OrlandoDon

If the boy is any good this one will certainly piss me off. We're recommended him by Bobby Clark months ago, he then gets capped by ROI, then Jimmy says he's only looking at him as a favor to Bobby and that it's highly unlikely that he'll get a deal. No wonder the boy goes elsewhere, we don't exactly seem at all interested. Given our severe lack of money should we not trust a Bobbby Clark and at least look at him before commenting?

I'm certainly not saying Onstad is a great keeper, but I don't rate Langfield or Soutar at all and the SPL isn't full of quality keepers, and you weren't pointing out better players if you look into who you commented upon (maybe the exception is Robinson who has a number of Welsh caps and could probably play in the dons starting eleven). You pointed out average players in MLS as did I, guys who play most games. Would you take a 32 yr old Dichio or a 40 yr old Brewster in your squad? They are comparible if you ask me. Paul Dalglish won the MLS = Bob Malcolm winning the premier league. There are plenty of mediocre Scottish players would get overly recognized too - look at the Rangers and Celtic diddies who have been selected for Scotland before quality and more deserving players (i.e. the clowns that play instead of Russell Anderson.)

I'm not arguing MLS is better but I think they are comparible leagues. I've seen terrible dons games in the past and great MLS games and vice versa. Freddy Adu is a decent player with plenty of talent but remember he's only 18. He's been overly hyped up by MLS to get attention to the league but that is American sports - the world series, world champion San Antonio Spurs etc. It's not the world but that's America.

Johnson isn't the best player in MLS and I'd say Angel, Donovan, Albright, Johnson, Mapp, Ching, Mastroeni for example could all start for an SPL team plus there are loads of good up and coming players. I heard Danny Szetela is being linked with Rangers being one. It's a very new league and will only get stronger as players develop and gain experience. MLS will just get stronger (as will American 'soccer' in general) - It pains me to say but I'm not as confident about Scottish football.

I'm not saying MLS is a high standard but neither is watching the majority of SPL teams. Go and watch Caley Falkirk and tell me the quality on display. I'd say Eddie Johnson is as good if not better than Darren Mackie, Justin Mapp on par or better than Chris Clark, I'd take Chris Albright in a heartbeat, and as for Freddy Adu, while he has been so overly hyped up, I'd take him any day as we seriously lack creativity and flair. Ricardo Clark is a good player too and would probably take a starting spot.

Agreed the league has its duffers but for every Terry Cooke, Carl Robinson, Danny Dichio and Gavin Glinton I think you've got an equally good Richie Byrne, Densill Theobald, Markus Paatelainen and Steven McGarry. And as for Pat Onstad, how good are Langfield and Soutar?

I'd say MLS is probably very similar to the SPL with the exception of Rangers and Celtic. There are plenty of players in MLS who I think would make it in the Dons first team squad, and a number who would be starting players. I also think there are plenty of diddies who play(ed) in the SPL. last season i.e Richie Byrne, Dan Smith, Jamie Langfield, Gary Dempsey, Jamie Winter etc., and I'd say Chris Clark and Darren Mackie are easily MLS standard and we are the 3rd best team in Scotland right now.

Having lived in the USA for 12 years now, being heavily involved in coaching, and watching the growth of US football and MLS there is plenty of talent here. The perception of US fotball is not great but the talent is certainly here, but the SPL isn't that great either (unfortunately).

I think it would be very difficult to knock back any bid of a million plus. We are a club with major debt and can we really afford to lose Anderson for nothing in less than a year?  You can argue the fees for players like Brown but I think these guys were all on longer contracts. While people moan about ambition by not keeping Anderson the fact that we were 3rd and in Europe may just encourage a decent defender to come our way. I think most of the fee would be used to service debt but we'd sign an experienced central defender to complement our younger central defenders (dare I say someone like a Craig Moore or Bobo Balde.) I don't really know what central defenders are available and as much as I want to keep Anderson I just don't see how we can afford to keep Russ if bids come in.

Do we consider a back three with McNamara sweeping behind Diamond and Considine with a 5 man midfield with Hart and Foster (dare I say Byrne) as wing backs? Had we not signed the Dutch winger I'd have thought that.

However, I think if Russ goes we will buy an experienced and dominant centre half to combine with Diamond or Considine. Just don't know who??

Any idea where we are entered and how many rounds until the group stages? What would the groups stages mean in terms of finances - anyone any idea how much money reaching the group stages will bring us?

So, how much will the win today and 3rd place help us? Certainly there is the financial bonus of Europe but surely the appeal of european football will aid in the addition of new signings.

While our keepers aren't great we're set there, although I think transfer listed Neil Alexander would be a good pick up (but unrealistic)

Defence now has plenty of depth - we lose Donald but the signings help us there

Midfield - lose Dempsey, Winter, McAuley and sign 3 here hopefully - at 33 I don't think we want McNamara running his arse off in midfield every week

Up front we lose Daal but I think Lovell, Miller, Mackie, Maguire and Brewster and is depth enough, although I do see Brewster getting a managers job in the next 6 months.

We've signed two players so far in Mair and McNamara (has Kurrant signed?) but in my opinion we still need two wide players and a central midfielder - are we still being linked with Michael Stewart as he'd give us the depth and bite in midfield. Again, unrealistic, but Tommy Miller from Sunderland would be an attacking goalscoring midfielder who is being released. Any idea who we are looking at in wide positions?

If we lose 0-2 and Hearts draw we are tied on points and goal difference - what happens?

I notice in Spain that it is not goal difference that decides but head to head - we are 2-1-1 with Hearts if it means anything.

Sorry mate, think you are clutching at straws here. Nicholason couldn't get a game for Rangers and he's a winner because he played for Dunfermline (what did they win?) Smith couldn't get games for Celtic and left and I don't think Den Haag were winners/champions. Would you say Michael Hart has a winning mentality coming from Livi having previously been punted by us?I understand what you mean by a winning mentality but you don't have to leave a successful team to be a winner.

"Experienced in leading his team to relegation?! No thanks. We've had stacks of players who were more than qualified in that department. I'm happier that we're looking at winners rather than losers."

How many of our current team are winners? We should dump Anderson then since he's been with us for years when we were bottom six and crap. Don't get your logic at all - there are plenty of players on relegated teams who would be great additions to our team.

Am I the only one not overly excited about one of our main transfer targets being a 33 yr old whose best position is right back. What will we get, one or two seasons max?

This is a tough one - we stick it out, lose the player, and end up with a no use umpteenth choice player who does nothing (we've signed a few of them.) However, we stuck it out over the Lee Miller deal and got him for free - who would have ever thought we'd get him on a freebie. Saying that though, I'd rather Milne forked out some dough - the boy is a high earning club captain and from what I gather a respected player - 70k doesn't seem much for an experienced leader, and we certainly lack ballsy hardcnuts tough tackling leaders on the park.

Since we are skint and have to be realistic, think any of these players are worth a look? All from relegated clubs who may look to offload to possibly an affordable wage-

Richie Partridge – wide mid - rotherham utd

Stephen Crainey – left back - leeds urd

Eddie Lewis – wide mid - leeds utd

Steve Hammell – left back - southend utd

Steven Schumacher – attack mid - bradford

All seem to be have been decent at some point I think......

I seem to recall Strachan and McLeish having shameful attempts at a tash.

Since we seem to be avoiding Rae and Kerr, is Michael Stewart any good? I think it's more than an ability issue at Hibs but rather a clash with Collins. Another freebee that cannot be worse than Dempsey, MacAuley, or Winter me thinks.

Surely both must be reasonable targets given they will be free agents. Even though Rae has stated he may go south, a decent contract from his home club may sway him, plus Kerr has suggested he'd move on if they didn't keep McDonald. With Dempsey, MacAuley, and Winter going/gone could we afford both? While I understand Jimmy wants wingers, losing these 3 and Seve being injury prone leaves us pretty thin in the middle.