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Squad Transformation


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Just now, Nookie Bear said:

 

No, and he probably thought he could cruise it as if he was Pirlo.

More than likely. He sums up the complete lack of a team ethic from that period. I can only imagine how I’d feel if a billy big baws was brought in to a work set up I was involved in with the freedom to come and go as he liked while almost everyone else sweated their bollocks off. Not the players fault, the clubs. 

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A_A wehatethehibs

Essentially we improved the team mainly just by shipping dross out. The players brought in are mostly just steady enough pros to handle the level of the club, Halliday, Kingsley, Gordon, Gnanduillet, McEneff all look a lot more up to the job compared to their predecessors and confident we've got enough to get in the top 6 as things stand. 

 

But to get up beyond 6th, now we are entering a critical moment because the quality levels need to be upgraded over the next 2 or 3 transfer windows. A few of the current group will move on next summer on contract expiry, such as IMO Halkett and Walker both of whom will be moving back to find their levels at Livingston and Raith type clubs, unless they play absolutely out their skin to win new deals here.

 

Just need to keep up the upgrades man for man, players in just that bit better quality than players out. Eg Gnanduillet, GMS, McEneff in -> Wighton, Frear, Irving out. And before that it was Gordon, Kingsley, Halliday in -> Poppadom/Zlamal, Garrucio, Bozanic/Clare out. Just keep incrementally upgrading it like that with players who are better mentally and physically. 

 

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48 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

He just didn’t want to be here imo. 

 

40 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

No, and he probably thought he could cruise it as if he was Pirlo.

Absolutely spot on, and this is why we couldn't get players to sign new deals, Paterson, Nicholson,Walker, 

Hickey,Irving. 

 

Players talk and when you see the likes of Whelan strolling about thinking he's Eric Cantona, players will say well I'm contributing just as much if not more, yet he's paid more than me, he trains only twice a week etc, what sort of example is that to show. 

 

 

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Nookie Bear
4 minutes ago, Bongo 1874 said:

 

Absolutely spot on, and this is why we couldn't get players to sign new deals, Paterson, Nicholson,Walker, 

Hickey,Irving. 

 

Players talk and when you see the likes of Whelan strolling about thinking he's Eric Cantona, players will say well I'm contributing just as much if not more, yet he's paid more than me, he trains only twice a week etc, what sort of example is that to show. 

 

 


People think it’s a diddy league up here but it’s not. 
 

The quality is not amazing but you need to put a shift in or else you’ll get found out. If it can happen to the likes of Roy Keane then it can happen to Whelan, and dozens of others who thought they could come up here and stroll it. 

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22 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Again, that does not prove that the top half of Championship is as good as the bottom half of the SPL. It proves the top couple of teams could hold their own. Hearts were up against part timers and diddies in that league. There will be no easy games in the league this season. We certainly will not be 2.something goals per game and only 0.something conceded.

 

I agree it doesn't prove anything, I was just pointing out the stat you quoted was misleading.

 

We'll need to improve significantly to be challenging for Europe.

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On 17/07/2021 at 15:09, Robbo-Jambo said:

Nope, you are quite right.

 

Need new faces in before the SPL starts but not holding my breath 😏

 

 

 

 

I'll be disappointed if there aren't at least another two new faces before the season begins which is important really so as to get them to gel with the rest of the squad for the upcoming season. 

 

 

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Leveins Battalion

I don’t know what to make of this pre season,part of me thinks it is an underprepared shambles because we have only signed a youth player on loan but then I think back to Burleys era and remember signing guys right up the ko of the season.

 

One thing for sure is the 1st game we lose the pressure will be on Neilson and Savage because of the delay in signings.

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23 minutes ago, Leveins Battalion said:

I don’t know what to make of this pre season,part of me thinks it is an underprepared shambles because we have only signed a youth player on loan but then I think back to Burleys era and remember signing guys right up the ko of the season.

 

One thing for sure is the 1st game we lose the pressure will be on Neilson and Savage because of the delay in signings.

 

We missed out on some key targets and made it clear we were looking to avoid signing the duds that we can't get rid of.

 

Lets hope there are some players to arrive imminently.

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On 17/07/2021 at 13:39, henryheart said:

We have brought in only one new player....on loan, when everyone was saying that last season's team was a short term fix aimed at gaining promotion, with big changes need if we are to do anything this season. Have I missed something?


Yes the unbridled blind optimism of some fans! 😉

The reality is that we need to strengthen the team, as acknowledged on here and also by Neilson who has said he is frustrated at our signing attempts.

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Guest ToqueJambo
On 20/07/2021 at 09:58, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Essentially we improved the team mainly just by shipping dross out. The players brought in are mostly just steady enough pros to handle the level of the club, Halliday, Kingsley, Gordon, Gnanduillet, McEneff all look a lot more up to the job compared to their predecessors and confident we've got enough to get in the top 6 as things stand. 

 

But to get up beyond 6th, now we are entering a critical moment because the quality levels need to be upgraded over the next 2 or 3 transfer windows. A few of the current group will move on next summer on contract expiry, such as IMO Halkett and Walker both of whom will be moving back to find their levels at Livingston and Raith type clubs, unless they play absolutely out their skin to win new deals here.

 

Just need to keep up the upgrades man for man, players in just that bit better quality than players out. Eg Gnanduillet, GMS, McEneff in -> Wighton, Frear, Irving out. And before that it was Gordon, Kingsley, Halliday in -> Poppadom/Zlamal, Garrucio, Bozanic/Clare out. Just keep incrementally upgrading it like that with players who are better mentally and physically. 

 

 

 

This. I like this surgical, patient recruitment instead of signing multiple players for a position and hoping one sticks. Which Levein did.

 

It does come with a risk if we can't get the player we want, but we'll have options like we did with the Gandno signing. Sounded him out first, no joy with his wage demands at that time, turned to the Adebayo and convinced him to sign, his club didn't play ball so we went back to Gnando and got him this time.

Edited by ToqueJambo
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Providing we don’t get long term injuries to key players (please, just this once) then we probably have a squad decent enough to have a bog-standard mid-table season, but I think we all hoped for a bit more than that. I guess the flipside, though, is that we aren’t making signings in a hurry because we need to make sure they are players that will improve us and give us value for money.

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We desperately need a new central defender to play alongside Souttar - Halkett flatters to deceive and Poppescu is, erm, Poppescu.

 

Ginnelly is good business.

 

Money has to be tight for us. Newly promoted after a season behind closed doors in the second tier. I'm realistic about whos coming and what's ahead. This season we just need to consolidate and ensure we're not in any danger of relegation. I think we have a good core of 7/8 guaranteed starts if fit, and need to rotate youngsters and the likes of Damour, Roberts, Walker etc in and out around them.

 

This is where you need a manger to coach and develop/improve players to suit a system. 

 

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Leveins Battalion
2 minutes ago, blairdin said:

We desperately need a new central defender to play alongside Souttar - Halkett flatters to deceive and Poppescu is, erm, Poppescu.

 

Ginnelly is good business.

 

Money has to be tight for us. Newly promoted after a season behind closed doors in the second tier. I'm realistic about whos coming and what's ahead. This season we just need to consolidate and ensure we're not in any danger of relegation. I think we have a good core of 7/8 guaranteed starts if fit, and need to rotate youngsters and the likes of Damour, Roberts, Walker etc in and out around them.

 

This is where you need a manger to coach and develop/improve players to suit a system. 

 


 

I would say it’s a myth created by Hobos that money is tight,we are the only club presently in the Premiership that posted a profit last season.🤷🏼‍♂️

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21 minutes ago, Leveins Battalion said:


 

I would say it’s a myth created by Hobos that money is tight,we are the only club presently in the Premiership that posted a profit last season.🤷🏼‍♂️

 

Was that based largely on pre-pandemic income plus the 11k season ticket sales?

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Leveins Battalion
2 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

Was that based largely on pre-pandemic income plus the 11k season ticket sales?


 

Not sure but the myth created by Hobos on here regarding our finances is laughable,we have just built a £20 million stand,restaurant and bar.Have shelled out £100k plus in the last 2 transfer windows on 2 players (Boyce and McEneff).

 

We have also appointed a CEO,Sporting director,head of recruitment,recruitment analyst,head academy coach and are actively looking to sign a few.

 

 

I think it is also lost on some that we have Stone,Logan,Watson,Pollock,McGill and Smith not far away from pushing for the 1st team,all look Quality to me.

 

 

Far from doom and gloom.

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On 20/07/2021 at 18:03, Bongo 1874 said:

 

Absolutely spot on, and this is why we couldn't get players to sign new deals, Paterson, Nicholson,Walker, 

Hickey,Irving. 

 

Players talk and when you see the likes of Whelan strolling about thinking he's Eric Cantona, players will say well I'm contributing just as much if not more, yet he's paid more than me, he trains only twice a week etc, what sort of example is that to show. 

 

 

agree.

 

 

levein gambled on agreeing to whelan's conditions - it didn't work out. On the other hand - it did with Naismith in the very early start of SN's stint with us.

 

However, without agreeing to such requests from 'top' players - they won't sign for us. Reaction from some fans if we don't sign such players can be very negative.

 

perhaps it's another factor in Joe Savage's approach. very much doubt we're giving players this kind of leeway any more, so when we miss out on players asking for this kind of thing all we'll know is that the player has had a better offer elsewhere - but it's not purely about salary we've offered.

 

 

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On 20/07/2021 at 18:03, Bongo 1874 said:

 

Absolutely spot on, and this is why we couldn't get players to sign new deals, Paterson, Nicholson,Walker, 

Hickey,Irving

 

 

You just made that up !

Strange

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34 minutes ago, Armageddon said:

Anything outside the bottom 3 and I’ll be amazed.

 

Plus a top 2 of Rangers then Aberdeen would be my bet.

Really pessimistic, our squad even without any signings is better than 8 of the 12, is a match for the other two on their day, and would be underdogs against the remaining two.

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44 minutes ago, Leveins Battalion said:


 

Not sure but the myth created by Hobos on here regarding our finances is laughable,we have just built a £20 million stand,restaurant and bar.Have shelled out £100k plus in the last 2 transfer windows on 2 players (Boyce and McEneff).

 

We have also appointed a CEO,Sporting director,head of recruitment,recruitment analyst,head academy coach and are actively looking to sign a few.

 

 

I think it is also lost on some that we have Stone,Logan,Watson,Pollock,McGill and Smith not far away from pushing for the 1st team,all look Quality to me.

 

 

Far from doom and gloom.

 

I agree.

 

We, like everyone else are going to take a sore one for the first half of the year in terms of loss of income from TV, catering, merchandise, etc.  Add to that the restauraunt and bar have been shut due to covid for long periods.

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2 hours ago, Armageddon said:

Anything outside the bottom 3 and I’ll be amazed.

 

Plus a top 2 of Rangers then Aberdeen would be my bet.

Fast forward to next May,  Hearts finish 9th in the league (!) and you will be ‘amazed’???  

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Roberts not in bounce game today so he may be gone/banned/injured/covid, another two were missing also but not mentioning them here.

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I was speaking to a Jambo on the golf course yesterday, first time we had met. We were both in agreement that we have no idea where Hearts will finish this season. 
 

The heart always says third and considering the money we invest we should. The head says the squad is light and even the players currently there have a lot to prove.
 

The head also says Neilson ain’t up to it. We reached the conclusion that we probably finish mid table, which of course is not good enough. 

 

What we did agree on though is we need at least three new signings. 
 

 

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1 minute ago, hearts00 said:

I was speaking to a Jambo on the golf course yesterday, first time we had met. We were both in agreement that we have no idea where Hearts will finish this season. 
 

The heart always says third and considering the money we invest we should. The head says the squad is light and even the players currently there have a lot to prove.
 

The head also says Neilson ain’t up to it. We reached the conclusion that we probably finish mid table, which of course is not good enough. 

 

What we did agree on though is we need at least three new signings. 
 

 


The other thing I meant to say is the late signings, or complete lack of them, will increasingly suit Neilson’s narrative.

 

If he starts badly he can point to the lack of signings, as well as the obligatory “tough place to come / pitch / wind” bingo. 

 

If we do make some signings early August he can then use that as an excuse that he needs more time to bed them in if he makes a ropey start. 

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35 minutes ago, Lfhearts said:

Roberts not in bounce game today so he may be gone/banned/injured/covid, another two were missing also but not mentioning them here.

Jordan has a team lined up, think it's motherwell. Initially he was told he can go for free, but the sporting director now says that we want a fee. I'm sure some compromise will be reached, maybe it already has.

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