

 

Until someone convinces to be a better option, he’ll still be our focal point up front.  

 

Absolutely. Some of the comments writing off Uche are ridiculous. He’s clearly not fully fit and will be a massive player for us this season (metaphorically and literally)

[wavydavy]

9 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

Well tell us about it - or are you just guessing?

Releasing and hiring is not just down to numbers of players coming and going eg we got rid of Shaughnessy and Mitchell but as they were loanees we were almost certainly just paying a proportion of their wages.  We also loaned out Sammon so it would be reasonable to assume we were not paying all of his wages.

 

 

So what are you basing your comments on then Al? Do you have all the figures to hand to share with us for your assumptions?

 

You never mentioned Martin and Vanacek and how much those cost not only in wasted wages but possible pay-offs to cut short their contracts.

 

These sort of judgements you make work two ways Al.

[Romulus]

14 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

Well tell us about it - or are you just guessing?

Releasing and hiring is not just down to numbers of players coming and going eg we got rid of Shaughnessy and Mitchell but as they were loanees we were almost certainly just paying a proportion of their wages.  We also loaned out Sammon so it would be reasonable to assume we were not paying all of his wages.

 

Evidently I am guessing but would be concerned if funds were not set aside to obtain new players other than those we have already.

 

What about the wages of Vanecek, Hughes, Martin and Arnoud Djoum?

 

[cosanostra]

We surely must have a decent amount of funds available given the season we just had and the number of players that have left.

[JamboAl]

12 minutes ago, Mort said:

Evidently I am guessing but would be concerned if funds were not set aside to obtain new players other than those we have already.

 

What about the wages of Vanecek, Hughes, Martin and Arnoud Djoum?

 

That'll be the end of the matter then.

I don't know about the wages of these 4 but (for Davy's sake ) AS AN EXAMPLE if we were paying them £2k each per week and now pay Washington, Halkett and Walker £4 per week each, we actually have less money available.

That aside, we are going to sign someone else according to CL so there must be some scope within the budget.

Edited July 17, 2019 by JamboAl

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

39 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

There are also some positives.

Glass half full or half empty?

Neither, firmly on the fence until I see us play quality opposition

[Robbo-Jambo]

1 hour ago, Armageddon said:

Is there ANY chance we will be taking Lafferty back?  We're in a great position to get braw player for less money than we were paying him before, Naismith (who is the answer to all my HMFC problems these days) could be key to keeping him straight.

Absolutely no chance Levein will bring him back. 

 

Naismith can't stand him either. 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

11 minutes ago, cosanostra said:

We surely must have a decent amount of funds available given the season we just had and the number of players that have left.

Thought this too. We could go further still, empty out a few more. Zanatta appears to have improved enough to empty Wighton for example, Lee is wanting away, and I would  be inclined to lose either Edwards or Bozanic, keeping one of them. We have a bit too much in certain areas that have achieved not very much, imho

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Just now, Robbo-Jambo said:

Absolutely no chance Levein will bring him back. 

 

Naismith can't stand him either. 

Deciding factor I would suggest

[martoon]

6 minutes ago, cosanostra said:

We surely must have a decent amount of funds available given the season we just had and the number of players that have left.

 

I would have thought so. We've been swift enough to waste money on the like of Martin, Sammon and Vanecek in the recent past and if we could afford to do that, there's surely no reason we can't afford to sign 2/3 others now. Particularly now they've gone. 

[Robbo-Jambo]

39 minutes ago, Clerry Jambo said:

Wasn't that long ago Uche was the main man on here and we shat it when he was missing.

 

However, we do have more cover now which is the difference so the big fella will need to lift his game

Correct, he will need to lift his game but also think it will help him having more support round about him. 

[Jamhammer]

1 hour ago, Old Castle Rock said:

Levein's problem will be keeping all the squad happy and motivated as it's looking like we have more than enough player's as it is without adding 

We still have a lot of players despite getting rid of some dead wood but our current first eleven is still lacking IMO

[JamboAl]

2 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

Thought this too. We could go further still, empty out a few more. Zanatta appears to have improved enough to empty Wighton for example, Lee is wanting away, and I would  be inclined to lose either Edwards or Bozanic, keeping one of them. We have a bit too much in certain areas that have achieved not very much, imho

How are you going to empty these players without paying up their contracts?

[Robbo-Jambo]

3 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

Deciding factor I would suggest

Possibly but I think Levein himself thinks he would be too disruptive to the squad as it appears he was last time. 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

1 minute ago, JamboAl said:

How are you going to empty these players without paying up their contracts?

Encourage their agents to find them new clubs. As much as I dislike Derek McInnes, he seems to be pretty good at realising his mistakes and getting them out the door

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

1 minute ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Possibly but I think Levein himself thinks he would be too disruptive to the squad as it appears he was last time. 

The irony for Lafferty, he is a gamble, not sure its one I would want to manage. If he was a ball playing midfielder or enforcer, then its maybe a different story, but I cant see that he is needed, just don't see that transpiring myself

[Mikey1874]

1 minute ago, Sir Gio said:

The irony for Lafferty, he is a gamble, not sure its one I would want to manage. If he was a ball playing midfielder or enforcer, then its maybe a different story, but I cant see that he is needed, just don't see that transpiring myself

 

His 12 League goals should be covered by Washington. 

[stevie1874]

1 hour ago, Armageddon said:

Is there ANY chance we will be taking Lafferty back?  We're in a great position to get braw player for less money than we were paying him before, Naismith (who is the answer to all my HMFC problems these days) could be key to keeping him straight.

Hope not he was overrated 

[Armageddon]

19 minutes ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Absolutely no chance Levein will bring him back. 

 

Naismith can't stand him either. 

 

Really, wasn't aware of that ... oh well

[Robbo-Jambo]

4 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

The irony for Lafferty, he is a gamble, not sure its one I would want to manage. If he was a ball playing midfielder or enforcer, then its maybe a different story, but I cant see that he is needed, just don't see that transpiring myself

Nope, think the club thinks he is more trouble than it's worth. 

 

Had a cracking season first time round with us but a bit of a one off compared with the other seasons in his career. 

 

Rangers clearly can't wait to get shot of him. 

 

Could see him taking the same kind of route that Djoum has. 

[Phil Dunphy]

32 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

That'll be the end of the matter then.

I don't know about the wages of these 4 but (for Davy's sake ) AS AN EXAMPLE if we were paying them £2k each per week and now pay Washington, Halkett and Walker £4 per week each, we actually have less money available.

That aside, we are going to sign someone else according to CL so there must be some scope within the budget.

Patronising the boy over a guess, before constructing a scenario based entirely on guess work. 

Never change Kickback. 

[Debut 4]

51 minutes ago, To Be Frank said:

 

Absolutely. Some of the comments writing off Uche are ridiculous. He’s clearly not fully fit and will be a massive player for us this season (metaphorically and literally)

👍🏻

[Phil Dunphy]

13 minutes ago, stevie1874 said:

Hope not he was overrated 

I reckon it’s pretty hard to “over-rate” our most prolific striker since Robertson, tbh. 

But each to their own. 

[davemclaren]

9 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

Patronising the boy over a guess, before constructing a scenario based entirely on guess work. 

Never change Kickback. 

The last sentence would be true if you thought that as well. 😄

 

 

[wavydavy]

41 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

That'll be the end of the matter then.

I don't know about the wages of these 4 but (for Davy's sake ) AS AN EXAMPLE if we were paying them £2k each per week and now pay Washington, Halkett and Walker £4 per week each, we actually have less money available.

That aside, we are going to sign someone else according to CL so there must be some scope within the budget.

 

So you are just making up figures as you have no proof of who earns what and yet you continue to berate others who do simliar.

 

Just accept it's a discussion board and get on with it. You seem to think that you have a divine right to question and correct every post that you happen to disagree with.

[soonbe110]

1 hour ago, To Be Frank said:

 

Absolutely. Some of the comments writing off Uche are ridiculous. He’s clearly not fully fit and will be a massive player for us this season (metaphorically and literally)

He certainly looked like he has been a regular at Greggs over the summer. Seemed to be carrying quite a bit of excess weight last night. 

[Jodami]

The Uche chat is interesting. Playing him in the formation we use doesn't suit him at all, he needs someone playing up front beside him. He could be a real weapon for us, quite often not even having to touch the ball to create the space for his partner to hurt teams. It's things like the way we employ Uche that makes you ask questions about the quality of our coaches. 

[Finlay James]

1 minute ago, Jodami said:

The Uche chat is interesting. Playing him in the formation we use doesn't suit him at all, he needs someone playing up front beside him. He could be a real weapon for us, quite often not even having to touch the ball to create the space for his partner to hurt teams. It's things like the way we employ Uche that makes you ask questions about the quality of our coaches. 

 

Or maybe Uche doesn't always fully follow instructions from the coaches?