*** Hearts Summer Transfer Window 2022 - Snodgrass signs ***

[BackOfTheNet]

3 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Not sure what happened on a day 12 months has any  meaning for what will happen today or tomorrow. Unless it’s your birthday.  

I was making a point that this time last year we were rumoured to sign two and signed none (as Devlin was effectively already signed), and this year we’re rumoured to be in for none so every chance it will be none again. But you knew that, and decided to be flippant anyway…

[soonbe110]

30 minutes ago, feej said:

I really can't believe that out of the hundreds of players out there we've failed to identify a defender and strikers that meet our profile and are within budget. 

I’m sure we have but maybe they didn’t want to sign for us. 

[soonbe110]

Just now, BackOfTheNet said:

I was making a point that this time last year we were rumoured to sign two and signed none (as Devlin was effectively already signed), and this year we’re rumoured to be in for none so every chance it will be none again. But you knew that, and decided to be flippant anyway…

Rumours, rumours, rumours.  There are no rumours out there hence the agitation on this thread. What happened last years bears no relevance to what will happen today or tomorrow. 

[Leveins Battalion]

Just now, soonbe110 said:

Halkett and Neilson, do we need 3. Esp when Smith and Sibbick can cover short term. Much rather we spent money on attacking players. 

 

 

A million percent.

 

We need different options up front,we need to be able to mix it,go over the top,hold it up.We are too 1 dimensional.

[Hearts of Vladland]

1 minute ago, soonbe110 said:

Halkett and Neilson, do we need 3. Esp when Smith and Sibbick can cover short term. Much rather we spent money on attacking players. 

Halkett and Neilson both play in the middle of the back three.

[Batistuta87]

Just now, soonbe110 said:

Halkett and Neilson, do we need 3. Esp when Smith and Sibbick can cover short term. Much rather we spent money on attacking players. 

Halkett is best in the middle of a 3. Neilson and Kingsley either side of him and occasionally changing it out to include Rowles is how I'd do it. Cover at RCB I'd say isn't necessarily a priority since Neilson arrived. He'll be fine.

 

1 minute ago, Hearts of Vladland said:

Halkett and Neilson both play in the middle of the back three.

Neilson plays on the right. He's a 19yo Souttar.

[Taffin]

15 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Need to revisit your assumptions and arithmetic. Starter is that it’s only £2.5m for reaching group stage. TV pool in conference league is not huge, a sell out crowd is only 17,000, just like a normal league match, doubt they will be speculating on us getting many points in the group stage at this time, advertising is largely dominated by uefa who don’t pay for it, similar to a lot of hospitality. It’s a great earner but certainly not close to £5m. 

 

Even allowing for £2.5m, 4 additional games at 17,000 should be then an additional £2m revenue...it's not because we still give away concessions for the big games.

 

Allowing for concessions, and not including additional matchday spending or hospitality, that's still 4-4.5 right there before any TV or wins. I'd say it's pretty close to £5m.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Taffin

[Ricardo Quaresma]

11 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

We will struggle in Europe whatever we do. We always were going to. The idea of focusing on Europe and playing a bunch of "free agents" no-one else wants in our league games means we will struggle in them too. 3rd in the league is our priority. Anything else is a bonus.

 

Maybe mate, but if, like I stated, if we don't get 4 or 5 good players in, then that's the reality and the best we can do

[colinmorewasgash]

21 minutes ago, gedster said:

What's Joe Wright up to these days . 

Actually thought he was okay last night. Maybe we should have kept him for defensive back up

Thought he did ok but Remember Rob Guardiola said he was looking for a different centre back in July of better quality still waiting Rob.

[Leisham38]

14 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

His “link up play” is a JKB myth. Listen, Boyce is good (not great), but people talk about his link up play and hold up play as if they’re strengths, when if anything they’re weaknesses. His link up play more often than not includes him pondering on the ball too long and missing an opportunity to pass, and his hold up play involves him holding onto the ball while he switches it from one foot to the next on the edge of the box. He can’t play with his back to the goal, rarely wins headers, has little pace and can’t run the channels. He can, effectively at times, pull CB’s out to make space, but that’s usually because the other team have set out tactically to man mark a forward and he ends up playing deeper.

Couldn’t agree more. Boyce slowed the game down with his extra touch and was the most frustrating player ever with the ball at his feet in the box.

Folk wouldn’t have batted an eyelid if he’d been dropped but are calling for a superstar to replace him?

[soonbe110]

1 minute ago, Hearts of Vladland said:

Halkett and Neilson both play in the middle of the back three.

They have both played rcb for us and their previous clubs.  Have you not seen us play with a back four? 

[JamboAl]

1 hour ago, BackOfTheNet said:

 

So, we’re now officially on deadline day, needing a handful of players, with  a genuine chance of getting none in. Or even if we do, will still leave us short. I don’t envy the recruitment team, I know it’s much easier said than done and it’s not a computer game where you see a player you like and sign. But other teams in our league have went out and signed good players, if they can we should have been able to. I’ll reserve judgement until this time tomorrow (or indeed, until the end of the season), but it’s looking we’re falling way short of what we need.

You appear to be blaming Savage and Neilson without actually saying so.

[Le Chat]

Shankland's performance last night showed how important Boyce is to us.

 

He was very isolated and showed that he's not a lone striker at all.

 

If we don't sign a CF today I fear we'll have a poor season.

[davemclaren]

So the consensus is that today we will either sign some players or we won’t. Should be fun…

[Cruyff]

1 minute ago, soonbe110 said:

They have both played rcb for us and their previous clubs.  Have you not seen us play with a back four? 

Halkett never played RCB for Livi, he always played in the middle as a stopper/front sweeper. 

 

Neilson however can definitely play RCB because he's quick and good on the ball. Obv Sibbick can play there too. 

 

[5-1Jambo]

34 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Great post. Reality is always tough for a lot of people to see. 

At last some sanity among the lunacy. 

[soonbe110]

2 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

Even allowing for £2.5m, 4 additional games at 17,000 should be then an additional £2m revenue...it's not because we still give away concessions for the big games.

 

That's 4-4.5 right there before any TV or wins. I'd say it's pretty close to £5m.

To get your £2m revenue the average ticket price needs to be over £35.  Reality is it’s closer to half that amount. 
Are you suggesting that there should be only one price category for the entire stadium? 

[JamboAl]

2 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

So the consensus is that today we will either sign some players or we won’t. Should be fun…

You obviously have inside information 😀

[DC_92]

9 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

I was making a point that this time last year we were rumoured to sign two and signed none (as Devlin was effectively already signed), and this year we’re rumoured to be in for none so every chance it will be none again. But you knew that, and decided to be flippant anyway…

 

Last year we were talking about "nice to haves". This year it's essentials.

[Ricardo Quaresma]

13 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

Last night won’t define our season, but for me it was a bit of a wake up call. I have reduced my expectations from 1 to 0 now. That way anything else is a bonus. Doesn’t mean I won’t think the club has failed by not bringing in a handful more if we don’t.

 

I honesty think we didn't give a shit about last night; I think the players were told to be careful and avoid lunging in and be wary of challenges; I stated weeks ago that we should not not care about that tournament as it was only going to pull us down

 

Some people replied "it's only 4 games", yeah 4 games too many in a ridiculous schedule

[Hearts of Vladland]

3 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

They have both played rcb for us and their previous clubs.  Have you not seen us play with a back four? 

Well it is hard to play in the middle of a back 4, Neilson seems set on us playing a back 3 and when he has, Neilson and Halkett have both played in the middle. If Halkett and Neilson are both fit Halkett would be in the middle and Neilson will be RCB but if Halkett is out Robbie likes a tall player in the middle, other than Halkett, Neilson is the only one that fits in that category.

[iainmac]

2 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

You obviously have inside information 😀

 

Yeah, he gets it from here! 😜

[soonbe110]

32 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

That's part of the problem though. Those 3 shouldn't be starting as the back three. Halkett is best in the centre, as he proved last season when he was excellent. You've then either got a left footer in RCB, or you shunt Halkett out of position. It's stupid imo. Halkett seems to also pick up injuries when on the stretch so he's less likely to pick those up if not playing rcb and covering for the rwb.

 

Which leads me to point two, the rwb. Yes Atkinson is out, but he shouldn't be the starting rwb, and that we don't have adequate backup is also poor even if you do think he should be first pick.

 

Grant I'll give you, and to an extent Beni, but we've had ample time to plan for Beni's absence.

 

Boyce needed a replacement/supplement anyway. One striker and one CF was always a recipe for disaster.

 

Kio, as in the new guy who hasn't even played for us yet? 

Last night was exactly the type of game Atkinson would be starting.  Keep Smith fresh for the bigger games. 
Agree re Boyce.  Still think we have as many as we need across the back 4/5. Atkinson, Smith, Sibbick, Neilson, Halkett, Rowles, Kingsley, Cochrane and Halliday at lb if needed. 

[frankblack]

2 minutes ago, Ricardo Quaresma said:

 

I honesty think we didn't give a shit about last night; I think the players were told to be careful and avoid lunging in and be wary of challenges; I stated weeks ago that we should not not care about that tournament as it was only going to pull us down

 

Some people replied "it's only 4 games", yeah 4 games too many in a ridiculous schedule

 

Its not just that tournament, though.

 

We could have beaten Zurich if we had strengthened and assuming that clown hadn't sold the jerseys.

[Francis Albert]

Just now, Ricardo Quaresma said:

 

Maybe mate, but if, like I stated, if we don't get 4 or 5 good players in, then that's the reality and the best we can do

What is the best we can do? Our squad is good enough to finish third again. That is the best we can do in the league. Even if we got  4 or 5 good players we are unlikely to go beyond the group stage of Europa Conference and odds would still be heavily against finishing above second in the group. This thread seems to be to be based on a fantasy that a team that has done nothing in Europe for decades is going to be immediately competitive there. Europe is about getting a bit of experience for what should be regular European football for years. If we focus our energies on Europe it will likely be another one off like it has been for decades.

A hundred pages a month for 7 months! Bat shit crazy.

[soonbe110]

8 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

So the consensus is that today we will either sign some players or we won’t. Should be fun…

Always on the money  Dave😂

[iainmac]

5 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

Halkett never played RCB for Livi, he always played in the middle as a stopper/front sweeper. 

 

Neilson however can definitely play RCB because he's quick and good on the ball. Obv Sibbick can play there too. 

 

 

Not from what I've seen. 

 

He's a defensive midfielder being asked to play there & it's cost us goals in big games. He has no positional awareness when playing RCB. 

 

We've been waiting well over 6 months to bring a RCB in, we need one in today. 

[soonbe110]

2 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

What is the best we can do? Our squad is good enough to finish third again. That is the best we can do in the league. Even if we got  4 or 5 good players we are unlikely to go beyond the group stage of Europa Conference and odds would still be heavily against finishing above second in the group. This thread seems to be to be based on a fantasy that a team that has done nothing in Europe for decades is going to be immediately competitive there. Europe is about getting a bit of experience for what should be regular European football for years. If we focus our energies on Europe it will likely be another one off like it has been for decades.

A hundred pages a month for 7 months! Bat shit crazy.

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[Ricardo Quaresma]

2 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

Its not just that tournament, though.

 

We could have beaten Zurich if we had strengthened and assuming that clown hadn't sold the jerseys.

 

After seeing the draw Zurich got, I'm so glad we didn't beat them

 

We could have pumped them, though, yes

[Bauld]

Mr Savage......

 

[TexasAndy]

RCB = Halkett, Neilson.  LCB = Kingsley, Rowles.  

[Taffin]

1 minute ago, soonbe110 said:

To get your £2m revenue the average ticket price needs to be over £35.  Reality is it’s closer to half that amount. 
Are you suggesting that there should be only one price category for the entire stadium? 

 

 

£30 per ticket is over 2 million if you take 4x17000. £35 would be over £2.3m.

 

No, I'm not suggesting there should be one price category. That's a separate topic though.

 

If I take your avg. Ticket price of £17.50  then you're looking at about £3.7m on group stage qualification and ticket sales alone. Add in TV (no matter how small), matchday purchases, hospitality and any draws or wins...it's quite clearly not going to be far shy of £5m...if not more.

[Ricardo Quaresma]

4 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

What is the best we can do? Our squad is good enough to finish third again. That is the best we can do in the league. Even if we got  4 or 5 good players we are unlikely to go beyond the group stage of Europa Conference and odds would still be heavily against finishing above second in the group. This thread seems to be to be based on a fantasy that a team that has done nothing in Europe for decades is going to be immediately competitive there. Europe is about getting a bit of experience for what should be regular European football for years. If we focus our energies on Europe it will likely be another one off like it has been for decades.

A hundred pages a month for 7 months! Bat shit crazy.

 

The league is priority, correct

 

We'll see what's what soon enough

[RustyRightPeg]

Sometimes wish we didn’t finish 3rd and got this group stage football purely because it’s put some people on here in financial coo coo land. We’ve hardly been backed by the Newcastle owners as a result

[soonbe110]

Just now, Taffin said:

 

 

£30 per ticket is over 2 million if you take 4x17000. £35 would be over £2.3m.

 

No, I'm not suggesting there should be one price category. That's a separate topic though.

 

If I take your avg. Ticket price of £17.50  then you're looking at about £3.7m on group stage qualification and ticket sales alone. Add in TV (no matter how small), matchday purchases, hospitality and any draws or wins...it's quite clearly not going to be far shy of £5m...if not more.

Two things, the average package price for this seasons games is nowhere near £30 per game. Secondly you haven’t deducted the 20% vat on all ticket sales. As I said it’s closer to half what was suggested. 

 

[Ricardo Quaresma]

1 minute ago, RustyRightPeg said:

Sometimes wish we didn’t finish 3rd and got this group stage football purely because it’s put some people on here in financial coo coo land. We’ve hardly been backed by the Newcastle owners as a result

 

What will be will be, we can only get what we can get and see what we can do

 

As long as we progress, it's all good, yes?

[Portable Badger]

I’m bloody glad I’ve got an off-site all day meeting today so I can’t look at this thread all day!!!!

[hmfc_liam06]

Still say we need 3 across the front 3.

 

A strong, physical striker ala Simms.

 

An attacking midfielder to replace Boyce.

A versatile forward who can cover any of the LW, RW and AM slots.

 

But the reality is, it doesn't give us any more numbers really than where we were at at the tail end of last season. We've lost Simms, Boyce (granted this was only recent but Robbie had already stated his desire for another AM) and Woodburn and not replaced them as yet.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

1 minute ago, Francis Albert said:

What is the best we can do? Our squad is good enough to finish third again. That is the best we can do in the league. Even if we got  4 or 5 good players we are unlikely to go beyond the group stage of Europa Conference and odds would still be heavily against finishing above second in the group. This thread seems to be to be based on a fantasy that a team that has done nothing in Europe for decades is going to be immediately competitive there. Europe is about getting a bit of experience for what should be regular European football for years. If we focus our energies on Europe it will likely be another one off like it has been for decades.

A hundred pages a month for 7 months! Bat shit crazy.

I think that is questionable we have:

 

1 a soft as shite right side of defence.

2 Zero creativity midfield pairing of Haring Devlin which needs changed next game I’d drop the both of them if possible, but it isn’t.

3 now there’s no number 10 but a poacher up front who needs one.

4 a couple of hot and cold wingers who appear to be low on confidence 
 

For me we are in trouble for the battle for 3rd if we don’t make 2 or 3 signings today. Yes we have a few new players and a few kids who might help to fill these gaps but reinforcements/ alternatives are needed. 

[Chong]

50 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

I’m not sure saying Boyce would have been the difference last night when his goal scoring record this calendar year (as well as assists record) seems to suggest it would make little if any difference, is the argument some people think it is.

 

I'm certain Boyce would have made a huge difference last night. Effort and desire was the problem, certainly in the second half, that is never an issue with Boyce. Yeah his assists and goal scoring record recently haven't been good enough but his general play will be missed, unless replaced, for his time out. Big big loss and a key component, it was very evident last night.

[Leveins Battalion]

 

 

The worry is that we have left it so late we are more likely to get a Kastaneer/Amaankwa than anybody decent.

 

 

Shan.

 

 

[Francis Albert]

39 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

His “link up play” is a JKB myth. Listen, Boyce is good (not great), but people talk about his link up play and hold up play as if they’re strengths, when if anything they’re weaknesses. His link up play more often than not includes him pondering on the ball too long and missing an opportunity to pass, and his hold up play involves him holding onto the ball while he switches it from one foot to the next on the edge of the box. He can’t play with his back to the goal, rarely wins headers, has little pace and can’t run the channels. He can, effectively at times, pull CB’s out to make space, but that’s usually because the other team have set out tactically to man mark a forward and he ends up playing deeper.

At last an assessment of Boyce that reflects what we have been watching for most of a year. And many have been saying. A decent performance against a near bottom of the league side has transformed him into an absolutely essential player. But then much the same raised Ginnelly and GMS status above much criticised squad players.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Francis Albert

[hmfc_liam06]

4 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Two things, the average package price for this seasons games is nowhere near £30 per game. Secondly you haven’t deducted the 20% vat on all ticket sales. As I said it’s closer to half what was suggested. 

 

 

And of course, we have zero outgoings. These figures are pure profit...

 

But we digress. Transfer news, anyone?

[soonbe110]

16 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

Halkett never played RCB for Livi, he always played in the middle as a stopper/front sweeper. 

 

Neilson however can definitely play RCB because he's quick and good on the ball. Obv Sibbick can play there too. 

 

Halkett did play there for a while when they played back four when Gallagher was indisposed. 

[Clark Griswold]

Hopefully we hear some tidbits by midday, or latest 5pm

[Taffin]

1 minute ago, soonbe110 said:

Two things, the average package price for this seasons games is nowhere near £30 per game. Secondly you haven’t deducted the 20% vat on all ticket sales. As I said it’s closer to half what was suggested. 

 

 

Yeh, I know, hence why I did it again with your suggestion of £17.50 per ticket (half of the £35 you thought was needed to get to £2 million)

 

On a separate note, the average ticket price for European games in a stadium our size should be £30...but as I said that's a separate discussion.

 

It's all a moot point as we won't get the money until after this window...but is be amazed if our additional revenue isn't al least £5m from this European campaign. 

[soonbe110]

7 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

 

£30 per ticket is over 2 million if you take 4x17000. £35 would be over £2.3m.

 

No, I'm not suggesting there should be one price category. That's a separate topic though.

 

If I take your avg. Ticket price of £17.50  then you're looking at about £3.7m on group stage qualification and ticket sales alone. Add in TV (no matter how small), matchday purchases, hospitality and any draws or wins...it's quite clearly not going to be far shy of £5m...if not more.

Very little hospitality compared to normal games unfortunately as uefa take the seats. 

[Blair835]

Is there anywhere that i could listen to any transfer activity today or is it very much watch out for twitter etc? Would be good to listen to something along the day to keep up to date whilst at work

[hm123fc]

Louis Moult according to the BBC

[soonbe110]

Just now, Taffin said:

 

Yeh, I know, hence why I did it again with your suggestion of £17.50 per ticket (half of the £35 you thought was needed to get to £2 million)

 

On a separate note, the average ticket price for European games in a stadium our size should be £30...but as I said that's a separate discussion.

 

It's all a moot point as we won't get the money until after this window...but is be amazed if our additional revenue isn't al least £5m from this European campaign. 

Time will tell, we probably won’t know until December 23.