Slim

Fucking terrible performance, too many 'superstars' trying things they don't have the ability to pull off without putting in the effort that makes the ordinary players that they are, effective. Only positives was some good link up play between Miller and Lovell up front, although it didn't come to anything ultimately.

I would've thought he would be renting a flat up here too, otherwise he'll spend 5 hours a day driving.

Home Office red tape could prevent the Dons helping a young asylum seeker start a new life in Scotland.

Congo-born striker Christian Kisuka, 15, is earning rave reviews playing for Aberdeen's Under-17 side.

The Dons want to take the Glasgow-based youngster on full-time when he turns 16 next year.

But their plans could be scuppered because the Home Office has so far taken five years to issue a passport to the youngster, who fled war-torn Congo with his mother thinking his father had been murdered.

Christian needs a passport because the Dons would find it almost impossible to gain a work permit for the youngster when he turns 16 in March.

The Dons have now taken legal advice in their bid to get clearance for Christian, a pupil at Shawlands Academy in Glasgow.

Dons head of youth development Lenny Taylor said: "It will be difficult to sign Christian if he doesn't have a passport.

"It's frustrating because he is a tremendous prospect."

Christian and younger sister Hanlene, 5, moved to Glasgow with their mother, Yvette to escape the on-going conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo.

They thought his father, Manzanpi, was one of the estimated 60,000 civilians killed in the ethnic conflict in the African country.

It was only 18 months ago that the family discovered Manzanpi, an agricultural engineer, is alive and had escaped to Paris.

He was refused entry to Britain at Dover just two weeks ago.

Glasgow-based Dons youth coach Peter Weir said: "Christian is a wonderful lad when you consider what his family have gone through."

Christian's mother, who speaks only basic English, has no intention of taking her family back to the Congo. She hopes gaining British nationality will help her husband gain entry to Scotland and give Christian a better chance of having a career as a professional player.

But she's constantly hit a brick wall with attempts to get British passports for herself and her children.

That meant the Dons were unable to take Christian to youth tournaments in Holland and Ireland.

Glasgow-based solicitors Hamilton Burns have now approached the Home Office on behalf of the club to see if there is any way of speeding up the process.

Lenny said: "We've been told families who seek asylum in this country get passports if it will help further the education of their children.

"We are arguing that failing to issue a passport to Christian is a breach of his basic human rights.

"Going with us to tournaments abroad and signing full-time would further his education as a footballer.

"The boy is doing all he can to start a new life in Scotland and eventually become a wage earner."

When we contacted the Home Office's Borders and Immigration Department, who issue passports and travel documents to asylum seekers, a spokeswoman said they do not comment on individual cases.

Lovell and Maguire if we were to play proper football, otherwise Lovell and Brewster/Miller. As long as we've got Lovell in there, I'm happy.

Played a lot better when he came on last night against Galway by all accounts.

He was recommended to us by Ryan Esson after an unsuccessful trial at Shrewsbury. He's only 18 so likely not going to be a first team player if taken on.

On trial at Ibrox apparently. Wonder how that happened...

Hmm, I'm due to fly home from Dubai on the morning of the Celtic match, could be touch and go for making it, I'll definitely miss the Hearts game. Possibly no footy for me until mid-September

The match on Monday 23rd August will be broadcast live on Egyptian telly, I wonder if we'll be able to watch through some dodgy internet site?

We can't go into the season with Considine and Diamond our first choice central defenders, it would be suicide. If Anderson goes, we need to sign an experienced defender to partner one of them. Touzani could fill the void, but I'd prefer someone that opposition attackers won't fancy playing against. Someone that gives the rest of the defence confidence.

Away to Gretna on Boxing Day? Fuck right off.

"Jimmy Calderwood reckons he`s uncovered the new Steve Bull with his new Dutch signing Robert Fik and he`s tipping his new boy to give SPL defenders nightmares as he bullies his way onto the scoresheet.

 

Jimmy sees Fik as the last signing he intends to make for next season and unless a club takes bad boy Jamie Langfield off his hands or some of the rumoured interest in Russell Anderson, Chris Clark, Michael Hart and Barry Nicholson from England comes to fruition, the new striker will be the last new face for next season.

 

Jimmy is happy with his squad and after the significant progress last term, he`s optimistic of going continuing where the season ended but he knows big English bucks could tempt many of his star men south.

 

Jimmy is more than aware that money talks and said, 'I am realistic and realise that I could lose a player which is obviously a worry.

 

'But there have been absolutely no approaches for players, and that includes Russell Anderson and Michael Hart.

 

'Ideally it will remain like that although I will be sweating over the summer, hoping no team actually makes a move for an Aberdeen player.

 

'I do not want to lose anyone because I am very close to the squad I want for the start of the season.

 

'The last thing I want is to lose a key player and have to start searching for a replacement.

 

'But as it stands I would expect everyone to be here for the start of the season.'

 

Jimmy would be delighted if that was the case and admitted 'I am getting very close to the squad I want for the new season".

 

'Real quality has been introduced.'

 

He is of course talking about Jackie McNamara, Lee Mair, Jeffrey De Visscher and Jonathan Kurrant who all at least have some decent pedigree and should easily fill the boots of the departed Gary Dempsey, David Donald, Jamie Winter and Andy Bagshaw.

 

And so onto the last man in at Pittodrie, what exactly will we be seeing from a part time metal salesman who has left an amateur side in Holland?

 

He comes after scoring 27 goals last season for unknowns WKE last season and signs initially only on a one year deal but with an option of another if things go to plan.

 

On paper none of that sounds very convincing but Calderwood, who hasn`t been wrong too often in his Aberdeen career, has seen something special in the 26 year old.

 

Jimmy summed up what Dons fans can look forward to seeing during the course of next term and spoke of the attributes that make him think that he`ll be a success in Scotland.

 

JC said, 'Fik is a big, powerful striker who gets in where it hurts.

 

'He is absolutely fearless and reminds me of Wolves striker Steve Bull in that he will try to dominate defenders.

 

'Strong goal scorers like that, who get stuck in and rustle up defenders, are a dying breed nowadays.

 

'Robert came up against Russell Anderson and Zander Diamond when he was over for a trial.

 

'He even managed to put big Zander on his backside during a few challenges which is not easy to do.

 

'Not many players stand up to them, but he did and I liked that he was willing to have a real go.

 

'What also impressed me about Fik is that he is hungry and has a passion for the game.'

 

'The lad may be very physical but people shouldn't forget that he also has very quick feet,' he said.

 

'He played for the Dutch national side at under-18 level and you don't do that without having pedigree.

 

'He may have played for a small club in WKE, but the amateur leagues are miles apart to what we have over here.

 

'Robert was desperate to play for Aberdeen and I had no hesitation in offering him a deal.'

 

'Although I am looking at Robert Fik as a striker, he is very versatile and can play in a number of different positions,' said Calderwood.

 

'Robert only trained with us for a couple two days but I saw enough to convince me.

 

'When you look at the squad we will have next season it will be tough to secure a regular start.

 

'But he accepts that and sees it as a challenge and will rise to it.

 

'With him on board things are looking good for next season.'"

Torture? I'd gladly have 2 weeks on a hot sunny beach surrounded by girls in bikinis instead of 2 weeks of reading the Evenign Express

Not bad for someone who's never played a first team game before, I reckon going down to a team like Hartlepool would be a good move for him.

Ross O'Donoghue has signed for Elgin

Scott Michie has signed for Inverurie Locos

Kyle Macaulay has turned down a new contract at Peterhead to try and find a full time club

Everyone in the stadium knew exactly where Nakamura was putting that free kick except from Langfield. We were screaming at him for being in the wrong position before it was even taken. He's an efficient shot stopper and that's about it. We need better.

the problem is, who else could we get for the same amount of money who is any better. I know some of you will say your gran, but really, you need to look at it a, can we get anybody better on the cheep sort of way. the answer is not really.

 

Just look at the rest of the spl

 

hearts and celtic have good keepers

 

but everybody else has average or in a lot of cases worse.

Well that's true if you limit yourself to only buying goalkeepers from the SPL. It's a big world out there though.

If Rangers offer £25k we'd be stupid to reject it.

When Whittaker of Hibs is being linked with a £2 million move to Ibrox and Hart is being linked with a £475k move to Celtic, they kind of have a point.

Out of those options, the first one was the best. Which did you like best?

Bizarrely, he played for Republic of Ireland last night against Ecuador:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6686569.stm

I very strongly disagree.

To be honest, I think both are too prone to big mistakes and both struggle when up against physical strikers. We really need someone big and commanding to partner Anderson.

That's the fella, he's a right winger.

There's a Dutch winger, De Visscher, that's meant to be signing a 2 year contract this week.