***Summer 2021 Transfer Window - Barrie McKay signs 2 year deal ***

[Unknown user]

4 minutes ago, Batistuta87 said:

Agree with this. Don't think he's good enough unfortunately. Neither is Conor Smith IMO. 

I haven't seen anywhere near enough of Smith to say, plus there's 2 years between them, that's a lot of development

[johnking123]

Smith does not have legs for wing back roll. Would be better with a right midfielder. Need that left sided centre half as well.

[Jamboj1]

The youth player stuff is a tough one everyone wants to see young talent come through but let’s be honest other than pollock we have none ready to play. At full time no one was wanting more youth players playing everyone wanted more signings in the door and rightly so. Signing policy is targeting young players from else where who are ready to play and potential to go to a higher level that’s going to get us much further than settling for a local lad who’s not ready. 

[Berra than you]

1 minute ago, johnking123 said:

Smith does not have legs for wing back roll. Would be better with a right midfielder. Need that left sided centre half as well.

Smith's a strange one as he's undoubtedly still a good player. And had looked okay at times in that role but others he just doesn't have the pace like you say. Still, you normally get at least 6/10 with him even when he can't cover that ground, yesterday was the odd game when he was honking.

 

[BackOfTheNet]

Will we ever find out who the Scandinavian is/was?

[GinRummy]

7 minutes ago, Jamboj1 said:

The youth player stuff is a tough one everyone wants to see young talent come through but let’s be honest other than pollock we have none ready to play. At full time no one was wanting more youth players playing everyone wanted more signings in the door and rightly so. Signing policy is targeting young players from else where who are ready to play and potential to go to a higher level that’s going to get us much further than settling for a local lad who’s not ready. 

Good post

[Batistuta87]

2 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

Will we ever find out who the Scandinavian is/was?

I thought that ship had sailed long ago. 

 

10 minutes ago, Smithee said:

I haven't seen anywhere near enough of Smith to say, plus there's 2 years between them, that's a lot of development

 

True. Just from what I have seen of Smith I don't think he's going to make it at Hearts. Gladly be proven wrong though, of course. 

 

[Nookie Bear]

52 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I think Neilson has grossly mismanaged Hendo and possible damaged his career.

 

You saw when Stendel played him and at the end of last season (the 2 or 3 games he got more then 45 mins) that he can benefit the team - pace, power and the start of knowing how to make the right runs.

 

There was no reason whatsoever not to give him a run of games last season in a shite league - he’ll never build confidence being stripped and ready to play with 10 mins left and then coming on in injury time as happened yesterday for example. Quite the opposite.

 

Henderson finished last season very brightly and many were quoyting him as the 3rd player in our striking options behind Boyce and Gnando.

 

he will never be a key player for us but there is always room for a direct, enthusiastic, forward who can provide energy when need. A bit like Wayne Foster did.

 

And, like Walker (another who everyone appears to believe is on his way out), if he leaves he will need replaced so that's another change.

[lost in space]

27 minutes ago, 19/05/2012 said:

Really need two wingbacks that get forward if we are going to stick with the 5221 formation. Yesterday was as like playing with a flat back 5 with Ginelly and GMS as wing backs. 

As you say, started 5221. Not the wing backs fault. They can get forward - just following instructions not to.

Before anyone asks, NO, I wasn't in dressing room - but very obvious that Smith and Halliday stayed back at first.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

It is pretty clear that the work of Naismith and McLaughlan to overhaul the youth/ development side has only just begun, so will give it a bit of time. We are stepping up a league so the priority is recruitment for this season. That's clear from this 567 page transfer thread. Is there a comparable 500 page youth players thread. No. On that side, IMO it's the next batch of players, Pollock age 17 and younger for us to keep an eye out for IMO. The likes of C. Smith, Brandon and Henderson will move on from Hearts IMO they're getting to that age where they need to be playing now. 

[lost in space]

4 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

Henderson finished last season very brightly and many were quoyting him as the 3rd player in our striking options behind Boyce and Gnando.

 

he will never be a key player for us but there is always room for a direct, enthusiastic, forward who can provide energy when need. A bit like Wayne Foster did.

 

And, like Walker (another who everyone appears to believe is on his way out), if he leaves he will need replaced so that's another change.

Henderson should have replaced GMS with about 30 mins to go. Neilson always too late with subs.

[Batistuta87]

10 minutes ago, Jamboj1 said:

The youth player stuff is a tough one everyone wants to see young talent come through but let’s be honest other than pollock we have none ready to play. At full time no one was wanting more youth players playing everyone wanted more signings in the door and rightly so. Signing policy is targeting young players from else where who are ready to play and potential to go to a higher level that’s going to get us much further than settling for a local lad who’s not ready. 

 

I just want the best players to play - I don't care what age they are. If they're young, bonus, if they're not then so be it. There's no way I'm putting a young lad in the team if he's not as good as or better than another player. 

 

We're sometimes guilty of "England-ing" (as I call it) our young players - where, like the English media, a player has one or two good games and suddenly they're the best thing since sliced bread. We hype them up, we put them on a colossal pedestal, and we have expectations of high success and ££££££££££ when we sell them on. 

 

Pollock as an example looks like he has some potential but the club need to handle his development very carefully and we as a support need to not put him on the same pedestal as Cochrane and Irving, who ended up being vastly overrated. We need to give him the time he needs, not throw him in at the deep end, and if a loan is better for his development for the next season or two then that's what he does. I saw him at the game yesterday - in a tracksuit and trainers, collecting the balls and cones after the warm up, which will be doing absolutely nothing for his development. Just get him out on loan to a team where he'll start plenty games, and get him playing football, getting kicked about a bit, getting toughened up, gaining confidence etc etc. Then we'll see what sort of player we have on our hands. 

 

[johnking123]

Luke bolton would be good choice. Was on loan at Dundee United. Is a wingback and fast .

[RustyRightPeg]

3 minutes ago, lost in space said:

As you say, started 5221. Not the wing backs fault. They can get forward - just following instructions not to.

Before anyone asks, NO, I wasn't in dressing room - but very obvious that Smith and Halliday stayed back at first.

Im not so sure. There’s no benefit of smith overlapping Gino all the time because he prefers to beat a man down the outside. Sometimes it’s better for a fullback/wingback to leave the winger with the space 1 on 1 with their defender and stay 15/20 yards back. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by RustyRightPeg

[wavydavy]

3 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

Henderson finished last season very brightly and many were quoyting him as the 3rd player in our striking options behind Boyce and Gnando.

 

he will never be a key player for us but there is always room for a direct, enthusiastic, forward who can provide energy when need. A bit like Wayne Foster did.

 

And, like Walker (another who everyone appears to believe is on his way out), if he leaves he will need replaced so that's another change.

 

I was disappointed that he did not get a chance earlier yesterday to replace either of our wide players who were both disappointing in the second half. GMS has the heart of a mouse and bottles every challenge and Gino looks like the type of player that needs a cuddle from the manager to tell him everything is fine and he's a good boy.

 

Having said that about Gino I felt sorry for him as when he switched wings it was as if he suddenly became invisible to Cochrane and Halliday as they preferred to try massive crossfied passes to the simple ones to him and totally ignored him. Why not just go for the simple pass?

[Batistuta87]

1 minute ago, johnking123 said:

Luke bolton would be good choice. Was on loan at Dundee United. Is a wingback and fast .

Must admit I slightly dropped out of the Premiership last season since we weren't in it. How did he do at Utd? In the last year of his contract so will be a key season for him since he clearly won't be playing for Man City. 

 

[RustyRightPeg]

Just now, Batistuta87 said:

Must admit I slightly dropped out of the Premiership last season since we weren't in it. How did he do at Utd? In the last year of his contract so will be a key season for him since he clearly won't be playing for Man City. 

 

He was bright. Energetic and can beat the first man with a cross. Would be for this if it ever was to happen 

[soonbe110]

31 minutes ago, johnking123 said:

Smith does not have legs for wing back roll. Would be better with a right midfielder. Need that left sided centre half as well.

McEneff will fill in at RWB if Smith is out I’d think. 

[johnking123]

Played mainly as a winger from what I saw. But his preferred position is wing back at man City 

[Fxxx the SPFL]

So Woodburn any sightings as yet

[RDSK]

15 minutes ago, johnking123 said:

Luke bolton would be good choice. Was on loan at Dundee United. Is a wingback and fast .

Didn’t think he was great. Not ideal conditions for him to perform, in fairness. He was wasted at wing back + Mellon didn’t exactly encourage free flowing stuff. 

[RustyRightPeg]

10 minutes ago, **** the SPFL said:

So Woodburn any sightings as yet

Having medical today I believe

[Stendelnator]

45 minutes ago, Jamboj1 said:

The youth player stuff is a tough one everyone wants to see young talent come through but let’s be honest other than pollock we have none ready to play. At full time no one was wanting more youth players playing everyone wanted more signings in the door and rightly so. Signing policy is targeting young players from else where who are ready to play and potential to go to a higher level that’s going to get us much further than settling for a local lad who’s not ready. 

We have no players in any Scotland youth teams currently. That speaks volumes 

[Ainsley Harriott]

When will the Lawrence Shankland medial be done it's fair taking it's time.

[Harry Potter]

16 minutes ago, **** the SPFL said:

So Woodburn any sightings as yet

Due in Edinburgh today.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Harry Potter

[Rogue Daddy]

19 minutes ago, RustyRightPeg said:

Im not so sure. There’s no benefit of smith overlapping Gino all the time because he prefers to beat a man down the outside. Sometimes it’s better for a fullback/wingback to leave the winger with the space 1 on 1 with their defender and stay 15/20 yards back. 

Yep agree with this... if we're going to play with wing backs it leaves little room for wingers to do their thing. I would rather have someone in front of Boyce, if we're to play with wing backs... even give Gino a chance at the right wingback role 🤷‍♂️ he has the engine.

[Rudolf]

11 hours ago, Chaps said:

We could with a striker like Jet. He changed the game for Aberdeen. we’re too lightweight up top and they won every header from our punts up the park.

Yeah, we couldn't handle him.

 

I asked one of the guys in my office who's an Aberdeen fan, and was there yesterday, why they didn't start with JET.

 

He said that was the best he's seen him. Said that in the games he's started he's been lazy and ineffectual. 

[Footballfirst]

5 minutes ago, Stendelnator said:

We have no players in any Scotland youth teams currently. That speaks volumes 

Bobby McLuckie was with Scotland's U16s last week for friendlies at St George's Park.  Ewan Simpson would also have been part of that squad but had to withdraw through injury.

Greig Allan joined Rangers from Hearts just last month and is in the U17 squad. I heard from a Rangers source that they paid £60k as a development fee for the years spent at Riccarton. 

[Gordon Ramsay]

Our youngsters are pretty shite let's be honest. If they were good enough they'd be in the team. 

 

Absolutely no problem with us signing players and putting them in ahead of our youth, it's about winning games. No one cares how good an academy is. 

[Jambo in Bathgate]

24 minutes ago, Batistuta87 said:

 

I just want the best players to play - I don't care what age they are. If they're young, bonus, if they're not then so be it. There's no way I'm putting a young lad in the team if he's not as good as or better than another player. 

 

We're sometimes guilty of "England-ing" (as I call it) our young players - where, like the English media, a player has one or two good games and suddenly they're the best thing since sliced bread. We hype them up, we put them on a colossal pedestal, and we have expectations of high success and ££££££££££ when we sell them on. 

 

Pollock as an example looks like he has some potential but the club need to handle his development very carefully and we as a support need to not put him on the same pedestal as Cochrane and Irving, who ended up being vastly overrated. We need to give him the time he needs, not throw him in at the deep end, and if a loan is better for his development for the next season or two then that's what he does. I saw him at the game yesterday - in a tracksuit and trainers, collecting the balls and cones after the warm up, which will be doing absolutely nothing for his development. Just get him out on loan to a team where he'll start plenty games, and get him playing football, getting kicked about a bit, getting toughened up, gaining confidence etc etc. Then we'll see what sort of player we have on our hands. 

 

Think you have got that the wrong way round. It’s Typical of the Scottish media to bum up youngsters after one or two games up here. In England the younger players are established in first team squad and look the part. Scottish media do little to help youngster development other than turn their heads to Rangers or Celtic or mess with their head in such a way that they go backwards. 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

11 hours ago, Tommy Brown said:

Thought their right back Calvin Ramsay did really well, 18 years old.

Yeah, good player, full back is probably one of the areas you can get them in, Hickey being our shining example, Neilson himself was young, Gary Naysmith going back. But they need to be good enough too, unfortunately young Logan is not fit at the moment. Wouldnt have been against Connor Smith coming on late, but as you saw with Brown, smashing into Walker while on the deck, probably not the moment. Hard one, you could lose games easily in this league through brutality

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

4 minutes ago, Gordon Ramsay said:

Our youngsters are pretty shite let's be honest. If they were good enough they'd be in the team. 

 

Absolutely no problem with us signing players and putting them in ahead of our youth, it's about winning games. No one cares how good an academy is. 

I don’t think anyone can agree with your statement with any confidence as they haven’t been given a chance.

 

When Frear was signed after two weeks on trial and given the chances he get. When Roberts was given the run of games he got and the did **** all. I think we can all agree that Robbie has given NONE of our current academy players in and around the squad he gave these pieces of shit for players.

 

Academy players would at least play as if they have a shit.

 

I think it’s fair to say that what we can say is that whilst Robbie drones on about youth he isn’t actually interested in doing that from within the club.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Tom Hardy’s Dug

[A_A wehatethehibs]

12 minutes ago, Stendelnator said:

We have no players in any Scotland youth teams currently. That speaks volumes 

Tell you what else speaks volumes. 9 of the latest U21 squad play for English clubs. 

[Gordon Ramsay]

1 minute ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I don’t think anyone can agree with your statement with any confidence as they haven’t been given a chance.

 

Shen Freat was signed after two weeks on trial and given the chances he get. When Roberts was given the run of games he got. I think we can all agree that Robbie has given NONE of our current academy players in and around the squad he gave these pieces of shit for players.

 

Academy players would at least play as if they have a shit.

 

I think it’s fair to say that what we can say is that whilst Robbie drones on about youth he isn’t actually interested in doing that from within the club.

 

Surely if they were good enough they would be in the team though? Possibly Robbie could do more in regards to giving them game time but I'm sure if there was a worldy amongst our youngsters they would be in the team. 

 

That's also not strictly true re chances, Henderson has been given plenty of opportunities and he's clearly not up to this level. Championship player at best and even that's a stretch. 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

If we put 4 kids in there so far, be sitting on 1 point instead of 7. Having said that very much looking forward to seeing Pollock in the weeks to come, like him a lot

[A_A wehatethehibs]

38 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

McEneff will fill in at RWB if Smith is out I’d think. 

I’d give him a start there at tannadice to be honest.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

8 minutes ago, Gordon Ramsay said:

 

Surely if they were good enough they would be in the team though? Possibly Robbie could do more in regards to giving them game time but I'm sure if there was a worldy amongst our youngsters they would be in the team. 

 

That's also not strictly true re chances, Henderson has been given plenty of opportunities and he's clearly not up to this level. Championship player at best and even that's a stretch. 

A blind man could see Frear and Roberts weren’t good enough last season. So the “not good enough” response cuts no mustard.

 

Can you tell me when any academy player has been given the chance for Roberts did last season by starting say 6 to 8 games on the trot?

Edited August 23, 2021 by Tom Hardy’s Dug

[GinRummy]

3 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

A blind man could see Frear and Roberts weren’t good enough last season. So the “not good enough” response cuts no mustard.

 

Can you tell me when any academy player has been given the chance for Roberts did last season by starting say 6 to 8 games on the trot?

Irving. It's also fairly obvious Robbie thought Frear and Roberts were better options than the academy lads, he just made two poor signings. It's also obvious he isn't against young players with Baningime and Cochrane nailing down first team spots and Woodburn supposedly en route.

[Batistuta87]

26 minutes ago, Jambo in Bathgate said:

Think you have got that the wrong way round. It’s Typical of the Scottish media to bum up youngsters after one or two games up here. In England the younger players are established in first team squad and look the part. Scottish media do little to help youngster development other than turn their heads to Rangers or Celtic or mess with their head in such a way that they go backwards. 

Apologies, I don't mean the Scottish media, I mean the Hearts support. As soon as we get a young player that looks decent, we "England" them and put them on a pedestal and expect so much from them. 

 

[RustyRightPeg]

2 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Irving. It's also fairly obvious Robbie thought Frear and Roberts were better options than the academy lads, he just made two poor signings. It's also obvious he isn't against young players with Baningime and Cochrane nailing down first team spots and Woodburn supposedly en route.

Is that him or Savage and his new mates doing a good job though? It’s possible they’re just good at what they do in convincing players to sign for us.
 

Neilson was doing it by himself last summer and obviously has limited contacts on that front. 

[Gordon Ramsay]

Just now, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

A blind man could see Frear and Roberts weren’t good enough last season.

 

Can you tell me when any academy player has been given the chance for Roberts did last season by starting say 6 to 8 games on the trot?

 

I'd imagine he thought the youngsters weren't any better than Frear or Roberts so didn't give them an opportunity. I don't have an issue with that. Frear and Roberts were shite but one is gone and the other is on his way out the door too, its history now. 

 

We should be aiming to bring in players of Beni's calibre, that's how we are going to compete in this league, not chucking in an 18 year old laddie to see how he does. It looks like that's the route we are going down and I'm happy with that. 

 

It is frustrating for the young guys and I'd love to see a young Edinburgh lad sprinting up and down the wing for us but if they aren't up to it, they aren't up to it. 

 

We need the best team on the park every week and the team most likely to get 3 points. 

[Famous 1874]

Big week ahead:

We need - a right wing back, a centre back, Devlin, Woodburn and a striker. 

[GinRummy]

7 minutes ago, RustyRightPeg said:

Is that him or Savage and his new mates doing a good job though? It’s possible they’re just good at what they do in convincing players to sign for us.
 

Neilson was doing it by himself last summer and obviously has limited contacts on that front. 

Aye, I heard that it is more or less Savage who deserves the credit for the latest signings so don't want to praise Robbie for something he had little to no part in. Baningime wasn't getting his chance at Everton and Cochrane at Brighton. We have players who have come through the academy at the same age and they aren't getting a sniff with us. It's not their age, as far as I can make out, it seems to be more that they are not good enough or not ready. 

 

Hickey and Irving got their chance. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by GinRummy

[R1874]

Do we need a rwb or Cammy Logan fit?

[A_A wehatethehibs]

18 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

A blind man could see Frear and Roberts weren’t good enough last season. So the “not good enough” response cuts no mustard.

 

Can you tell me when any academy player has been given the chance for Roberts did last season by starting say 6 to 8 games on the trot?

Believe it or not, Euan Henderson has had 48 appearances for Hearts over FIVE seasons with the chance to impress and carve out a name for himself. He is 21 now and needs to look to be out there playing week in week out to develop further. Look at what Beni has done, left the premier league to a lower level to get games. He needs it. Henderson needs to do the same thing but is not that level of talent, good luck to him at Airdrie or Falkirk if he’s lucky to find a club as big as that. 
 

Don’t give me this “games on the trot” pish. Roberts being a poor signing doesn’t by default mean we should’ve played dud kids like Moore or Henderson. Moore is a league 2 player now, his level.  Thankfully it looks like that covid/championship transfer window was just mostly sticking plaster type short term players in and all’s well that ends well because we won that league. The discussion has long since moved on. The real long term plan is getting started and there is a marked difference. 

[MattyK82]

Absolutely, this is a big week ahead. 
 

Woodburn and Devlin aside, it’s become patently clear we need a RWB. Smith just can’t play that role. In my opinion, he’s dropped from a 7/10 every week to a 6 or even a 5. His passing yesterday was terrible and his crossing as well. Cochrane looks an accomplished defender but he doesn’t offer a great deal going forward. If we are going to continue with this system, RWB is a priority. I’ve seen others have touted McAneff for that role. I think he’d offer more going forward but I have no idea how he would do in a defensive sense.

 

CB of course still needed.

 

And given how threadbare we are up front, a striker too. Without gnando in the team, we are missing that presence up front and in games like yesterday, having someone in that ilk could make all the difference.

 

All in all (Devlin and Woodburn included), hoping for 5 signings (of a good level of course).

 

Popescu and Roberts leaving would also be nice.

[Ex member of the SaS]

With regards Frear and Roberts, was it not the tactics that didn't suit them, that made them crap? Roberts went to Motherwell and played well ( no pun ) yet he was utter garbage when playing Robbie's style.

[Bazzas right boot]

12 hours ago, Vlad the impaler said:

I know you get off on calling everyone else that doesn’t agree with your opinion simple,but you really must be just that if you can’t see the body of evidence so far that indicates our manager doesn’t trust young players enough to play. No matter if they’re good enough or not

 

 

What evidence suggests Bob does not trust youth " no matter if they are good enough or not". 

 

Where is this evidence, particularly in regards to Bob not playing youth that are "good enough"?

 

What youth player is better than what we start with and how have you came to the conclusion that they would improve us. 

 

Where is your "evidence"? 

 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Smith's right boot

[Pasquale for King]

6 minutes ago, MattyK82 said:

Absolutely, this is a big week ahead. 
 

Woodburn and Devlin aside, it’s become patently clear we need a RWB. Smith just can’t play that role. In my opinion, he’s dropped from a 7/10 every week to a 6 or even a 5. His passing yesterday was terrible and his crossing as well. Cochrane looks an accomplished defender but he doesn’t offer a great deal going forward. If we are going to continue with this system, RWB is a priority. I’ve seen others have touted McAneff for that role. I think he’d offer more going forward but I have no idea how he would do in a defensive sense.

 

CB of course still needed.

 

And given how threadbare we are up front, a striker too. Without gnando in the team, we are missing that presence up front and in games like yesterday, having someone in that ilk could make all the difference.

 

All in all (Devlin and Woodburn included), hoping for 5 signings (of a good level of course).

 

Popescu and Roberts leaving would also be nice.

Smith at RB or CH in this system still has the same problems of not being able to pass or cross. 
The amount of times he either turns back from deep in the opponents half and passes it back to the defence is unbelievable, we end up with the whole team to break down again because he can’t keep possession in the other half. He’s always done this. 
He should’ve been replaced in the summer. 

[mellors1874]

48 minutes ago, Gordon Ramsay said:

Our youngsters are pretty shite let's be honest. If they were good enough they'd be in the team. 

 

Absolutely no problem with us signing players and putting them in ahead of our youth, it's about winning games. No one cares how good an academy is. 

The reason for this is lazy scouting from the club.

There is fantastic talent in Lanarkshire and west of Edinburgh that would be better than what we have now.