Well, figure it’s close enough to start the thread and may get some more enthusiasm than the current season. So what do we need?

manager - Alex Neill

formation - 4-2-3-1/4-3-3

I’m going with the belief that we currently have 7 starters - Devlin, ruby (or gartenmann), Jensen, Mackenzie, shinnie, clarkson or McGrath, and sokler. 4 legit starter signings needed, plus more. I’d argue McGrath has been better than clarkson this year, but I dont think both together are our midfield solution.

goalkeeper - NEEDED to replace Roos, doohan is back up

right back - devlin, Richardson, SiGN gartenmann

left back - think Mackenzie deserves to be our left back, one of our few successes this year, mcgarry as back up, jenson cover too as gartenmann does right back.

central defense - ruby, gartenmann, Jensen, Macdonald - think that’s good enough, just need a legit and consistent keeper and midfield to protect and support them

Right mid - TWO needed, starter and back up, vinnie as back up? sell morris

left mid - ONE needed, possibly hoilett and mcgarry as back up, vinnie?? Don’t think Duncan is good enough, squad filler.

center mid - sign TWO. ONE starter needed, plus assuming Barron leaves. Free agent Baccus? Shinnie clarkson or McGrath,  and one other, mcgrath/clarkson and polvara as back up, sign another ONE physical/athletic worker so that shinnie and new signing aren’t run into the ground.

Forward - assuming Miovski and duk are sold, I want sokler given a chance. SIGN one to compete with him to start, bavidge the third option and given minutes. Sell GUEYE.

I’m assuming miovski, duk, morris, gueye, and Barron are gone, and we sign gartenmann and hoilett. Hayes retires. Mcgarry gets a summer to get fit and prove what he can do next year, been unfortunate to date. A bench from Richardson, mcgarry, Duncan, clarkson/mcgrath, hoilett, bavidge, doohan, Milne, polvara, vinnie, plus a new back up right mid and an enforcing center mid.

Obviously Mikey Johnson is one of our new signings.

Edited February 18, 20242 yr by OrlandoDon

2 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

Well, figure it’s close enough to start the thread and may get some more enthusiasm than the current season. So what do we need?

manager - Alex Neill

formation - 4-2-3-1/4-3-3

I’m going with the belief that we currently have 7 starters - Devlin, ruby (or gartenmann), Jensen, Mackenzie, shinnie, clarkson or McGrath, and sokler. 4 legit starter signings needed, plus more. I’d argue McGrath has been better than clarkson this year, but I dont think both together are our midfield solution.

goalkeeper - NEEDED to replace Roos, doohan is back up

right back - devlin, Richardson, SiGN gartenmann

left back - think Mackenzie deserves to be our left back, one of our few successes this year, mcgarry as back up, jenson cover too as gartenmann does right back.

central defense - ruby, gartenmann, Jensen, Macdonald - think that’s good enough, just need a legit and consistent keeper and midfield to protect and support them

Right mid - TWO needed, starter and back up, vinnie as back up? sell morris

left mid - ONE needed, possibly hoilett and mcgarry as back up, vinnie?? Don’t think Duncan is good enough, squad filler.

center mid - sign TWO. ONE starter needed, plus assuming Barron leaves. Free agent Baccus? Shinnie clarkson or McGrath,  and one other, mcgrath/clarkson and polvara as back up, sign another ONE physical/athletic worker so that shinnie and new signing aren’t run into the ground.

Forward - assuming Miovski and duk are sold, I want sokler given a chance. SIGN one to compete with him to start, bavidge the third option and given minutes. Sell GUEYE.

I’m assuming miovski, duk, morris, gueye, and Barron are gone, and we sign gartenmann and hoilett. Hayes retires. Mcgarry gets a summer to get fit and prove what he can do next year, been unfortunate to date. A bench from Richardson, mcgarry, Duncan, clarkson/mcgrath, hoilett, bavidge, doohan, Milne, polvara, vinnie, plus a new back up right mid and an enforcing center mid.

Obviously Mikey Johnson is one of our new signings.

Sell Morris, sell Gueye...that's a powerful thing you are smoking  Nobody with any footballing sense is going to buy either of those 2, I reckon we'll have to pay up their contracts.  

Don’t think Gartenminmin is worth spending any money on. We have MacDonald and Rubezic who can play on the right side of central defence, I’d be looking for someone who can play on the left side ahead of Jensen ideally.

2 hours ago, Slim said:

Don’t think Gartenminmin is worth spending any money on. We have MacDonald and Rubezic who can play on the right side of central defence, I’d be looking for someone who can play on the left side ahead of Jensen ideally.

A lot will depend on whether MacDonald will be happy spending another year on the bench. I don't think he's good enough to start in a back four, like Jensen he's too slow to move the ball. In that regard, Gartenmann has the most about him. I don't really think any of the centre backs are that good. 

3 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

A lot will depend on whether MacDonald will be happy spending another year on the bench. I don't think he's good enough to start in a back four, like Jensen he's too slow to move the ball. In that regard, Gartenmann has the most about him. I don't really think any of the centre backs are that good. 

Agreed, our central defenders aren’t that good but three are under contract. Given our squad needs significant work, do we really want to start again with defenders too? I think we build on the defense and get a new keeper set in. I also think punting morris and gueye will cost us, unless we get offers for Jensen, ruby, or Macdonald, they are with us next year.

10 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

 

manager - Alex Neill

 

Waiting four months to appoint Alex Neil when he's a free agent and available the entire time would be peak Aberdeen.

Oh, sorry, forgot to complain about the earliness of this thread appearing. Disgusting. Makes me sick.

Really hoped that after last summers turnover of players this summer would just be a case of tweaking the squad but it’s looking like we are going to have yet another major rebuild on our hands as well as recruiting a new manager and implementing the outcome of the review being undertaken. 
 

48 minutes ago, Jute said:

Really hoped that after last summers turnover of players this summer would just be a case of tweaking the squad but it’s looking like we are going to have yet another major rebuild on our hands as well as recruiting a new manager and implementing the outcome of the review being undertaken.

Again, it goes down to another missed window. January should have been used to carry forward the work of the recruitment team, building on what was done in the summer and further offloading the dead wood. That didn't happen, and we start again, again. That's now Glass, Goodwin and Robson who've had to do major re-builds (maybe Goodwin didn't have to, but he had pissed off most of the squad!), all of which have ended in their sacking. The board should have been managing expectations in each of those situations, and providing significant support to the young management teams that were in place. Expectations should also begin to be managed for next season, with an understanding that building a team takes time. That won't happen, that much is clear. The club have allowed the myth that "backing the manager" is simply a case of spunking cash in a single window - shit-throwing to see what sticks. The fans have largely bought into it too, helped along by ignorant pundits, which is extremely frustrating. We were constantly told that Robson "was backed in the summer" and talk of player budgets and other such shite. The transfer window is a lottery, where 50% at least are going to be shite or require work (Rubezic!). Against any established side, you're always going to struggle. We still haven't found a left centre half that's performed to the level of Considine since he left, for example, and we got rid of the deadwood of likes of Watkins and Kennedy to replace them with much worse players. That's not a reason to retain any of the above, just to highlight what "backing the manager" actually entails much of the time. @OrlandoDon's original post highlights perfectly the problem we have. We're already pragmatically looking at retaining guys that are not very good because of the volume of turnover of players, instead of looking to replace those areas. That always happens to an extent of course, but it's a fairly large extent for us! We've got guys like Richardson and Besuijen still kicking around on long term contracts that are dogshit. Morris and Gueye are two others that we'll have to deal with too. Rubezic, Jensen, MacDonald, Polvara are all guys that in another world we'd be culling back and attempting to sign better players. Instead we're relying on them to form key parts of our team for another season. It's going to be incredibly difficult for the new manager, and I suspect that it'll be someone from outwith Scottish football and thus the signings might be even more erratic. Our best signings this season have been McGrath and Devlin, who were both known quantities with plenty SPFL experience (probably the only two that Robson had any real input to), without those two we'd have been significantly worse (imagine a McGarry equivalent at right back, or another Polvara or Philliips ahead of McGrath).

Don't know if this is a summer or winter transfer but Gueye is away on loan to Kristiansund in Norway. The wording of the club statement seems quite specific about seeing him "back next season" but maybe they're just being nice.

Club statement says back in July.

 

20 hours ago, Panda said:

Waiting four months to appoint Alex Neil when he's a free agent and available the entire time would be peak Aberdeen.

Normally yes but given we chose to do a review I still wouldn’t rule out Neil or any manager currently available. No point in meeting/hiring a manager only to change structure in the coming months. They may even get a new manager input, and i’m sure the new guy will want to know what structure he’s working under. not saying they will do what a new manager wants obviously but plenty of conversation and planning to be had prior to simply replacing a coach/manager.

 

Edited February 19, 20242 yr by OrlandoDon

14 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Again, it goes down to another missed window. January should have been used to carry forward the work of the recruitment team, building on what was done in the summer and further offloading the dead wood. That didn't happen, and we start again, again. That's now Glass, Goodwin and Robson who've had to do major re-builds (maybe Goodwin didn't have to, but he had pissed off most of the squad!), all of which have ended in their sacking. The board should have been managing expectations in each of those situations, and providing significant support to the young management teams that were in place. Expectations should also begin to be managed for next season, with an understanding that building a team takes time. That won't happen, that much is clear. The club have allowed the myth that "backing the manager" is simply a case of spunking cash in a single window - shit-throwing to see what sticks. The fans have largely bought into it too, helped along by ignorant pundits, which is extremely frustrating. We were constantly told that Robson "was backed in the summer" and talk of player budgets and other such shite. The transfer window is a lottery, where 50% at least are going to be shite or require work (Rubezic!). Against any established side, you're always going to struggle. We still haven't found a left centre half that's performed to the level of Considine since he left, for example, and we got rid of the deadwood of likes of Watkins and Kennedy to replace them with much worse players. That's not a reason to retain any of the above, just to highlight what "backing the manager" actually entails much of the time. @OrlandoDon's original post highlights perfectly the problem we have. We're already pragmatically looking at retaining guys that are not very good because of the volume of turnover of players, instead of looking to replace those areas. That always happens to an extent of course, but it's a fairly large extent for us! We've got guys like Richardson and Besuijen still kicking around on long term contracts that are dogshit. Morris and Gueye are two others that we'll have to deal with too. Rubezic, Jensen, MacDonald, Polvara are all guys that in another world we'd be culling back and attempting to sign better players. Instead we're relying on them to form key parts of our team for another season. It's going to be incredibly difficult for the new manager, and I suspect that it'll be someone from outwith Scottish football and thus the signings might be even more erratic. Our best signings this season have been McGrath and Devlin, who were both known quantities with plenty SPFL experience (probably the only two that Robson had any real input to), without those two we'd have been significantly worse (imagine a McGarry equivalent at right back, or another Polvara or Philliips ahead of McGrath).

I still think if you put a good keeper and a good midfield infront and behind our defenders, and play a back 4, they’re better than average. When you have a shit team and shit tactics you’re bound to struggle and that’s been our year. Put in Lewis in his prime, even a 32 yr old Hayes, and say a hedges at right mid, along with shinnie and Barron/clarkson/mcgrath, I think you’d see a better defense. I think Macdonald is decent, not sure what’s the issue with him this year, ruby is raw but decent, and I think Jensen is better than considine (fans favorite but still a very limited player who benefited from quality around him.) 

If we can find a good keeper, and a right mid, left mid, and a physical and imposing center mid, I think we have the makings of a decent. Big if though to find 4 quality guys when arguably we haven’t signed 4 quality guys in the last 4 windows. 

Scott Burns claiming we are targeting Celtic reserve keeper Benjy Siegrist.

 

Decent keeper at United but not played a first team game in two years so not convinced this is right move. 

On 26/02/2024 at 23:56, Jute said:

Scott Burns claiming we are targeting Celtic reserve keeper Benjy Siegrist.

 

Decent keeper at United but not played a first team game in two years so not convinced this is right move. 

 

All our recent goalkeepers have been the same though, guys that weren't playing. Danny Ward, Joe Lewis, Kelle Roos.

Not the worst shout getting him in I'd say.

I think he would be a good signing still. Look at Butland for someone who sat on the bench for Man Utd for a number years.

3 hours ago, DantheDon said:

I think he would be a good signing still. Look at Butland for someone who sat on the bench for Man Utd for a number years.

He was only on loan at Man United for half a season.

Are you perhaps getting him mixed up with Roy Carrol who also ended up at SEVCO?

 

I don’t think it was Carroll but I must be getting confused somewhere. I thought he’d spent a few seasons there…

Gartenmann definitely not worth spending any money on. Absolute fanny.

Dan Phillips of St Johnstone has impressed me both times I’ve seen him this season, out of contract in the summer I think, Trinidad & Tobago international. 

Will he want to play in the championship next season though?

Danny Armstrong from killie worth considering? Given we have close to no width worth a look? Better than vinnie? Baccus not playing much for st mirren since his return from the Asian cup, tough to say he’s good enough for us if he’s not a st mirren regular despite being a regular for Australia…and speaking of Australians, would mind seeing Jackson Irvine back in Scotland with us. Just turned 31, maybe get a couple of decent years from him??

would really like to see us target good Scottish talent, anyone out there worth considering?

2 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

Danny Armstrong from killie worth considering? Given we have close to no width worth a look? Better than vinnie? Baccus not playing much for st mirren since his return from the Asian cup, tough to say he’s good enough for us if he’s not a st mirren regular despite being a regular for Australia…and speaking of Australians, would mind seeing Jackson Irvine back in Scotland with us. Just turned 31, maybe get a couple of decent years from him??

would really like to see us target good Scottish talent, anyone out there worth considering?

Armstrong definitely worth a look but with Killie likely being in Europe next season would he want to step down to playing in league cup group stages next season. 

Hearts have picked up Penrice and Spittal for next season. Not convinced Spittal is good enough, but Penrice is decent. That's one of the biggest issues with being manager less - we're not picking up these pragmatic squad signings from within the SPFL. Not necessarily these two, of course, but the handful of guys like them out there that are as close to reliable as you can get when you're doing the inevitable ten signings. 

Would still take baccus from st mirren, Armstrong from killie perhaps. Liked Lyle Cameron at Dundee but we have clarkson and McGrath who play a similar role. Haven’t suggested Mikey Johnson in a while, maybe Stephen welsh from Celtic too?

would like some proven SPL players and not just random foreigners to fill the squad.

Hoilett looked a player today. Is there scope to keep him beyond summer? A full pre-season and we could get a good campaign out of him.

Duk showed he is still an exceptional talent, if raw.

Barron I thought was great, but seems very unlikely we'll have him next season. We need a few like him in summer; energetic midfielders comfortable with the ball at their feet. He didn't need to do anything exceptional - it was Clarkson making the nice through balls. But someone doing the dirty work, pressuring Celtic in midfield, and making the simple passes was needed.

Sokler doesn't have the finishing instincts of Miovski, but a year being his understudy, he might be worth a chance and he played well at Hampden. Likely will still need another striker though.

The defence. Gartenmann, MacDonald and Rubezic all have their good and bad moments. We could improve on all three. Likewise, you expect Rubezic to stay and maybe one other.

Clarkson, there's still a talented player there. McGrath, like someone said on the match thread, sometimes hard to know where to play him. Doesn't offer width, not massively skilful, didn't really hurt Celtic. But he's not someone I'd write off either. He sometimes looks his best playing almost as a second striker.

At least five big signings needed, presuming Miovski & Barron leave.

Agree with you mostly except left mid. Don’t think hoilett has the legs, and duk doesn’t have the brain. I can also see duk leaving this summer, we’ll get offers.
For the first 11 we definitely need a starting keeper, central defender (although I’m not certain ruby, Mackenzie, or Jensen should be a starter either), center mid, left mid, right mid. Wouldn’t mind seeing sokler given his chance, I think he’s more suited to Scottish football than miovski, not a knock on bojan.

that’s 4 strong quality signings needed, 5 if it’s not sokler at 9. We also need depth, as I said the other day, I can see around 10 signings this summer.