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

On 22/07/2024 at 02:03, RicoS321 said:

I think Leven especially deserves a bit of trust and we should be speeding up the process to offload them. For me, that part is more important than the new signings. 

Maybe JT is using Levens knowledge of the squad. I would certainly hope he is,  given he is the only coach left who has seen this squad from 1 yr ago and has seen how they've played under both Robson and Warnock

1 hour ago, Reekie_Red said:

Maybe JT is using Levens knowledge of the squad. I would certainly hope he is,  given he is the only coach left who has seen this squad from 1 yr ago and has seen how they've played under both Robson and Warnock

Maybe, but it doesn't seem that way. Leven didn't give the guys mentioned a look in when he was manager (obviously besuijen was away), so I think he'll have made it clear to Thelin. I'm not expecting him to have shifted all players on, but given the number of guys that aren't up to standard in that squad, I'd have expected to see things moving by now. We need at least a couple of those guys starting to be shifted out the door. It's just extra work having to deal with a large squad, and hassle a new manager doesn't need, he needs to be looking to build going forward rather than deal with yesterday's dross. A new manager can get maybe 5-10% extra out of a player by playing them in a different way, or other motivation, but he's not turning 5-6 guys who are nowhere near good enough into players. I really hope there is no expectation on him to be getting something out of these guys.

I think we will have to accept that squad cannot be change over one summer due to the imbalance created over a number of poor windows.  However I would like to think there will be some leeway to address some of the issues without moving on all of the dross/selling Miovski first. 

I still maintain that Miovski fucking loves being a Dandy. Stick a 5 year contract under his nose with 10 grand a week and a £15 million release clause and I reckon he signs it.

15 minutes ago, Slim said:

I still maintain that Miovski fucking loves being a Dandy. Stick a 5 year contract under his nose with 10 grand a week and a £15 million release clause and I reckon he signs it.

You hold him down, I'll get the pen.

13 hours ago, Slim said:

I still maintain that Miovski fucking loves being a Dandy. Stick a 5 year contract under his nose with 10 grand a week and a £15 million release clause and I reckon he signs it.

I see the Currant Buns are still sniffing about thinking they can sign him. No fucking way. You can see him last season in particular, he loves being a Dandy. If/when he moves, it won't be to either of the Ugly Sisters ... even if they meet our valuation 

8 hours ago, Reekie_Red said:

I see the Currant Buns are still sniffing about thinking they can sign him. No fucking way. You can see him last season in particular, he loves being a Dandy. If/when he moves, it won't be to either of the Ugly Sisters ... even if they meet our valuation 

Which they won't 

Would rather spunk £8 million on someone from another league.

Old firm would never give that sort of money to another Scottish Club. No chance they risk one of us getting money that might allow us to challenge them. 

13 minutes ago, Jute said:

Old firm would never give that sort of money to another Scottish Club. No chance they risk one of us getting money that might allow us to challenge them. 

My point previously, even though I didn't say it in as many words😉

If true, he's 19, so probably someone to sit in our U20s for a couple of seasons before being loaned to Montrose, then released.

7 hours ago, Panda said:

If true, he's 19, so probably someone to sit in our U20s for a couple of seasons before being loaned to Montrose, then released.

Saw this on X yesterday, but really wasn't sure of the legitimacy of it, so didn't share.

Really not sure of the level of league football in Ghana to be honest, but he seems to be a first team regular for his club and has had a call up to his countries international team, so potentially might have something about him.

Sure Jimmy has previous, of unearthing players from the African continent in the past.

Could potentially, prove to be an interesting one if true.

6 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Saw this on X yesterday, but really wasn't sure of the legitimacy of it, so didn't share.

Really not sure of the level of league football in Ghana to be honest, but he seems to be a first team regular for his club and has had a call up to his countries international team, so potentially might have something about him.

Sure Jimmy has previous, of unearthing players from the African continent in the past.

Could potentially, prove to be an interesting one if true.

He absolutely does, there are few African players in the Elfsborg squad and he moved a few on last window too I believe. 

 

Re Miovski, cormack would only sell to the ugly sisters if they made an offer too good to turn down (so 10 mill or above I would say) which they are never going to pay. 

2 hours ago, BigAl said:

Really not sure of the level of league football in Ghana to be honest,

Call yourself a football fan?

Surely everyone has a favourite Ghanaian team?

1 hour ago, Panda said:

Call yourself a football fan?

Surely everyone has a favourite Ghanaian team?

Exactly, typical of the lazy older generations. For what it's worth, I think that the Ghanian league is in the top five leagues along the gulf of Guinea coast.

2 hours ago, Panda said:

Call yourself a football fan?

 

Indeed I do, but you can call me Al. 😉

1 hour ago, BigAl said:

Indeed I do, but you can call me Al. 😉

BigAl na ɛwɔ hɔ

Been thinking about our left side. I think McGrath ahead of Mackenzie works. McGrath has a tendency to cut inside and Mackenzie is an attacking full back who wants to get forward. And does pretty well at it. I still think my preference is to sign a legit left winger but I’m good if we don’t.

right, on the other hand, without doubt were need to sign a right midfielder/right winger.

i guess we have over a month until the window closes so should be patient.

I’d still like to see Hoilett back when he’s fit. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we were a much better team with him in it.

58 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

I’d still like to see Hoilett back when he’s fit. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we were a much better team with him in it.

True.

I’d just like to see us linked with players who aren’t central defenders. Been addicted to them in recent years!

1 hour ago, wee toon red said:

I’d still like to see Hoilett back when he’s fit. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we were a much better team with him in it.

Yep, he's 347 times better than Shayden. Although it would also be nice to have a winger with some remaining pace.

^^That,and he's got a catchy wee song about him too.

    Are we waiting to assess his fitness before offering a new contract,or is he weighing up other options?

1 hour ago, Elgindon said:

^^That,and he's got a catchy wee song about him too.

    Are we waiting to assess his fitness before offering a new contract,or is he weighing up other options?

I assumed he was offered and he’s looking for other options. As much as it was a successful spell, he was warnock’s guy and maybe only agreed a brief stint to be with his old gaffer.

22 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

I assumed he was offered and he’s looking for other options. As much as it was a successful spell, he was warnock’s guy and maybe only agreed a brief stint to be with his old gaffer.

To be honest, I wouldn't assume that at all at this moment in time

5 minutes ago, BigAl said:

To be honest, I wouldn't assume that at all at this moment in time

Please elaborate! Season finished two months ago and Thelin has been here or involved long enough to give input. A preseason and these cup games would benefit him rather than come in less fit having missed the preseason,  so why isn’t he here?

I was not that convinced that by Hoillet. While we looked better with him in the team once Warnock was gone it was a low bar. I would like to think we are looking at better and younger options.