LA-Don

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

Fuck sake, just admit that you're wrong and grow the fuck up. The suggestion of OGS taking a 95% reduction in salary is patently stupid. It's like talking to someone who's trying to convince you that they can talk to the dead. You're not a moron, why the doubling and trebling down and the changing of subject?

Eh? Why am I wrong and why grow the fuck up? And what subject am I changing? You are, to me, being narrow minded and are making assumptions about peoples career aspirations, motives, job ambitions, and money. The example of Steve Clarke is quite a good one, just like the example I gave of Charlie Nicholas. Right there I didn't see either happening. Ever been surprised about a team signing a player or manager you never saw coming? It happens. Why not for us? Fuck me, George Best played for Hibs!!!!!

It appears you don't like push back or a difference of opinion. Doesn't mean I am wrong because I don't agree with you. You going to cancel me because I don't toe the line now? Appropriate for society today.

20 minutes ago, baggy89 said:

 

 

2 Accounts?

Yes, clarified that before. Was OrlandoDon before LA-Don (and moving back to Orlando this summer.) Had issues years ago but couldn't resolve things so started a new account. Got a new phone and for some reason when I logged in for the first time it logged me in as Orlando again. Tried to fix it once but didn't spend enough time........ one day.

Regarding the debate, of course common sense applies. But we all have thoughts on what that means. Eddie Howe is in high regard, OGS is not right now. It's a funny old game as we know, you just never know. Steve Clarke is a really good example of that, from the highs of Chelsea and Liverpool to Killie of all places. 

If it's Goodwin I'll be disappointed but support him. Same response I gave when Glass was appointed. I look at Celtic, and while resources cannot be compared, an experienced foreigner with world wide contacts can be successful in our league. Every single manager is a risk and success is certainly not guaranteed by anyone. It's been stated Glass didn't have the necessary experience to succeed with us, I just wonder how different Goodwin is when his only experience is not that long managing in Scotland while winning nothing.

32 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Jesus.

Are you suggesting him for next manager? No experience. And dead. But apparently he can perform miracles and based on yesterdays game, he's maybe a better option than Paul Lambert.

There's fixed mindset and growth mindset. Open and closed minded. Blinkered or eyes wide open. I'd even say I'm not the abused who go running back to the abuser because it's what I deserve and the best I can do. Aim high. Like I said, you see it as realistic, I see it as limiting us. The fact I get a one word answer says a lot. You've nowhere to go except criticize me for stupid ideas. There are many wonderful people who wouldn't have accomplished what they did in life if they'd backed down when told they had stupid ideas. Dream big. 

Of course money is different now. But I stand by my point, no harm in exploring options. If you don't ask you don't get. What's the worst that can happen?

55 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

You can't just say "if you don't ask", that's just stupid. A total cop out. I don't have that much time for Cormack, but it's completely unfair on him and the club to put someone like solskjaer in the hat and say "if you don't ask". We aim to have a wage bill no higher than 60% of turnover. OGS on his own would be above that. So no, it's not "you don't ask", it's simply a ridiculous suggestion that we shouldn't even be discussing. 

Knutsen is a different matter, he'd be at the high end of our budget. But we have to also accept that the club will know about him if we do and they'll likely have made an approach if there's any chance of getting him. We all know what type of person Cormack is, he'd love someone like that. It's just that there's a little more to it than simply asking a guy, there has to be a reciprocal desire to be anywhere near the spfl and that likely rules out a large number of foreign managers. We're making it out like the club are picking from a small pool of managers, rather than there being a small pool of managers who we can realistically appoint. Very few people are against foreign managers, we just don't aimlessly choose "foreign" as an attribute that counts for more than ability. It's similar to the folk saying that it needed to be someone "young and hungry" when we appointed Glass as if age has any bearing on managerial ability (it doesn't). 

The reason I don't put forward any foreign managers is because I simply don't know any, other than the obvious ones already mentioned. I can objectively measure someone like Jim Goodwin because I've watched his entire career and seen his improvement. I think that on our budget he'd be a big improvement on Glass. I think he's intelligent and determined. I don't need to be inspired by him, because I'm not likely to be inspired by any manager we can afford to appoint. If we appoint a foreign manager, I'd likely just be ignorant of them rather than inspired. I'd probably get the five minutes of excitement that you get with a new car or sofa, but I'd be brought back down to earth upon drawing with Livingston or some shite. But I'm fine with that. 

I'm also cognisant that the manager is only a part of the puzzle. We have to employ a manager that's in line with our playing budget. A hugely expensive manager with Ojo for company isn't going to fire us into third. We simply wouldn't get good value from our expensive manager. OGS would be like winning the lottery and spending it all on a Van Gogh for yer caravan.

Honestly, big Dunc would be my choice but he's another I'd say is in the 'if you don't ask' category. I don't see it as stupid, I see it as exploring. Who knows who is interested. Is Klinsmann? I doubt it but he's been US based, maybe Cormack has connection there. You just never know and you are speculating what OGS would want. My comparison with signing Nicholas as a player is the equivalent, I never expected him at Pittodrie. 

2 minutes ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

Ebbe was funny but remember how crap we actually were with him in charge?  We finished bottom of the league at one stage.

The issue I have with a manager from overseas is it is so difficult to judge their past successes because we have little knowledge about the leagues they operate in.  People are being suggested based on reading about someone on Wikipedia and at the same time people who have actually won things or reached finals in Scotland or are being totally dismissed. If Callum Davidson was Swedish he would probably be top of the fans wanted list.  Nothing against foreign managers but at provincial clubs in Scotland has it ever worked having one in charge over a sustained period?  It has usually been a total shambles.  

Correct, we were shit under Ebbe. I'm just saying that the Knutsen guy may well be seen as the modern day equivalent of Ebbe in experience, qualifications etc. We can look at the Aussie boy at Celtic and get excited about foreign managers, but money certainly helps there with the players he's brought in. Gerrard did well at Rangers but I think he had even less coaching experience than Glass. There is no guarantee of success and every manager is a risk.

Thanks Rico, really interesting article. I'm fascinated by everyone's covid experience, here in the US is very different even state to state, like California and LA county to Florida for example, and different from Britain, Australia, New Zealand etc. Every culture has a different approach and attitude, and I think Brits in general are more likely to conform whereas in the US this country was founded on antiestablishment and freedom from places like Britain. I think that's a factor in mentality.

One thing that sticks out to me is the ties between big pharma and the US govt., Fauci, and the CDC etc. We know the govt. is corrupt, just look at what is coming out about the 2016 election right now for example. It's hard to trust an agency who is financed by the very companies producing the drugs, especially when big pharma has paid out billions in vaccine lawsuits. They do make mistakes, and regularly. And you see this govt. went all in and it's hard for them to adapt as the situation evolves and science says otherwise, especially if it means speaking out, contradicting, or even going against the very companies that pay you so handsomely.

Lastly, interesting what is going on with Joe Rogan and spotify. All of this is mainly as a result of his interviews with Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Peter McCullough. Those two are two of the most experienced and credentialed people in their fields relating to mRNA and internal medicine/cardiology. Who gets to determine misinformation? Who gets to fact check some but not others? Very difficult when very qualified and educated people say very different things.

14 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Yes it fucking is. It's absolutely batshit fucking mental. It's devoid of any critical thinking. It's just shouting names at the moon. It couldn't be more ridiculous. It certainly isn't a fucking gamble, it's putting your stadium on number 37 at roulette.

Therein lies the problem. You're now saying that you don't want the old crap etc, which is entirely valid. However, when you're placing them alongside the astronomically stupid suggestion of a manager on 20 times the salary of your previous one then quite clearly these options are going to look terrible. If we were being entirely honest then we'd probably admit that even the Knutsen lad will be looking beyond us at the moment. We might be able to offer him a strong salary, but probably not the associated funds to repeat his success, and that's ignoring the fact that he'll likely have set his sights higher than the spfl.

Help me here. We all do a good job of slamming every single suggestion, then who? Not experienced enough, journeyman, Glass and no experience then Ole as too experienced/out of our league. We don't wnat Scottish and narrow minded yet we don't want a foreigner. If you don't ask is all I am saying, much like the suggestion with Knutsen yesterday.

I for one, and this is pretty much irrelevant and totally different era and different money, would never have believed we'd sign Charlie Nicholas but we did. Why not shoot for a manager like that? I also think Knutsen could be seen along the lines of Ebbe, experienced and successful foreigner. Why not?

24 minutes ago, Chris Frae Killie said:

Speaking to a Celtic acquaintance, he said that the boy Montgomery is a real good player in the making and that he is mot of a winger that was put at left back to get him a place in the team. That is music to my ears because we need attacking options.

I heard that too about him, was a forward /winger who was stuck at left back to get game time and fill a void. And agree about Scott Brown to an extent, but players still play for the manager and Glass doesn't seem overly enthusiastic/inspirational, and that's needed no matter how good a coach you are.

Good move for Dean Campbell. He needs minutes on the field in his preferred position, hope he gets it there, think DM will give him the time. While McKenna's stint at Ayr United wasn't a huge success, he came back, got a chance, and his career changed drastically from there. Hope same happens for this guy as he should/could get chances with us......Brown is old, Ferguson will go in the summer, Jenks away, Ojo and McGeouch out of contract I think.

Was delighted when we finally pulled the plug on McInnes, it was time. But one thing I've considered lately, he (and Doc) was popular and able to convince players to join us. He had a reputation up here, plus was known down south, as well as playing contacts. Just thinking with Glass' experience or lack of to date in this country, plus what and who exactly is Steven Gunn and his role, do we have the same strength in convincing players that Aberdeen is the place to come to? Was that a factor this window?

Surprised it's not been suggested yet. Leigh Griffiths on a free until seasons end??

Crying out for a creative attacking central threat, sideways backwards, wide, backwards, but nothing dangerous, plus we go long way too much too.

5 hours ago, Chris Frae Killie said:

I don't think we are any worse off than before the window. Hedges was very good, when he turned up but that was only every 3-4 matches. Hopefully the Dutch boy will give us similar, if not better. We also have Matty Kennedy coming back, whom I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt. People are very quick to assume a player is not performing at training when he has long term recurring injuries. My biggest beef is that we were lacking before the window in certain areas - creative attacking players no.10 in particular and another goalscoring centre forward. I think we can survive with our defence and midfield but the problem is we are being outscored. If you look at our goals against column and the run of defeats we had, we are not conceding a lot of goals and didn't get hammered by anyone in our games we lost this year, so far. It is a very fine line. If we can start scoring more goals, then I believe people will very quickly realise our defence isn't that bad. The more goals you score the more it breeds confidence in the team and the less likely opposition teams will play attacking football in our half. Or they won't sit in because we've scored against them and they have to come out to equalise and in turn leave more gaps. Our biggest problem in the last 3-4 years has been breaking teams down. We used to be a free scoring team in the first few years under DM. Then we lost Hayes, McGinn and Rooney and it was downhill from there. If we don't get the centre forward and creative players we need this summer then the director of football and recruitment etc have to go. I don't blame Glass yet. I think he and Russel etc. are trying to do the right things but they don't have the creativity they need. I am disappointed but I am not giving up on this season yet. Let's see how the new lads do and how the players returning from injury get on. Remember we still have Watkins, who I actually rate better than Hedges.

Correct. We aren't any worse but we aren't any better, and we aren't good enough right now. The two 'must gets' from the window were a center forward and a central creative midfielder like Christie or Maddison. Ideally a winger or two too but that was our 3rd priority in my eyes since we have Hayes, McLennan, Kennedy, even Watkins. Unless the dutch guy slides in centrally we failed to address both. Our team needs more creativity to create more chances, and based on the window I see the inconsistent season continuing. I get that January is a crappy window, particularly for teams with our finances, but surely we could have gotten another player or two?? 

Well, if it means anything, read he was a forward until recently, and also plays left wing. At least we can say we need that. However, is he better than Kennedy and McLennan? We have those two plus Hayes and the dutch guy, but still no #10, which I have said for maybe 4 windows now, that's the key to our team, and attacking creative central player. Tough player to find on our budget but ffs.

Very disappointing window.

8 minutes ago, ayrshire_don74 said:

if fit thats a game changer

My thinking was more that there's an even better chance he's injured now playing here if Scotland face Wales in WC qualifying. 

45 minutes ago, BigAl said:

WTF

What about MacKenzie, Consi, Hayes & Campbell..... 

This is a totally bizarre signing and requires an explanation 

Way I see it, he's competition for MacKenzie. We need Hayes in midfield given we haven't increased quality there, Andy was slow before the injury and is not a left back, and Campbell is a midfielder. Saying that, James McFadden started at left back, maybe we/Montgomery sees him as a winger? Regardless, unless he's an impact player like Christie in a key position we need, we should be developing our own youngsters.

1 hour ago, Stewart said:

Express saying Hedges is off for a medical with Blackburn.

If 200k is correct, for a player leaving in 4 months I suppose you can't disagree. He's clearly set on a move, hope we can bring another in before the window closes.

2 hours ago, KGB said:

That is without doubt one of the worst performances I’ve seen us produce in a very long time. We had zero penetration and were totally devoid of creativity in the final third. This new Glassball, possession for possessions sake with zero end product is excruciating and the worry is that I can’t see how we improve it as it’s been the story for most of the season. Either we don’t have the players or there’s a problem with the coaching as the product is boring to watch and completely ineffectual. 

We don't have the players, simple as that. The whole point of possession is to create opportunities to go forward and exploit attacking situations, be that to create a 2v1, a 1v1 with an effective 1v1 player etc, and to give players time for movement into attacking space, but that requires a smart soccer player who can see opportunities, and an intelligent and quality passer. We're so limited with all of that and have players who run around, or have a mediocre soccer IQ or work rate. Hedges is hit/miss and predictable, McLennan's brain cannot operate at the speed of his feet, JET has a poor work rate and isn't smart, Ojo is all work rate but that gives limited return, Hayes is our most effective and he's in decline. Kennedy isn't the level we need either. Ferguson and Jenks are box to box midfielders, all work rate if that, and Brown and Campbell are holding mids. We have virtually zero attacking creative threat. I don't think we miss chances and don't blame it on poor shooting/scoring, we are just not creating. Take out penalties and set plays, do we really create much?

McGinn or Hayes back in the day stretched defenses, drew defenders out of position, and consistently created chances or scored. McLean could pass, Christie and Maddisson could beat players etc. We only have Hayes, Hedges on his day, and Ramsey who realistically can do that, and as I said yesterday, Hayes is aging and the other two have had heads turned.

Hope the dutch boy is good but he's young and a lot of expectation. We need signings.

A number of you are saying what I see. A team full of central midfielders struggles, especially when none are overly creative. Brown Ferguson Campbell Jenks Ojo don't offer any flair, all simply work, some harder than others. Hedges is inconsistent and when he's bad he's bad, plus he's incredibly one sided and predictable. Our most creative player is Ramsey and a combination of coming back from injury and surely listening to the rumors have clearly affected him. 

We definitely missed Jonny wide tonight, and we miss a creative central spark. Saying it again and again, we need two wingers and a #10. Until we fix that we're severely limited, and what we are seeing we have seen all season. Square peg round hole.

32 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

I would hope given that circumstance we wouldn't agree to a loan without a fee already agreed should we wish to sign him.

 

All the best mcginniesta.  You were the first player in red to get me out of my seat on a regular basis since... Probably zerouali 2bh. 

That was my kinda thinking, hoping we'd learned from Ryan Christie.

30 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Johnston won't be signing for us.

He signed a five year deal in 2019.

If he comes on loan and performs well that only serves to price him outwith our reach.

Perhaps, but signed a new contract under an old manager. New guy clearly has his own ideas and is bringing different players in.

39 minutes ago, ayrshire_don74 said:

mcginn as talented a player we had last 10 years , right time to go all the best

I'd even say our best player over the years, a joy to watch and some excellent goals. Hoping Mikey Johnston follows his footsteps of a Celtic fringe player we can snap up who has an impactful career here!

44 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Van De Ven was pish. Ten Caat was average. Ferne Snoyl was vastly overrated. Gillhaus and Snelders are the benchmark (Mason disnae count, he was English), and Van Der Ark gets a special mention for being fucking massive.

I think we can all agree that he's already better than Dave Bus.

 

Edit: and Dyron Daal

 

Edit again: Touzani was okay, and I'm nae old enough to remember Sven Baas

Bit harsh, all did a job. Snelders and Gillhaus weren't unknown hence I didn't mention them. Anyway, interesting signing!

On 07/01/2022 at 00:13, HaarDon said:

^^^COVID is horrible but the chances of catching it and having severe complications are very slim. 

 

Really?

Tell that to all the relatives of the 5.3 million who have died from it or were all those car crashes?

I've heard or read about people throughout my decades who died or had health problems after taking aspirin, alka seltzer, had side effects, were allergic to certain medications, had heart attacks from pills, etc etc.

We all know this happens. Unfortunately it's a part of life that there will be adverse reactions to medicine.

Some people will die after getting behind a wheel of a car. Some surfers will get bitten by sharks. Some workmen will fall from ladders.Some people will choke on oysters.Some fisherman will drown at sea.

The list is endless.

Will you ever swim again or drive again?

I havnt heard anyone ever say after being interviewed that they are genuinely frightened of getting a tested vaccine that's proven to be extremely successful.

It's always been about anger that their freedoms have been taken away or something religious as manc said before.

It's utter bollocks and people just jumping on a wobbly bandwagon. Look at me I'm different.

Like conspiracy theorists...full of shit.

Are you expecting in years to come that all our legs will drop off or we will all have heart attacks or something?

What can possibly happen to your body after weeks, months or years having got the vaccine which has been approved by the WHO and tons of leading, brilliant scientists?

Experts have been stated that blood clots can occur from getting covid if unvaccinated!

Blood clots can occur from numerous different types of medicine.

If you have genuine existing health problems then don't get the vaccine but otherwise everyone should get it or they're just being awkward because their friend said something or a group they're in did.

Sounds like the old firm support when you ask them why they hate the 'other' sides supporters.

Zero argument except a hated response.

It's not about whether you're intelligent or not either. It's whether you want to get past your propaganda fears and get back yo some sort of normality.

Also Djokovic is a dickhead!

Apart from being an attention seeker, he's a selfish bastard too.

He's unvaxxed yet travelling internationally and thinks he can just enter Australia because Tennis Australia allowed him to play in the tournament.

Genuine medical conditions my arse. That doesn't seem to bother him when he's partying with hundreds does it?

 

I don't know you but you sound the angry guy and I don't know why. I guess you are just extremely provax and that's fine, I don't hate you for that. To each their own, but we should live to try to respect difference, not fight it. I just don't think you are either fully informed or are willing to hear the other side, it's not as simple as you make it out to be. Is it not narrow minded just to ignore one side? It sounds like you are hard core provax and just slam and hate the other. You reference the old firm support, similarity here?

You slam Djokovic, are you aware of all the good he has done for people? (non vaccine related.) If you really look you'll hear people talk about he's the first to stand up and fight for his peers and how, in his hour of need, he was left hanging. Horrible situation, and he should have never even have gone to Australia, but consider this. The CDC came out on Wednesday of this week statically stating that natural immunity is stronger than a vaccine. Djokovic had natural immunity plus watched a peer lose his career and livelihood from the vaccine. He's a super health conscious guy, not in an at risk category, why should he take the vaccine? I also don't understand how natural immunity has been so flatly ignored. You referenced him out partying. He's super healthy and not worried about covid, and like me, has more worry about an unproven vaccine with mounting evidence backing up his concern. Why is that so bad?

From what I saw today, 5.6 mil have died worldwide of covid from a world population of 7.9 billion. That's a 0.0007% chance of death, and 343.3m reported cases, that's a 0.043% chance of catching it. That's why I said the chances of catching it and having severe complications are slim. I don't think I am wrong here. I certainly feel for those hurt and certainly those who died, but it, in the bigger picture, is a low number. I just had covid, day 10 today, I assessed risk and made my choice. It's my right to do that. I also live in a community where I care for others, do things for others, help others, including pay a fortune in health insurance so that others benefit. Just because I don't inject relatively unknown drugs shouldn't make me an unselfish prick shunned by many in society. I just don't think that's right.

You are correct about adverse reactions to medicine, but these adverse reactions are clearly and publicly stated and have been learned through years of research and study. That's why people are given the option to choose, risk versus benefit. Almost every reference you made, swimming, ladders, drugs, cars, is where you are given a choice. Why don't you respect the choice of taking this vaccine when we know people are having severe reactions?

The covid vaccines are too new and they don't fully understand the reactions, hence the blood clots we're learning about, inflamed hearts etc. There is not vaccine history to relate to so taking then vaccine is a leap of faith, and these were vaccines rushed out, steps skipped, because of understandable desperation. You don't think there should be any concern, especially when you are hearing of people with problems, even dying from them? Are these people worth considering or do we simply ignore them?

You seem blindly happy to believe you are safe and believe the minimal scientific evidence, I commend you for that. I wish I thought that way, but I am just a lot more skeptical. There are scientists that are well educated, well qualified, and way smarter than us that are expressing concerns. Is it fair of you to say there are brilliant scientists pushing safety while ignoring the brilliant scientists saying the opposite? You reference propaganda yet I see it exactly the same way with you. You've bought into one side and don't even want to consider the other.

1 hour ago, tom_widdows said:

By UK are you refering to the tories attempting to distract from their civil war by removing all restrictions in England?

Smacks to me of a general defending the castle telling their soldiers to stand down as most of the attackers seem to have been killed

You know more than me as I assume you live there. Just sounded to me that we've accepted that it's a battle that cannot be won and we should learn to live and deal with it.