rocket_scientist

I remember the RDs singing "one Lee Miller" v. Hearts last game of the season when hibs pipped us for third depsite a 2-0 win.

Unfortunately the promise he showed then, coming from Bristol City to Hearts failed to ever materialise, and he went backwards at DUFC.

Hopefully he'll now settle in his head and start doing the business. Has been good in 2008, without scoring many.

Or any manager.

Very true. Am just a bit alarmed at the amount of times JC berates his players from the touchline, and the frequency that Severin, Zander and JDV in particular seem to be spending time remonstrating with their manager instead of concentrating on the game. That internal bust up re Lovell should never have come out.

Good news re Miller. Need to get more out of him, but maybe he realises that this is as good as it ever will get now, and will pull his finger out.

Loved every word of what you were saying there, mate ... right up until you said the above. I'm presuming you've forgotten the match at Ibrox a few seasons ago when we were level-pegging past half-time. Then JC decided that, rather than stick to the 4-4-2 game plan that was working, he'd shift things around to produce another one of his fabulous formations that only he knows how to operate.

 

The dirty huns saw this change happening and saw how uncomfortable our players were with the change, and within the space of about 12 minutes we were 4-0 down. I seem to remember Kevin McNaughton receiving his first ever red card that day too. But that might've been another game at Ibrox.

To be fair to JC, and I think the man is an incompetent buffoon, did we not lose the first goal before he went daft, with 25 minutes to go?

Lovell is a non starter. He doesn't take shit. Only players that do not question the manager are the only ones we'll get under this manager.

He doesn't want? He'll take what he gets. Who does he think he is? Quality? I never seen it, the whole time he was here. The best midfielder over the last four years at AFC, yes, and that just shows how bad the rest of them have been. They're hardly queuing up for him, nor would they. Watch him for three consecutive matches and any scout will see that he's not as good as he's bummed up to be, by Aberdeen fans desperate for a hero.

This is how professional rugby utilises video refereeing. The top leagues such as the Premiership and the southern hemisphere's Super14 utilise video referees. All leagues below these still rely on traditional referee/linesman eyes to make the decisions.

 

There's absolutely no reason why a system like the one mentioned in pro tennis can't be used in the world's most lucrative sport. I mean, a beam running across the goalline, coupled with a magnetive trigger built into the match ball would surely give us a means of telling immediately whether the ball had crossed the line or not.

 

You don't need a trigger in the ball. The technology has been available for two or three years for a number of tiny camera's to prove incontrovertibly whether the ball crossed the line or not. It's an English company but the numbers they were talking was just ridiculous. If there is a will to consider VT, and if the debate takes place at UEFA, and if the research is conducted professionally, and if they decide to go forward with it, at the very least we would never have goals like Nicholson's on Saturday not given. How could any referee make a decision whether or not the whole ball croseed the line? It's impossible. Linesman must have had his head up his arse though.

Aluko has been one of our most inconsistent players of the season.

Granted, when he's on form he's very good, but so often he has been steamrollered by more physical teams.

 

Hope we can get one/both back next season though.  Probably more chance of getting Walker back.

Aluko has the best feet of any player I've seen at Pittodrie this century. What I mean by that is that his ability to trap and control a ball, and run with it stuck to his toes is absloutely awesome. I find myself watching only him in the warm ups. Up until this season, I used to spill out of the pubs barely in time for kick off. I also like watching JC in his suit and normal shoes joining in and giving the lay offs in the shootie in's. Wtf is that all about?

However, as I've also said on here, I doubt that Aluko would ever start three consecutive EPL games in his whole career. As you say K, he is too easy to stop. He's not physically strong enough for the top league in England, and unless he increases his gym work by 900%, has no chance of developing to the best level. Too lightweight. His team getting relegated only delays any prospect he may have had of playing EPL football any time soon.

Walker on the other hand is a kid with great potential. I have no idea what went wrong that he got humilated by his manager at Rugby Park and not played again, until Saturday, so I was surprised to hear, or at least what Aberdeen Journals wrote, that Josh wanted to stay. Hope he does. He could be the real deal.

1. So you advocate messing with the way football is run on the basis that it could work, despite nobody really seeming to have thought it through, and despite the fundamental problems I've highlighted? Let's hope that UEFA give it slightly more enlightened consideration. On an aside, I have plenty of will to flap my arms and soar all the way to Australia for a cheap holiday this winter, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen.

 

2. Wow; that's really advanced the debate. Maybe if you tried to justify your point of view in light of the objections I've politely raised to your arguments, we could pay homage to the time-honoured method of debate and actually get somewhere on this topic, instead of you just posting sulky remarks like that.

 

Was it not you that was decrying the standard of debate on AFC-Chat just a few weeks ago?

I never advocated anything. If you read what I wrote, all I said is that it could work if the will to make it work was there, and that there is technology available to utilise. That is all I said. I don't have a particularly strong view on it, I haven't thought it through all the way to the practicality of every detail, nor has anyone in world football yet, nor do I plan to, unless I do suddenly grow a strength of feeling that deserves further examination. I do suspect that the game could do with it, for the top divisions, as there are so many fuck-ups that are coming up every single weekend. The panel on Scotsport just now are absolutely adamant that Video Technology should now be used, like Barry Nicholson said in the paper. My opinion is not as nearly as strong as John Colquhoun's though, so I'm listening to the points being made on this thread and learning some good stuff. I particularly understand the point to have consistency in officiating across all divisions, but suspect that there is now a valid argument for introducing it for the premier leagues.

Trust me, it was not intended as a flippant or sulky remark. I do believe that you may be right, and my opinion is not strong enough to put up a fierce argument. As you've referred to my previous posts, you will know that if I believe in something strongly, I will fight for it, but if you don't mind, I'll just keep my own impression or opinion just now, inconcrete as it may be, rather than take the absolute view, a fixed position that I never even took. There have been some good points coming up here, and you've been making alot of them. If there is concensus that we need it, then it could work. You have obviously taken the fixed view against it already, and I'm listening. I just think that further debate will now be required at UEFA level before a decision for the future is taken. I support the need for that debate to take place, as does Scotsport and Levein and Nicholson, and thats just views in the last 24 hours.

You can blame the club to an extent about letting it get to this stage but they are so limited in what they can do. We cannot afford long term contracts, cannot offer overly attractive contracts, and are constantly looking for free transfers. We aren't prepared to offer an 'average' player long term deals and rarely do we sign a high profile talent who should get a long term contract. Unfortunately we are a poor club who will have a high turnover in players.

 

The blame is 10+ years ago or so for letting it get to this stage of debt etc. where we are broke.

Totally agree. Including the share issues, the club has squandered millions. £12,000,000 more than we could afford to spend, to be precise, give or take the odd million. It's financial mismanagement on a collosal scale. What is it about football club administrators? Milne wouldn't run his own business like this. No sane businessman would. The Marrs at Dundee, that boy at Livi, Boyle at Motherwell, Romanov at Hearts. Even Abramovich has lost hundreds of millions.

As for Miller, I would like to think he would be able to stay, on our terms. He's not as good as his agent thinks he is obviously. If managed right, and that's not a given, Lee could do a good job. If he does go, his set-ups for both of the goals v. Celtic in the QF + replay is how I'll remember him - two sublime touches. Unfortunately we should be remembering strikers for the goals they scored. Miller never gave us much, and only in the last 4 or 5 months did he start to look good enough for the Dons.

1. You haven't made any real case for it.

 

2. Football as a sport simply doesn't lend itself to the use of replays to decide major incidents.

1. No I haven't. I just said it could if there was a will to i.e. existing technology is available.

2. That is your opinion. You could be right.

On what basis do you say it would perfectly well?

I didn't. I said it could, if there was a will to.

As a bare minimum, we could easily introduce goal line camera's - the technology has already been developed and is ready to go.

For example, for all EPL and SPL matches, we already have television coverage. We could have a fourth (or fifth) official watching monitors in conjuction with the TV service providers, and replay incidents there and then, and advise the ref through his earpiece.

You could even grant each manager 3 "reviews", where even if the official who's watching the monitors doesn't see it, each team has the right to question, and flag up an incident for review by the TV ref. Replays are instant, and what would it add to a match - 5 minutes total?

I'm not advocating giving teams the right to question, I'm just giving an example of how it might be expanded in an "out the box" scenario. I am saying that if there is a will to embrace technology, it's already available and it could be used without any adverse effect on the game. I think Nicholson is totally correct.

I think it could work perfectly well if there was a will to look at it. We've had more than enough examples at Fir Park, Ibrox, JJB et al this weekend alone, to suggest it is overdue.

No questionmark required. The Greatest. No contest. Liverppol had a couple of great managers, but none of them come close to what Fergie has done, over distance, and on both sides of the border.

Californication on the radio just now. Used to love it. Enjoying it now. But nothing lasts forever. Or does it?

In music terms, I'm not sure I will ever have a track or a band that I will love for ever. Transience. Thats where its at.

Now that we have nothing to play for = all over red rover for the season.

However, winner mentality means with one game to play, you win the fucker. Particularly as something will be decided by our last match. This is what Aberdeen stands for. The integrity of competition. Even if the manager isn't up for it, the players surely will be. This season, how often did we get "where the fuck did that come from" performances? Whilst this might suggest disharmony in the management/player relationships, we have enough in our locker, at the end of the day, to make difference. Its a game of two halfs. As I said. Eh.

RDS Upper - too remote from the pitch for me, but best view of the game for seeing tactics, effectiveness of formations etc. Atmosphere too remote also.

RDS Lower - never been

SS near back - good view of game, good atmosphere, good crack

SS near front - cracking for close up action, hear the tackles going in. Season ticket seat irrelevant as you can move to wherever you want usually.

Merkland - took my kids when they were smaller. Just crap.

Main Stand - under-rated. Front row, section C gives excellent close up not only of play, but the manager's, subs, coaches etc.

That golliwog is politically incorrect. I boycott Robertsons for a different reason. Moving to the huns was bad but calling his son Mason...

 

That can't be healthy 

I dunno... a couple of pints. Drink in moderation and all that.

As for his face, that has got to be doctored. Tan = healthy... NOT.

Notice he's ditched his wedding ring for the night. Watch out local lovelies...

From the joys(!) of Liverpool coach to managing a team in Japan:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7390493.stm

That'll make him happy. Or not.

Smiley Miller. He is so negative, he could only be Scottish.

There must have been somebody here who was old enough to have been at the game.  BigAl?   

I was there, courtesy of a student overdraft. Others please identify yourselves or I'll greet for feeling so old!

When times are tough players need to stand up and show their mental strength - we have very few if any who do that.

JC would have us believe that this is because there are very few players with character around. Some believe that it starts from the top. Agree with your post.

There' a difference between looking for a problem, and figuring out what it actually is...

It was still pretty decent of him to share this insight with us. None of us have ever been managers... nor played football.

Jesus Christ.

I also think that their socks are an inch and a half too short. They really didn't plan this very well at all. Pity. Great opportunity missed.

Don't agree with that at all. The Lisbon Lions have get togethers/dinners every 5 years, it has been said that this will be the last set of events marking what was a remarkable achievement.  But then, even in times like this, celebrating the pinnacle of our football club, some folk are still miserable bastards.

I was at the Glory of Gothenberg dinner 5 years ago. It was really sad to see a former Don who played the full game that night, having recently split up with his missus and temporarily out of a (fitba) job. He looked like a wrecked man. Willie Miller's speech was just awful. The food was guff, and the killer, Charlie Allan was good crack. Honest.

Was not tempted to go this year and was pleased to hear this will be the last big commemoration event. Wouldn't mind one last one in 2033 though.

I think I'll celebrate it by having my first tattoo done. 11051983 possibly, or the Dons badge on my heart. Or I might just put on white jeans and white shoes and AFC top and jump in a fountain like I did that night. Then drink lots and get off with a tall blonde Swedish lassie. I might even argue with a cunt in a taxi queue at 5 in the morning and then sleep on an airport floor. Could then go to Radars with a massive hangover, and come out to Union Street to see the team in a bus. Happy memories. I forgot all that lot. Cheers.