Zal Is Captain! (Merged)

[Victorian]

Maybe Wallace can take over on January when Zal's contract has ran out.

not a problem. if he's as bad as he's made out to be then nobody will want him and he'll have to stay here.

 

zal is el capitano for a while me finks.

 

super.

[Cut The Crap]

Staggeringly poor decision, but hardly surprising. Vlad is renowned for them.

[portobellojambo1]

Have to agree with those that think it is the wrong decision.

 

Missed the games at Dunfermline and Gillingham, but from what I witnessed at Millwall and against Wolves I thought he was our poorest defender in both games, which hardly inspires confidence, and could make one suspicious that the decision wasn't based on pre season performances. Also heard a lot of strange shouts/commands during the game versus Wolves, which seemed to mystify the other defenders as much as me, but I was unable to determine if this was Zaliukas or the goalkeeper who were barking them out.

 

If it were me he wouldn't even be in the team, I've seen little of Ryan McGowan and Darren Barr, but what I have seen is two players who are better than Zaliukas, and who I'd feel more comfortable having in the middle of our defence.

 

I thought it would have been a straight choice between Eggert Jonsson and Lee Wallace for club captain, as I said earlier I think the wrong choice has been made on this occasion, hopefully it won't come back to bite us on the bum.

[Dazo]

not a problem. if he's as bad as he's made out to be then nobody will want him and he'll have to stay here.

 

zal is el capitano for a while me finks.

 

super.

 

Strange logic but if it makes you happy then crack on.

 

 

 

[Walter Kidd]

That's Dims first and biggest mistake of the season. Zaliuskas is an absolute bombscare. Has no discipline and is the most honking centre half that has played for us in decades.

[Victorian]

Strange logic but if it makes you happy then crack on.

it isn't strange at all.

 

you reckoned his contract is up soon therefore he would need to be replaced as captain. that suggests he would no longer be here.

 

what i said is that, if he's as bad as people insist he is then nobody would want him, therefore he'll be staying.

 

if he's that bad do you reckon he'll find the kind of club he would have any interest in going to once his contract is up? there can't be too many managers at clubs the size of hearts who would sign a player as terrible as zaliukas... if what people say is true of course.

 

do feel free to "crack on" too.

[Cigaro]

That's Dims first and biggest mistake of the season. Zaliuskas is an absolute bombscare. Has no discipline and is the most honking centre half that has played for us in decades.

 

Wrong a few times there.

[Cigaro]

For those moaning about his contract, he has 6 months to run. We have 3 weeks left to bring in few players. We can negotiate with Zal at any point after that. It makes sense to focus on the more urgent matter of new signings first.

[Tommy Wiseau]

Big Zal - Der Kaiser

 

I still remember the day he went back into defence. Away to Falkirk on a Wednesday night. The snake was faking an injury and Big Zal stepped in for him and has never looked back.

 

 

[Dazo]

it isn't strange at all.

 

you reckoned his contract is up soon therefore he would need to be replaced as captain. that suggests he would no longer be here.

 

what i said is that, if he's as bad as people insist he is then nobody would want him, therefore he'll be staying.

 

if he's that bad do you reckon he'll find the kind of club he would have any interest in going to once his contract is up? there can't be too many managers at clubs the size of hearts who would sign a player as terrible as zaliukas... if what people say is true of course.

 

do feel free to "crack on" too.

 

His contract is up soon so no I don't "reckon" anything. You think other clubs don't sign bad players ? I think you should do some reading up on the history of transfers.

[Victorian]

His contract is up soon so no I don't "reckon" anything. You think other clubs don't sign bad players ? I think you should do some reading up on the history of transfers.

nooo i don't think so. quite happy in the knowledge that i have some understanding of that. thanks anyway.

 

i can see this is some sort of prelude to this being an explanation to explain why [insert club here] signs zaliukas in the event of him actually going (which i doubt he will be).

 

it wont be because [insert manager here] knows his stuff and zaliukas is a good player, it will no doubt be because [insert club here] have made a huge booboo signing him.

[Dazo]

nooo i don't think so. quite happy in the knowledge that i have some understanding of that. thanks anyway.

 

i can see this is some sort of prelude to this being an explanation to explain why [insert club here] signs zaliukas in the event of him actually going (which i doubt he will be).

 

it wont be because [insert manager here] knows his stuff and zaliukas is a good player, it will no doubt be because [insert club here] have made a huge booboo signing him.

 

Interesting stuff.

[Regular John]

The captain should always be the natural leader of the squad imo, so to see Zaliukas given it is hardly surprising.

 

Can't understand why folk are suggesting the likes of Jonsson and Wallace, sure they've been here a few years but they hardly stand out as characters.

 

Especially now as we have the likes of Barr and Kyle who have came from previous clubs as skippers.

 

 

 

 

[Tommy Wiseau]

Craig Levein, by the way, said a year or two ago that Zaliukas was one of the best centre backs in the league. I defy anyone who claims to know more about defending than he does.

 

I don't think you can really question his ability - you can question his concentration levels, but not his ability.

[Victorian]

Interesting stuff.

not half.

[Drylaw Hearts]

 

I don't think you can really question his ability - you can question his concentration levels, but not his ability.

 

He could have all the ability of Paolo Maldini and Bobby Moore but if he has a head that's full of broken motorbikes then he'll never be a great defender.

 

The guy makes too many basic and often costly errors to be classed a great defender.

[Tommy Wiseau]

He could have all the ability of Paolo Maldini and Bobby Moore but if he has a head that's full of broken motorbikes then he'll never be a great defender.

 

The guy makes too many basic and often costly errors to be classed a great defender.

 

 

I don't think anyone's called him great. I don't even think anyone's compared him favourably with the top defenders we've had over the last 20 years.

 

What I do think though, is that Levein is right. Very few in the SPL are as good as Zaliukas at his best - probably only Bougherra and Webster are definitely better - and he makes less mistakes than I think he gets credit for.

 

He's a radge, yep, but surrounded by players like Barr and Wallace, I reckon he's definitely worth having in the side.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

From that raw kid who was thrown in the middle of the park when he arrived, he has come a long way IMO.

 

Needs to keep the head and be switched on - but he is an example of what hard work can achieve and others should look to that.

 

Well done, Zal - my captain

[Le Chat]

Should have been Lee Wallace imo.

 

Can just imagine referees shitting themselves when Trigger approaches them with a strop on.

[Ray Winstone]

Zaliukas was captain last season as well.

 

Stewart was just an empty shirt.

[Coco]

Doesn't seem to have been a lot of speculation about him signing a pre-contract anywhere

 

Disappointed with JJ's decision. Would not have Zaliukas in my first team far less as captain. Still hoping that he will move on in January.

[bighusref]

Doesn't seem to have been a lot of speculation about him signing a pre-contract anywhere

 

Disappointed with JJ's decision. Would not have Zaliukas in my first team far less as captain. Still hoping that he will move on in January.

 

This tbh.

[Pistol1874]

Did Wallace and Jonsson get the chance to win the captaincy that JJ said they would ?

Pretty sure they've attended training and played in the pre-season games. They may not have had the armband, called the toss or decided what way we should shoot , but they have had ample opportunity to show they are better captain material in my opinion.

 

Good luck Zal, I hope you appreciate what the role would mean to any one of us and make a success of it.

[Bert Le Clos]

Zaliukas is a decent defender who is prone to the odd lapse in concentration. I no longer have any doubts about his temperament though, I think he stepped up to the plate last year in that respect and I think JJ and BB can coach him into one of the best centre halfs in the SPL.

 

He is vocal on the park and I think he is the best choice for captain. As good a player as Wallace is he doesn't have enough authority on the pitch for me, and Jonsson needs to concentrate fully on cementing himself in a permanent position and developing his game in that position. He doesn't need the extra pressure of being captain too.

 

Hopefully this means Zal is extending his contract. I doubt JJ would have given him the captaincy if there wasn't some indication he is staying. I have no doubt that this is JJ's decision, not Vlad's.

[redm]

This tbh.<br />

 

And me.

 

Decent footballer with the talent to be pretty damn good on occasion but he has these weird lapses where he looks half the player he was only the week before. He can command games, he can hold the back line admirably, he can occasionally take wee attacking fits and bomb forwards in a most impressive manner...but he can also go awol, he can float through games where Wallace appears to have to take charge because he's not currently of this planet, he can also muck up in the most alarmingly amateurish way.

 

He is known to slaver disappointingly disloyal things about Hearts and his time here. (i.e. the period of time in which he actually became something approximating a professional footballer) and can be more than a bit of an unpredictable mentalist.

 

In short, I like him enough (not a lot) as a player but I'm entirely unconvinced by his suitability for the role of captain. Still, he's the man that JJ chose and he'll be the one leading out our team so he'll get only backing from me. Slightly grudgingly until (if?) he proves his credentials but I'll do it all the same.

[Guest jambomickey]

i,m not his biggest fan but i wish him all the best in his new role.

[Therapist]

Congratulations to Big Zal - the best central defender in the SPL.

[Walter Kidd]

Congratulations to Big Zal - the best central defender in the SPL.

You know nout.

[Dazo]

You know nout.

 

I think most people with at least half a brain have known this for some time.

 

And no amount of used boarding passes collected from buckets at the back of Edinburgh airport is going to change that.

[Therapist]

And no amount of used boarding passes collected from buckets at the back of Edinburgh airport is going to change that.

 

Jealousy is a very destructive emotion. Don't let it gnaw away at you.

 

Yours helpfully.

 

Therapist

[Dazo]

Jealousy is a very destructive emotion. Don't let it gnaw away at you.

 

Yours helpfully.

 

Therapist

 

Nothing gets passed you Therapist.