Irving - signs for SK Austria Klagenfurt ( updated )

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, Jean Louis Valois said:

I'd still like him to stay. Be interesting to see him play under a different manager, not in the poisonous atmosphere that the squad seem to be in just now.

 

The atmosphere will change as soon as all the players that know they are done are shipped out and new players come in. 

Will change over night. 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

10 hours ago, DG_HMFC said:

Irving isn't a game changer. He's not someone who we'd miss. He's done absolutely nothing in a maroon jersey, so if he leaves then who really gives a ****? Another player in the current squad who's easily replaced.

 

10 hours ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

I think he's pish, personally and has only got so many games because the other options have been just as pish.

 

 

Agree. 

 

If he was as good as some on here think he'd be bossing far more games in this division. 

 

Halliday has been our Most consistent midfielder, tells you everything. 

 

Looks like he's gone anyway. 

 

We need to replace with better tho. It's been an issue, ship out one player, then bring in another who's worse, especially in midfield. We need to reverse that trend on promotion. 

 

 

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

15 minutes ago, OldGorgie said:

Agree. This is exactly what’s wrong at the club, boring safety first feeble attacking style of RN. Personally I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes when crowds are allowed back in. 

Ann will probably be personally selecting the fans allowed back in though 😌🙂

[GinRummy]

12 minutes ago, OldGorgie said:

Agree. This is exactly what’s wrong at the club, boring safety first feeble attacking style of RN. Personally I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes when crowds are allowed back in. 

He has now developed a way of playing that simply can't work effectively in an attacking sense. The slow build up, patient play is difficult enough to pull of these days but faced against 9-10 man defences who are all in position and ready for us when we only have 6 or 7 players in and around their box is just crazy. We can't get back quick enough to deal with counter attacks is clearly the reason for it but when you factor in that nobody seems willing or able to beat a man and we ain't going to score a lot of goals. 

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

Irving is good and young, exactly the type of player we should be looking to hold on to. Hopefully, his last few performances have made the negotiations a wee bit easier.

[Nookie Bear]

10 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

It's not. 

Lee and Wighton were allowed to leave as they knew they'd be gone at the end of the season. 

 

The last thing we need now is another 2 players with their heads elsewhere. 

 

Shame as I think Lee was decent, even in the top flight for us.. 

 

 

Football clubs all over the world have to cope with players knowing they will be away at the end of the season, it’s the modern way. 
 

I get Lee had personal reasons as well but Wighton should have been handled better because we simply needed another person to play up front for the remainder of the season. 
 

If we can manage Irving and anyone else who may be away then we should have managed those two better. 
 

Check out our first goal in the hibs semi for reasons why 👍🏻

[leith_dude]

I wasn't too fussed about him staying a month ago. Given his form since then I'm even less concerned.

[JamboAl]

28 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

 

Agree. 

 

If he was as good as some on here think he'd be bossing far more games in this division. 

 

Halliday has been our Most consistent midfielder, tells you everything. 

 

Looks like he's gone anyway. 

 

We need to replace with better tho. It's been an issue, ship out one player, then bring in another who's worse, especially in midfield. We need to reverse that trend on promotion. 

 

 

I think you're right - he's been poor every game!

[hearts00]

If he stays he stays. If he goes he goes. 
 

I only care about basically two players in the entire squad. The rest are total losers and part of the worst Hearts team in most of our lifetimes. 
 

Drain the swamp!

[Bazzas right boot]

20 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

Football clubs all over the world have to cope with players knowing they will be away at the end of the season, it’s the modern way. 
 

I get Lee had personal reasons as well but Wighton should have been handled better because we simply needed another person to play up front for the remainder of the season. 
 

If we can manage Irving and anyone else who may be away then we should have managed those two better. 
 

Check out our first goal in the hibs semi for reasons why 👍🏻

 

 

Wighton was poor, he wanted to leave for first team football and he had no future with us.

 

Lee, who i liked also had no long term future with us. 

 

Nothing poor about that decision tbh, the less players that are unhappy at a club the better. 

 

We Ofc had to keep some, but the apathy is clear as many of thier heads turn to future employers, being unemployed and not too mention moving home etc for some. 

It's only natural, being so far ahead at one point Likley magnified that apathy a little as well. 

 

The less of these players the better imo. 

 

As a manager of anything, you don't want staff that are looking elsewhere for employment, you want folk that are motivated, invested and want success with you. 

 

Letting Wighton and Lee go before their contracts run down was just sensible. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

35 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

I think you're right - he's been poor every game!

 

Maybe, still been our best midfielder tho. 

Far more consistent and effective than Irving has been. 

 

 

[JamboAl]

23 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Maybe, still been our best midfielder tho. 

Far more consistent and effective than Irving has been. 

 

 

I couldn't disagree more.  Maybe I have been expecting too much from such an experienced player but I fail to see that he has come near to bringing that experience to bear. IMO

[upgotheheads]

3 hours ago, OldGorgie said:

When McEneff first came his instinct was to get forward and try and score, now with the “excellent” coaching from Neilson and his muppets, he’s great at passing backwards. It’s obvious that RN and his group want safety first.

 

2 hours ago, GinRummy said:

Kingsley the same. Barely gets over the half way line now. 

 

Only too true I think, McEneff was supposed to be a Cameron/ Hartley type attacking midfielder, or so I thought, but now he goes backward at the first opportunity. It's as if he's afraid to make a mistake, maybe he would  get the Hendo Hendo treatment if he does.

As for Wighton, he's a decent squad striker who was just starting to make his mark after bulking up. I'll bet he ends up back in the Premier  League with H1b5 or Aberdeen or similar.

[Nookie Bear]

1 hour ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

Wighton was poor, he wanted to leave for first team football and he had no future with us.

 

Lee, who i liked also had no long term future with us. 

 

Nothing poor about that decision tbh, the less players that are unhappy at a club the better. 

 

We Ofc had to keep some, but the apathy is clear as many of thier heads turn to future employers, being unemployed and not too mention moving home etc for some. 

It's only natural, being so far ahead at one point Likley magnified that apathy a little as well. 

 

The less of these players the better imo. 

 

As a manager of anything, you don't want staff that are looking elsewhere for employment, you want folk that are motivated, invested and want success with you. 

 

Letting Wighton and Lee go before their contracts run down was just sensible. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

True, but I would prefer we managed and motivated these players rather than just draw a line through the names Lee, Wighton and Damour. Absolute waste of time and money for a club in our position. 
 

Oh, and if you offload players...replace them ffs

[mitch41]

As i've said many times before in recent years Hearts have a knack of putting promising young lads into the first team and they come in and impress right away and after a period the get slowly worse. It's as though they get no help from older pro's and there is no one to advise and help during a game but then again who really knows but without doubt there is a problem there.

[JamboAl]

6 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

True, but I would prefer we managed and motivated these players rather than just draw a line through the names Lee, Wighton and Damour. Absolute waste of time and money for a club in our position. 
 

Oh, and if you offload players...replace them ffs

I think we replace them before we offload them, hence the bloated squad.

For example, Damour is still here because we can't offload him and yet we've still signed Halliday and McEneff (to name but two) for MF.

[Bazzas right boot]

46 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

I couldn't disagree more.  Maybe I have been expecting too much from such an experienced player but I fail to see that he has come near to bringing that experience to bear. IMO

 

Fair enough, I think he's been better than Haring, Irving and McEneff over the season tho. 

 

He can definitely improve but imo he's been the best, which in regards to Irving tells me he's not good enough for what we want.

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

19 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

True, but I would prefer we managed and motivated these players rather than just draw a line through the names Lee, Wighton and Damour. Absolute waste of time and money for a club in our position. 
 

Oh, and if you offload players...replace them ffs

 

 

The last point is key and Neilson's or whoevers biggest challenge, because whether it be cathro, CL or Stendel they really haven't brought in better when they've shuffled things around or moved players on. 

 

Djoum was a massive loss imo. 

[JamboAl]

1 minute ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Fair enough, I think he's been better than Haring, Irving and McEneff over the season tho. 

 

He can definitely improve but imo he's been the best, which in regards to Irving tells me he's not good enough for what we want.

 

 

You're stretching it a bit using a player coming back from a serious injury as a comparison or a player new to Scottish football.  I don't agree he has been any better than Irving either.  He has been a huge disappointment IMO.

[Nookie Bear]

8 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

The last point is key and Neilson's or whoevers biggest challenge, because whether it be cathro, CL or Stendel they really haven't brought in better when they've shuffled things around or moved players on. 

 

Djoum was a massive loss imo. 

Djoum left two years ago. Mental.

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, Nookie Bear said:

Djoum left two years ago. Mental.

 

Yip, our replacements in the middle since then have been poor, on paper Damour could have been good enough he played in the Championship. 

 

Goncalves was decent as well, Tbh the team Robbie had 1st time , although not perfect was decent. Since then recruitment bar a few exceptions has gotten worse and worse. 

Injuries imo never helped us either. But he ho. 

 

Savage is now on board, hopefully McEneff and Gnando will kick on and we get about 6-8 decent replacements for all the guys that will be leaving. 

 

 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

12 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

You're stretching it a bit using a player coming back from a serious injury as a comparison or a player new to Scottish football.  I don't agree he has been any better than Irving either.  He has been a huge disappointment IMO.

 

Not stretching it-it is what it is, Ofc I know why Haring hasn't been good but Halliday imo has been our best midfielder over this season, you think not. Fair enough. 

 

Irving has been pretty poor. 

He has a good touch and can pick a pass, but he gives the ball away far too often, goes sideways too often, too slow and very one footed. He also gives away silly fouls. 

He won't be missed that much when he goes imo. 

 

If Halliday left, we could replace easily as well tbh, but imo over the whole season he's been our best midfielder-which is maybe more telling in regards how poor the others have performed as opposed to Halliday being good, point stands either way tho. 

 

 

 

 

[daavojaay]

What spine of a team do we actually have? apart from gordon and souttar, boyce has been piss gnando not really up to standard.naismith to old,we dont have a spine to build around bar a goalkeeper who is really only player good enough for hearts.Rebuild isnt the word and there is no room for error in transfer market and we will need to spend money not just get free transfers which i think is half the reason we end up with the shit we do always after a bargain.We ****up this window straight backdown again and no doubt it would result in budge having to lend more money and stick around even longer if shes still here by that point.

[wavydavy]

8 minutes ago, daavojaay said:

What spine of a team do we actually have? apart from gordon and souttar, boyce has been piss gnando not really up to standard.naismith to old,we dont have a spine to build around bar a goalkeeper who is really only player good enough for hearts.Rebuild isnt the word and there is no room for error in transfer market and we will need to spend money not just get free transfers which i think is half the reason we end up with the shit we do always after a bargain.We ****up this window straight backdown again and no doubt it would result in budge having to lend more money and stick around even longer if shes still here by that point.

 

We should be going back to basics and signing the best young talent we can from the Scottish leagues. We have a few decent players in the likes of Smith who would no doubt help the younger ones.

 

Having watched a number of Championship games there are a number of decent young players out there who may well relish a chance to sign for Hearts.

 

We need energy and pace in our team and have done for some time.

 

If I did not know better I would think that Craig Levein was still in charge given the style of football we are dishing up week after week.

 

Robbie might be right in thinking that there are a number of players who have chucked it and will be moved on as well as those who are out of contract.

 

But here we are yet again with another major rebuild on the cards.

 

With his record of recent signings it beggars the question is he the man to take us into the Premiership next season assuming we make it.?

 

Our new SD has a major role to play in the rebuild so he needs to be finding decent players to recommend to the club and so far they have been less than impressive.

 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

The lads mentally just completely let his concentration and performance levels drop off a cliff after not getting as much £ money as he demanded. Completely cracked mentally and allowed it to distract him. Would think any future employers will look closely at that because it will happen again. Good luck to him at his next club. 

[Chaps]

Irving has the potential to be a very good player but sadly we have a useless manager that doesn’t know how to play him properly.

[bairdy]

20 hours ago, Sherbet said:

Maybe wants to stay but not happy with the style of play. Has certainly gone off form.  I preferred lee. Thought he had a football brain and could pass the ball. Maybe a bit slow. But I dont recall willie hamilton being blessed with pace

Please don't mention Willie in the same breath as them !😐

[Guffers]

17 hours ago, JamboAl said:

I think this is the case with most of us - he does divide opinion.

I'm not sure about the coaching part.  He is a naturally instinctive player and that type of player does not respond to coaching from lesser mortals as the majority of players do.

What I would say is that he can improve himself by practising, practising and more practising with his right foot.

 

Somebody hit the nail on the head with Irving recently on another thread I think (imo). 

 

When he was coming through the academy apparently someone called him out as a "good player in a winning team"... I think that sums him up perfectly... if you are on top he has so much ability to hurt the opposition.. space/time/pick a pass.. when the team is in need of leaders and up against it and need men with work rate and character in the middle of the park.. Irving is an invisible man.. would not want him in the trenches with me... gutless, zero character. Tragic because the boy has all the ability to be very very good

 

[bairdy]

4 hours ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

The atmosphere will change as soon as all the players that know they are done are shipped out and new players come in. 

Will change over night. 

 

 

I agree with this. It certainly looks like a lot of them know they won't be with us next season, and are just going through the motions.

 

[colinmaroon]

49 minutes ago, Guffers said:

 

Somebody hit the nail on the head with Irving recently on another thread I think (imo). 

 

When he was coming through the academy apparently someone called him out as a "good player in a winning team"... I think that sums him up perfectly... if you are on top he has so much ability to hurt the opposition.. space/time/pick a pass.. when the team is in need of leaders and up against it and need men with work rate and character in the middle of the park.. Irving is an invisible man.. would not want him in the trenches with me... gutless, zero character. Tragic because the boy has all the ability to be very very good

 

 

 

That would be an improvement on his performance recently!

 

 

[colinmaroon]

52 minutes ago, bairdy said:

Please don't mention Willie in the same breath as them !😐

 

 

Seconded!  In his first spell he was above average speed-wise abut mostly defenders were spinning around wondering where he's gone.

[BigAlim]

decent technical ability doesn't make a player, if he really thinks he can find a better club then he needs to realise that he's not going to attract offers if he doesn't put in the necessary effort 

[alwaysthereinspirit]

10 hours ago, No Idle Talk said:

 

Of course there is.

 

If he does leave then I hope the real reason for his departure will come out in the wash.

Your right about us possibly finding out stuff after the fact. Fans would love to know exact numbers from the beginning but it’s just not possible. It wouldn’t even be fair on the player or club if contract numbers were released to the public. I’ve said on this thread before that Irving would only have an issue with Hearts if he was on a 1000 a week and we offered 1100. 
If he’s on a 1000 and we offered 2000 then he has no gripe. Who wouldn’t want a 100% pay raise. If he’s on 1000 now and wants 3000 then there’s an issue. So many fans just want teams to pay what ever their favorite player wants. It’s just not doable. Imagine Spurs fan losing it if Kane left because Spurs wouldn’t give him 500,000 a week. “It’s not our money, we don’t care. Give him what he wants”

If Irving has a career injury 3 he’ll have at least 3 more contracts after this one. Hearts can’t break the bank for this kid based on form this season. He should have been bossing games in this league if he’s as good as he thinks. And I don’t know that he does think he’s that good. He may be the nicest unassuming kid around the club.

[Glamorgan Jambo]

At his best plays with his head up, always looking for a forward pass, and with a very good left foot. Away to Alloa in what has a horrible scrap (as away games generally are and always have been following Hearts) took the game by the scruff of the neck with his opening goal. Played well away at Raith too.

 

Where he’s at a couple of months later is a pale shadow. Why? Nobody knows. Contract maybe. Dip in form common with youngsters maybe. I was utterly shocked to see him start the game on Saturday after his own goal the week before (by the way there was a QOS player a few yards behind him so he had to play the ball)

 

Still hope we can keep him. For his sake as well as ours.

[jambonian]

He's not got much of a bargaining tool to be honest. The position he plays is one of the easiest to replace. If he is to leave he wouldn't be missed, unlike a twenty-plus per season striker or a solid out-and-out central defender who's brilliant in the air. There is going to be dozens and dozens of midfielders available in the summer, hundreds probably all over Europe. 

If he thinks he's better than he is then go on the pitch and show it. No managers are going to be too interested in a player that only plays well when he can be bothered. At the moment it's all a bit too Jason Holt for me.  

[No Idle Talk]

2 hours ago, Glamorgan Jambo said:

At his best plays with his head up, always looking for a forward pass, and with a very good left foot. Away to Alloa in what has a horrible scrap (as away games generally are and always have been following Hearts) took the game by the scruff of the neck with his opening goal. Played well away at Raith too.

 

Where he’s at a couple of months later is a pale shadow. Why? Nobody knows. Contract maybe. Dip in form common with youngsters maybe. I was utterly shocked to see him start the game on Saturday after his own goal the week before (by the way there was a QOS player a few yards behind him so he had to play the ball)

 

Still hope we can keep him. For his sake as well as ours.

 

Good post. 👍

[Buzzbomb1874]

5 hours ago, BigAlim said:

decent technical ability doesn't make a player, if he really thinks he can find a better club then he needs to realise that he's not going to attract offers if he doesn't put in the necessary effort 

Give me someone with the right Attitude and application over someone who thinks they are better than what they think are every day of the week.

[jr ewing]

I guess he's at as big a club now as he's ever going to be. Downhill from here, could be wrong. 

[Doctor FinnBarr]

11 hours ago, wavydavy said:

 

We should be going back to basics and signing the best young talent we can from the Scottish leagues. We have a few decent players in the likes of Smith who would no doubt help the younger ones.

 

Having watched a number of Championship games there are a number of decent young players out there who may well relish a chance to sign for Hearts.

 

We need energy and pace in our team and have done for some time.

 

If I did not know better I would think that Craig Levein was still in charge given the style of football we are dishing up week after week.

 

Robbie might be right in thinking that there are a number of players who have chucked it and will be moved on as well as those who are out of contract.

 

But here we are yet again with another major rebuild on the cards.

 

With his record of recent signings it beggars the question is he the man to take us into the Premiership next season assuming we make it.?

 

Our new SD has a major role to play in the rebuild so he needs to be finding decent players to recommend to the club and so far they have been less than impressive.

 

 

CL is still in charge without a doubt, I've been ridiculed on several occasions for even suggestion the fact that he might still be still pissing about with the team, he feckin is100%

[DH1986]

6 minutes ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

CL is still in charge without a doubt, I've been ridiculed on several occasions for even suggestion the fact that he might still be still pissing about with the team, he feckin is100%

I really can’t imagine why you’ve been ridiculed for that tbh........

 

Oh no...I absolutely can.

[Unknown user]

43 minutes ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

CL is still in charge without a doubt, I've been ridiculed on several occasions for even suggestion the fact that he might still be still pissing about with the team, he feckin is100%

To be fair though it is actually ridiculous, surely you don't believe that Robbie left Dundee United to drop a division and be a puppet?

[Chris#9]

Won’t be missed. Our midfield is pathetic. All they do is pass it back to a centre half or full back. Never take it on the turn or move five yards to receive the ball and get their head up. Just pop it off and stand still. If they cant do it in that league then they wont do it any higher up

[Skivingatwork]

The guy has struggled to impose himself on games at a championship level. Going to be totally out of his depth next season, why waste a top end wage on someone like that?

[Jambof3tornado]

7 hours ago, Chris#9 said:

Won’t be missed. Our midfield is pathetic. All they do is pass it back to a centre half or full back. Never take it on the turn or move five yards to receive the ball and get their head up. Just pop it off and stand still. If they cant do it in that league then they wont do it any higher up

Was really hoping mceneff would be the player to take the ball forward, still think he can be given time and better coaching.

[Clerry Jambo]

7 hours ago, Chris#9 said:

Won’t be missed. Our midfield is pathetic. All they do is pass it back to a centre half or full back. Never take it on the turn or move five yards to receive the ball and get their head up. Just pop it off and stand still. If they cant do it in that league then they wont do it any higher up

Totally agree our engine room has been a severe ball ache for a while now. You hoped young Irving would put down a marker and give us hope he was going to be an ever present until he moved on however haven’t like his attitude despite all the shite that’s going on. You may not have electric pace but you can at least show passion and energy but for a young guy not seeing much of this 

[suds66]

7 minutes ago, Skivingatwork said:

The guy has struggled to impose himself on games at a championship level. Going to be totally out of his depth next season, why waste a top end wage on someone like that?

It's what our clueless custodians do, waste money and hand out bumper contracts to players not fit to wear the maroon jersey.

[Jamtastico]

To be a professional in any job, you need to have character. When things aren't going your way, you need to do the dirty side of the job.

 

In terms of football, I don't expect any player to be at the peak performance week in week out. But if you have an off couple of weeks then you have to replace that with desire to compete, aggression and getting stuck in.

 

So when he does get a moment to show his ability, he can turn it on for that 1 killer pass that wins us the game.

 

But not every player can be a professional even if they do play full time for one of the biggest teams in the country.

 

Hopefully he realises this, nothing wrong with another few years at a big club. Moving too soon is more likely a killer of dreams than the making of them.

 

 

[JamboAl]

8 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

CL is still in charge without a doubt, I've been ridiculed on several occasions for even suggestion the fact that he might still be still pissing about with the team, he feckin is100%

That's hardly surprising.

Why would we pay Savage and McKinlay if he was in charge?

[wavydavy]

2 hours ago, Skivingatwork said:

The guy has struggled to impose himself on games at a championship level. Going to be totally out of his depth next season, why waste a top end wage on someone like that?

 

I hardly think he is on or will be offered a top end wage which is probably why he has not signed the contract we have allegedly offered him.

 

I still think he could do a job for us with the right type of players around him.

 

The biggest problem we have is lack of movement for him to play the pass which he can do if we have the runners.

[wavydavy]

On 04/04/2021 at 22:23, DG_HMFC said:

Irving isn't a game changer. He's not someone who we'd miss. He's done absolutely nothing in a maroon jersey, so if he leaves then who really gives a ****? Another player in the current squad who's easily replaced.

 

The worry is who do we sign to replace him? Going by the current success rate of signings we will end up being even worse off.