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

More above just to emphasize that a couple of misses doesn't have me worried about sokler. If he can score one in 9 he'll be doing fine.

Sidebeh's goal against Dundee at the end of March was something else. But no way are we blowing 1/2 a million on someone who, this time last year, was playing level 7 of English football.

I only watched the highlights on BBC but weirdly I thought that he looked tidy before being linked. Can't remember much of him from the opening day though. 

Either he wasn't playing or didn't stand out.

54 minutes ago, redordead said:

I only watched the highlights on BBC but weirdly I thought that he looked tidy before being linked. Can't remember much of him from the opening day though. 

Either he wasn't playing or didn't stand out.

Played the full 90 mins so must not have stood out. 

The club have confirmed Miovski's away. No specific figure mentioned but "a club record fee".

 

https://www.afc.co.uk/2024/08/15/bojan-moves-on/

Edited August 15, 20242 yr by wee toon red

Wish him nothing but the best, a model signing, a class act, and a very good player.

where’s Duk? The ongoing silence is a little bizarre.

30 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

The club have confirmed Miovski's away. No specific figure mentioned but "a club record fee".

 

https://www.afc.co.uk/2024/08/15/bojan-moves-on/

Evening Express saying add ons could take it close to £9m. 

 

I respect it.

Love the ambition of miovski, great move. And Ferguson, Ramsey, ramadani. And then there’s Connor Barron. Reading and listening to the shit being spouted this week, did Barron join a sinking ship??

A genuine class act.  

Genuinely blessed to have him at the club and fuck me, rare for a guy who hasn’t supported the club as a boy to feel and act the way he has. Class act on and off the pitch. Go well, Bojan, you’ve more than earned it.

3 hours ago, manc_don said:

Genuinely blessed to have him at the club and fuck me, rare for a guy who hasn’t supported the club as a boy to feel and act the way he has. Class act on and off the pitch. Go well, Bojan, you’ve more than earned it.

Hope springs eternal he will come back before he retires, the club has clearly got under his skin a bit. 

 

I watched the Girona game last night away to Betis.  It is, of course, a big step up from playing in Scotland but there's plenty of talent in that team to make chances for him.  

Think it was Burrows that said when bojan’s departure was confirmed that we are continuing to look at ways to strengthen the squad until the window closes, I assume that means more to come in?

another forward? Another winger? Perhaps another central defender and Macdonald and or Jensen moves on?

thoughts? Any gossip/rumors out there besides the u20 defender that I think was shot down, plus the st johnstone forward??

The St Johnstone lad looks like his agent trying to drum up interest in his player rather than any interest from us.

2 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

Think it was Burrows that said when bojan’s departure was confirmed that we are continuing to look at ways to strengthen the squad until the window closes, I assume that means more to come in?

another forward? Another winger? Perhaps another central defender and Macdonald and or Jensen moves on?

thoughts? Any gossip/rumors out there besides the u20 defender that I think was shot down, plus the st johnstone forward??

Was told randomly a couple of days ago,we're trying to get a defender and an attacker in before the end of the window.Wasnt told if the attacker was a striker,or winger.The guy who told me doesnt normally give info like that out,but he seemed pretty matter of fact about it.....take it or leave it  🤷‍♂️ 

Edited August 16, 20242 yr by Elgindon

22 minutes ago, Elgindon said:

Was told randomly a couple of days ago,we're trying to get a defender and an attacker in before the end of the window.Wasnt told if the attacker was a striker,or winger.The guy who told me doesnt normally give info like that out,but he seemed pretty matter of fact about it.....take it or leave it  🤷‍♂️ 

Pretty sure I saw someone like Chris harvie posting words to that effect the other day 

Palaverse and Topi should both be excellent additions. But I am just not comfortable with the current forwards.

Like has been said here before, Gueye and Ambrose are just poles with no skill. Sokler, I'm not sure about. He's shown moments of excellence and maybe an extended run as our first choice #9 will bring his ability to the fore. And Bavidge and Boyd arent ready.

We need to get a proven striker in, someone who can convert when the midfielders are misfiring - Bojan produced this at times when we shouldntve scored. But we probably need to fork out our biggest fee of this window to get who we need, and I'd prefer we use our connections in the Balkans, Scandinavia, Australia and MLS to get another player who wants to use time in Scotland as a stepping stone to show what they can do

Edited August 17, 20242 yr by Reekie_Red

I'm actually quite comfortable with giving Sokler, Gueye and Ambrose until January. Ambrose for one isn't going anywhere having just signed, and the minutes Gueye is getting doesn't suggest he's on his way out.

Sokler is frustrating in front of goal, but there's more to his game than just finishing and he fits into Thelin's system well. The shuffling about of the three behind him doesn't help - been so many different combinations and McGrath has played four different positions in seven games, but that's to be expected with a new manager. Once that settles down then he'll develop a better understanding with those around him and kick-on. Even Miovski only scored four goals in 18 in the second half of last season. 

I'd like one more winger and two centre halves. Jensen I think will leave so a left sided CB, and wouldn't surprise me if MacDonald goes too and we sign someone capable of playing CB and RB.

Then we're ready to win the lot.

4 minutes ago, Panda said:

I'm actually quite comfortable with giving Sokler, Gueye and Ambrose until January. Ambrose for one isn't going anywhere having just signed, and the minutes Gueye is getting doesn't suggest he's on his way out.

Sokler is frustrating in front of goal, but there's more to his game than just finishing and he fits into Thelin's system well. The shuffling about of the three behind him doesn't help - been so many different combinations and McGrath has played four different positions in seven games, but that's to be expected with a new manager. Once that settles down then he'll develop a better understanding with those around him and kick-on. Even Miovski only scored four goals in 18 in the second half of last season. 

I'd like one more winger and two centre halves. Jensen I think will leave so a left sided CB, and wouldn't surprise me if MacDonald goes too and we sign someone capable of playing CB and RB.

Then we're ready to win the lot.

It’s been seven games and we’ve seen shinnie sivert clarkson McGrath vinnie Morris topi gueye polvara Duncan, and maybe even boyd in our midfield. Hard to get real continuity chemistry and understanding. Throw in sokler playing with miovski, plus the transfer drama, we’re weekly work in progress. 
i like sokler but have my doubts, but i agree time is needed. Just not sure if sokler will get that.

Ryan Duncan joining Queen's Park on loan for the season.

 

Good move. I still think there is something there, but he needs game time. He's still young enough that he could turn out to be decent. Needs to find that ability to do those driving runs he used to do when out on his first loan. He's a big lad and with a bit of bulk added could be a great player.

Nisbet rumoured....

28 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Nisbet rumoured....

Seen that, can't say it excites me. Seems to spend most of his time on the table.