If we can make it to january still in the hunt

[JamboX2]

I think the key in January is keeping the core squad together.

 

Boost the bottom line (reduce costs) by trying to ship out:

 

Balogh

Kucharski

Mole

Witteveen

Obua

 

Move Barr out on loan for some first team experience at a bottom 6 SPL club.

 

Other than than we should be looking at who we can get on pre-contracts for next season.

 

With the 5 you have up there, then yeh I'd get rid of Mole, Wittenveen, Kuchaarski and Balogh. Essentially with no reserve league we do not need these guys. They've been here too long to be of any real future use, plus with Kello, Zal and Bouzid, Stephen Elliot and Kyle we don't need these guys. But on Barr, I think he has to be kept. He's a good enough back up to Zal and Bouzid, can also play right back so I'd see no point in moving him on. I'd shift Jason Thomson and maybe Glen and or Clum. I know Glen has been injurred on and off and Clum has had an all right season, I just think time is maybe up for them here. My mate said to me, if a fit Glen can't get on as a sub in front of Clum then is he worth keeping? Kinda made me think maybe his time is up. If we have Obua and, well I'd prefer to keep Glen, then lets move Clum on. Replace him with Griffiths from Dundee, should be able to pick him up on a reasonable price, and from what I've heard he is a better player.

 

On putting folk out on loan I'd say the younger lads who are not going to get a look in, so the likes of;

Scott Robinson

Paul Mulrooney

Matty Park (who as a left back couldnt get ahead of Pala)

Dylan McGowan and say the young guy Johnathan Woods.

 

So in that you've sold, or released 4 to 5 players who wont get into the team and then put some of the younger lads out on loan to gain first team experience and get some game time to improve them. It's not going to happen though, at least to my thinking. But we do have some good players here, JJ has just put them together well for us to be doing this well.

 

We don't need a major signing right now. Maybe bring in a top quality player in some position later on, in the summer so they can get into the team and blend, but you don't want to do that now. Bring back Pinilla/Bednar/steal O'Connor in the summer any one?

[johnjl]

Hearts twice overspent the dough (a fortune!) on wages & players 1998-2001 and 2006-2009 without any additional success. Better to be prudent and penny-wise than pound foolish imo - that's how HMFC debt grew to such large levels.

 

Yeah being prudent is an option. What we could do instead though is spend the 10 million that was swapped, or is being swapped for equity. Bring in a few top notch players, win the league, qualify for the champions league and re-coup our ten mill.

[Tommy Wiseau]

No chance Balogh will be going anywhere in January IMO. He's our second best goalkeeper and (I'd guess, having cost us ?200k) will be on a decent contract that will scare off any potential buyers.

 

Might as well have him strengthening our depth there as his contract is run down.

 

Think Mole, Wittiveen etc are all likely shouts, though. Definitely a case of "let's not lose anyone we don't want to" rather than going out and bringing new players in.

 

John, you make it sound so easy!

[Stupid Sexy Flanders]

Agreed. The negative of something going wrong and us losing Rudi would far outweigh any positive of bringing someone new in. Get him tied down to 2-3 years and lets see him finish his career here!

Priorities IMO:

 

1. Extend Rudi's deal

2. Try and get rid of some of Witeveen, Kacharski, Mole, Balogh

3. If manage to shift at least one of above and free up funds then look at:

- Centre Half cover

- Centre Mid cover

- Left Back cover

 

JJ will know what to do!

 

Why do you want to get rid of Kucharski yet sign a centre half as cover? He's good enough as a squad player.

[Only a Game]

got to agree with Charlie that there is no way we will spend any cash in January

remember we have a massive debt and any movement will be out rather than in

we have half a dozen players who should go to cut the wage bill but can't see anybody taking them to be honest

we are currently playing well and have a few options to cope with injury/suspension especially when Driver, Wallace

and Suso are back

I don't think we'll split the Old Firm but we should be able to take a comfortable third with a double figure points gap from the pack

(as there is nothing of any quality outwith the top three and nobody else will be able to afford to splash the cash either)

and give Europe a good go next season

 

Its a unique thing in the Romanov era, a transfer window where we really dont need to sign anyone. If we can get an attacking midfielder who would be a first choice ahead of what we have ( and he'd have to be pretty good to do that) then fine, lets do it, but I'm not that bothered about signing players just for cover. We've got plenty of cover as playing so long without Wallace and Driver proves. I think thats the way Vlad will look at it if he's got his sensible head on. If however, we arrive at January and he gets it into his head ( maybe by reading kickback) that two big signings can somehow win the title, then watch out for signings that will "rock Scottish Football"

 

PS I reckon if we are going to be a clear third by double double figures, we'll be right in the mix with Celtic for second anyway. I cant see them finishing 20 points above us at this current point

[Rocky jamboa]

I think right back is our weakest position just now and a midfielder in the Aguiar mold would be a decent signing. However, the teams looking pretty good just now and arguably, our two best players still to come back so promising stuff.

[johnjl]

No chance Balogh will be going anywhere in January IMO. He's our second best goalkeeper and (I'd guess, having cost us ?200k) will be on a decent contract that will scare off any potential buyers.

 

Might as well have him strengthening our depth there as his contract is run down.

 

Think Mole, Wittiveen etc are all likely shouts, though. Definitely a case of "let's not lose anyone we don't want to" rather than going out and bringing new players in.

 

John, you make it sound so easy!

 

Maybe it would be. The old firm are the weakest they've been in a long time so why not. Obviously if we take the gamble on and don't qualify for the CL it could be disastrous but at least we would have tried and not settled for being the also rans. Plus if we were to get there once it would be easier next time.

[Drylaw Hearts]

We need cover for Kyle.

[The Merse]

Why do you want to get rid of Kucharski yet sign a centre half as cover? He's good enough as a squad player.

 

He's tragic.

[johnjl]

We need cover for Kyle.

 

I agree although the first person to mention a certain in form killie striker deserves to have there PC smashed up.

[Victorian]

we don't need an awful lot. a centre half and possibly a target man and that's about it.

 

it's going to be more telling in what we do in the way of transfers out. we are in a position to be able to sell driver and see little effect (still trying to get top dollar).

 

at the moment, if there are funds there then it might be better to start signing up emerging talent with a view to developing players. lets see if there are more templetons out there just waiting to be found.

[Stupid Sexy Flanders]

He's tragic.

 

He's only played a few times so it's hardly fair to write him off. I've not seen him do much wrong.

[CMc]

A lot of people are of the feeling that we will qualify for Europe this season one way or another. I totally accept the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" logic. We don't want to bring in people who would be unhappy if they don't start every game (unless they would seriously boost the starting XI) and we don't want to upset any of our current crop by dropping them for a new face. However, if we are going to be in Europe next season we will need more cover in defence, another attacking midfielder and a another physical striker. As injuries and suspensions are inevitable (Kyle has a solid history for both, half the fullbacks in the league will have a score to try and settle with Temps and Rudi by February) is there not an argument to pick up decent talent if available? Allow them to bed in before we need to use squad options in May/August? I personally would not be adverse to spending under half a mil on 2-3 players if they would significantly enhance the standard of our top 16 players. I can see the logic in relying on the less than six month Bosman deals, but it would be tragic to miss out on a cup win/European group stage qualification over a few ?100k.

[bighusref]

Why do you want to get rid of Kucharski yet sign a centre half as cover? He's good enough as a squad player.

 

Not for me. One of his starts he was awful IMO.

 

My opinion is, in the order of preference.

 

Do not lose any of our important players.

Sign a back up centre half.

Sign a back up left back.

[scots civil war]

screw third charlie, that is yesterdays news. spend the dough and GLORY awaits. new right back and a top drawer central midfielder.

 

 

nail head etc........

 

 

 

 

bit of class in the midfield for squad depth to sustain this campaign when suspensions,injuries occur

 

teams have shown them to nullify our midfield this season,we seriously need to impose our midfield strength at all times throughout those tough gigs coming up................and until the end of this very interesting season

[CMc]

screw third charlie, that is yesterdays news. spend the dough and GLORY awaits. new right back and a top drawer central midfielder.

 

 

nail head etc........

 

 

 

 

bit of class in the midfield for squad depth to sustain this campaign when suspensions,injuries occur

 

teams have shown them to nullify our midfield this season,we seriously need to impose our midfield strength at all times throughout those tough gigs coming up................and until the end of this very interesting season

 

This would be my feeling. I trust JJ and the accountants not to do anything that would hurt the club. I think we will need reinforcements before the end of this campaign - we certainly will if we want to do more in Europe than our last two attempts.

[portobellojambo1]

I think it is more important that we hang onto the players who are performing for us just now than bring in new players. If clubs come sniffing for anyone presently performing in the 1st team, plus Driver and Wallace, we tell them to feck off.

 

The danger of bringing new players in mid season is they need time to settle and their style of play may mean the whole teams style being altered. We don't need to do that at the moment, the team is performing very well, and change could be detrimental rather than beneficial. If we are to bring one player in for me it would be a cover player for the left back position (although Palazuelos has done all right there of late, the defence with Palazuelos in that position has conceded no goals in the last 5 games, even with Wallace in the left back position they couldn't have bettered that).

 

I'd be more inclined to say let it roll until the end of the season, and then re-assess the situation (and as said above make sure any approaches for players are brushed off, either politely or impolitely).

[Saint Jambo]

It's odd that when we have such a good defensive record this season that it is still the defense people want to strengthen.

- Left back: we have a Scotland international as first choice and for me Palazuelos is a suitable back-up option.

- Centre back: Barr didn't settle in well, but was a good player at Falkirk and I still feel should be given a chance to prove himself, especially as part of a more stable and confident team.

- Right back: Probably the weakest. Still not sure that either Jonsson or Thomson are going to play most of their careers as right backs. Although I do feel that with Thomson the main issue is a need to work very hard on his positional sense. It would be worth investing in him by getting him out on loan but at the moment we don't really have the cover to do that.

 

An attacking centre mid might be useful, but our style seems to be to use our width so not sure that it would fit in well. We do have players like Skacel, Stevenson and perhaps even Driver that could take on this role.

 

But if we were really in contention for the title towards the end of January what I'd really like us to bring in is a striker who can offer something different. I don't think are back-up options can be relied on for goals and whilst I like Elliott, he isn't a penalty box predator. I think that this type of player could really add to our team given the way we are playing with a lot of balls in from the wings, knock downs from Kyle and little through balls between defenders. Only if we really were in contention I'd say that the money needed to bring Kris Boyd in on loan (see Gullit Lounge) would be a good move.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

I can see VR releasing some funds

 

For the sake of discussion, if VR made some dosh available for JJ to strengthen for a push in the new year, where would you spend it?

 

Personally I think a really top quality right back would complete this team.

 

 

It is always nice when people catch up in the end...

 

http://www.hmfckickback.co.uk/index.php?/topic/65622-unlikely-i-know-but-possible/page__p__1438102__fromsearch__1&do=findComment&comment=1438102

 

 

[Rudolf's Mate]

Although I'm happy with what we've got a the moment. Part of me thinks that JJ may have shown Vlad what is possible with a little cash. Vlad may just be tempted to delve further thinking the uglies are for the taking and let's face it, they are!

[cosanostra]

I still think the only area we need to improve on is centre midfield.

If we could get someone better than Black then that's what I'd do.

Bruno Aguiar or even Craig Bryson would slot perfectly into our team.

For the record, I think Blackie is doing really well and deserves his place in the team.

 

I think we're ok for cover for most other positions.

 

I do agree that we need to get rid of some of the dross.

[Only a Game]

I still think the only area we need to improve on is centre midfield.

If we could get someone better than Black then that's what I'd do.

Bruno Aguiar or even Craig Bryson would slot perfectly into our team.

For the record, I think Blackie is doing really well and deserves his place in the team.

 

I think we're ok for cover for most other positions.

 

I do agree that we need to get rid of some of the dross.

 

 

I think the dross is a completely separate matter. We've made that particular bed over the years and we need to lie in it until the dross drifts away naturally. By their very nature, no one is going to take dross off our hands, and dross on decent money wont exactly be looking for the door before their contract is up. It might well be that the signing policy is a bit restrictive because of the dross, but that doesnt mean it will automatically be relaxed when the dross goes. We've got ?20 million reasons for not repeating those mistakes.

 

You can look at every single player we have and say that we could get better players for that position. Black to me, in conjunction with Mrowiec has been right at the very top of the reasons why we are on this run just now. No way on earth would I replace him unless and until he has a serious form dip or an injury or a suspension. ( PS He's another one who cant be all that far away from a ban too - we'll have to keep an eye on that and make sure we dont lose too many key players - thats what Black is at the moment IMO - at the same time)

[West Jambo]

Why do you want to get rid of Kucharski yet sign a centre half as cover? He's good enough as a squad player.

 

Because he has looked well below good enough, even as cover, when he has played. Add to that that Csaba probably got him a sizeable deal here. I just think that it wouldn't be too difficult to find someone who is...

1. Better

2. Younger

3. Cheaper

[tartofmidlothian]

For all those mentioning a spare left-back, bearing in mind Palazuelos will probably be off in the summer - didn't we sign a young lad from Dunfermline this year? How's he doing?

[Cut The Crap]

Although I'm happy with what we've got a the moment. Part of me thinks that JJ may have shown Vlad what is possible with a little cash. Vlad may just be tempted to delve further thinking the uglies are for the taking and let's face it, they are!

 

That's a point. Does anyone else remember what happened the last time JJ was given some cash to play with?

[Charlie-Brown]

We are currently at a 6 points disadvantage to Celtic and a further 3 points behind Rangers, if you accept that there are 3 teams with a chance to win the SPL title then we have a 33% chance of success / 67% chance of not winning the title.

 

Rangers unless they sell don't have funds to strengthen but they are currently best placed & most experienced at winning. Celtic would appear to need to spend and also seemingly have plans & money to strengthen. Hearts could possibly strengthen but that down to Mr Romanov to find the extra money and decide if it's a worthwile gamble given we are currently at a disadvantage plus the odds don't change that 2 out of the 3 teams going for the title won't win it.

 

Some people might argue that the chance of Champions League might repay any team investment but given our weaker co-efficient unless we got an unlikely easier draw or else a plum money spinning tie we'd be unlikely to make it through the qualifiers.

 

Winning the title would of course be great and we have to give it our best effort but from a financial perspective we should try our best to win it with what we have plus some minimal strengthening because trying to buy our way to the title by spending money we don't have is a gamble and the odds of success are not currently in our favour.