Firstly no intention to wind up Rico ( but it is a bonus) by starting this more than forty eight hours ahead of January window closing BUT as a squad we are all over the fucking place and even at this early stage I would imagine we all would have opinions on what need to happen over the summer.

Appreciate that certain things might be addressed in the remaining forty eight odd hours of the winter one BUT given our performance to date, coupled to us being manager less, I wouldn't stake any money on it

Thoughts lads and lassies 

31 minutes ago, Panda said:

What are the unrealistic expectations that have been posted on here?

That we have standards that are above Killian Phillips.

It's an incredibly unrealistic expectation, based on the evidence, to think that our recruitment team could find a better player than Phillips any more than once in every ten transfers.

45 minutes ago, Panda said:

What are the unrealistic expectations that have been posted on here?

Rico's already said it but expectations over who we should sign and who is currently good enough for us. And that we should somehow expect to be playing a type of football that is somehow "better" than Robinson's.

I've said it on here already but we were absolutely rancid for 18 months, near enough the worst team in the league over that period. Signing solid, effective players is a sensible first step towards stabilising what was a rapidly sinking ship but that isn't good enough for some of our fans, even if it's quite possible that this is only step one of the journey. That being consistent top six finishes leading to higher placings and cup runs.

2 hours ago, Panda said:

Don't mind Phillips as a player and we need more energy in midfield, but after his celebration at Pittodrie last season he can rot in Paisley, and wouldn't be giving them 500k for him either.

I said to the guy next to me that there’s no way we’ll sign him after that.

3 hours ago, wee toon red said:

Rico's already said it but expectations over who we should sign and who is currently good enough for us. And that we should somehow expect to be playing a type of football that is somehow "better" than Robinson's.

I detected a bit of sarcasm in Rico's post...

The thing is, if Aberdeen had signed Kilian Phillips earlier in the window - say ahead of Brad Lyons - that would have been fine. Maybe not at 500k but it would be an acceptable signing. Much like I wasn't against Lyons signing. You need a few boys who know the league.

The problem is, we're making too many of these good honest laddie signings, moving on players with potential (Frame), and not really bringing in a level of player that will make the difference in a fight with Motherwell, Hibs and Hearts for the European spots.

I don't expect a squad of superstars, but you need a mix of your Lyons and Phillips with your Maswenise's and Bragas.

We could end the window having made 14 or 15 signings and honestly I'm not sure we're much better than last season.

3 hours ago, STFU_Donny said:

I said to the guy next to me that there’s no way we’ll sign him after that.

Bang on my friend 👍

Yet again I find myself agreeing 100% with Moog. Wee Toon Red asked a couple of pages back what made us an average spfl side with no ambition and I replied the vast majority of Robinson's signings in my opinion. I also said there would be more downs than ups this season and we would just have to see where we ended up. If we were to sign Phillips (thankfully we wont at that price), then to me that would just underline my view. I think we will struggle to make top six given what we have signed. I get we had been utter dross before Robinson came in but I feel we need to be aiming higher with our signings. If this lot get us to a top six finish which should be a bare minimum then fair play to Robinson and the team.

Perhaps he'll prove us all wrong, but £500k for Phillips seems barmy. And that's without his ridiculous celebration at Pittodrie and his apparent desire to surpass Simon Murray as the angriest man in Scottish football.

Bit surprised at the reaction to Phillips, I get the negatives but there is another side.

Thought the ‘on base’ moneyball comment recently was really good. We’ve proven a team of pretty technical players doesn’t work. We’re rebuilding now and starting with foundation. It’s not going to be another team of pretty players. Players like mayo happe afeez Lyons olusanya, even nisbet, are on base players to me. Nisbet isn’t great and is limited but is showing if given chances he’ll score. Olusanya drives us nuts but is involved in the majority of our goals. Of course he could do more, but he’s already given more than lazetic yengi and Ambrose combined, all more glamorous players. Glass is half full comment of course. We’re still signing flair, yogane smith Ronan, I’d put Marshall there too, plus I expect one or two more. And we still have Armstrong, bilalovic (for now). It’s not like we’ve gone from one extreme to another. Just more balanced, definitely more on the worker side understandably.

Phillips is another on base player. He was poor on loan with us, but in a failing team who sacked their manager and went through the leven warnock Thelin fiasco. Hard to excel during that time. He’s 24, a good age, and an internationalist. He had a good season last year, Robinson a part of that, and has started this season well. He’s box to box, works physical and scores. We’re a bottom 6 team from last season, for 500k or so we could certainly, and have proven, could do worse. And we could punt him for more down the road. Given we just got close to a million for Kjarten, I think Phillips would be good value.

Don’t give a shit how he celebrated against, I think players with that type of passion and desire add to a team, and he’d give the same for us.

We all grumbled about Lyons and while shit at Dundee away, I think he’s been a good addition so far. I see Phillips in the same way. We knew Lyons would pick up knocks, hence the depth in center mid needed and adding Phillips would certainly help.

Edited August 26Aug 26 by OrlandoDon

I just don’t see the point of throwing £500k at a total fanny with questionable football ability

I’ve said it before but I can’t believe Mikey Anderson at Stenhousemuir hasn’t been picked up by a bigger club. He’s a better player, isn’t a total fanny and wouldn’t cost £500k.

5 minutes ago, Mason89 said:

I just don’t see the point of throwing £500k at a total fanny with questionable football ability

I’ve said it before but I can’t believe Mikey Anderson at Stenhousemuir hasn’t been picked up by a bigger club. He’s a better player, isn’t a total fanny and wouldn’t cost £500k.

No clue who that is, not saying he’s good or bad, but that’s an unproven player at our level. Less risk going with Findlay Marshall. Like it or not, Phillips has already proven he can play at this level and has maybe even in the last 12 months proven he’s one of the leagues better center mids.

Danny Armstrong is performing well for Dinamo Bucharest, 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 games so far this season. Could be a better option? Can't remember if he's more of a winger or more central.

9 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

No clue who that is, not saying he’s good or bad, but that’s an unproven player at our level. Less risk going with Findlay Marshall. Like it or not, Phillips has already proven he can play at this level and has maybe even in the last 12 months proven he’s one of the leagues better center mids.

Suppose it depends if you think there’s a big difference between top of the championship and the premier league blob of dross where we currently play. He’s never played in it so it would be a gamble in that regard but he’s got 200+ games under his belt at a decent level and he’s getting better. Whether he’d be good enough if Aberdeen were where we all think they should be is another matter but we’re not.

He’s better than a lot of midfielders we’ve had on our books the last few years

Edit - @redordead watches Stenny so will know better than me but every time I’ve seen him he’s been a stand out

Edited August 26Aug 26 by Mason89

13 minutes ago, Slim said:

Danny Armstrong is performing well for Dinamo Bucharest, 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 games so far this season. Could be a better option? Can't remember if he's more of a winger or more central.

He’s a winger, but we badly need a winger too. I remember seeing decent games from Armstrong but also thinking at the time he was no better than Matty Kennedy who ultimately wasn’t good enough. Maybe he’s improved. Also not sure he has legit pace, I think that’s what we desperately need, hence olysanya pigeon holed out there.

1 minute ago, Mason89 said:

Suppose it depends if you think there’s a big difference between top of the championship and the premier league blob of dross where we currently play. He’s never played in it so it would be a gamble in that regard but he’s got 200+ games under his belt at a decent level and he’s getting better. Whether he’d be good enough if Aberdeen were where we all think they should be is another matter but we’re not.

He’s better than a lot of midfielders we’ve had on our books the last few years

What’s his decent level? Weren’t they just promoted from league 1? Has he played more than a handful of games in the championship? I’d say a significantly bigger gamble than Phillips, regardless of money.

8 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

What’s his decent level? Weren’t they just promoted from league 1? Has he played more than a handful of games in the championship? I’d say a significantly bigger gamble than Phillips, regardless of money.

I’d say it’s a significantly bigger gamble signing someone who we all saw was worse than shite for us, for £500k.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose. Neither transfer will happen

2 minutes ago, Mason89 said:

I’d say it’s a significantly bigger gamble signing someone who we all saw was worse than shite for us, for £500k.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose. Neither transfer will happen

I was one of the few that liked Phillips, plus with your guy, I’d like to see us gamble on players like that rather than an unknown journeyman or foreigner. Pretty much gone are the days when we sign players from Scottish teams, I know the finances most often don’t work, but your guy won’t be too expensive and if we are punting palaversa why not both, especially with the injury records of lyons and Ronan, possibly afeez too. Plus I don’t want Armstrong starting, think we get more from him fresh for 30 mins or so.

I have to think we can do a better job finding affordable Scottish based talent than the funds we’ve blows on lazetic Ambrose palaversa aouchiche karlsson yengi milanovic Mcgarry etc, when we should be finding the next McLean Ferguson shinnie Hayes McGinn….

1 hour ago, Mason89 said:

I’d say it’s a significantly bigger gamble signing someone who we all saw was worse than shite for us, for £500k.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose. Neither transfer will happen

On 25/08/2026 at 11:10, BigAl said:

Killian Phillips £500k

Really 🫨

We have a need for his type of player, but not him and certainly not at a fee north of £500k

So since posting that initial post about Phillips yesterday morning, I haven't read a single reply to this that has remotely convinced me to change my opinion on him

Upwards of £500k ?

No fucking chance

8 hours ago, Mason89 said:

I just don’t see the point of throwing £500k at a total fanny with questionable football ability

I’ve said it before but I can’t believe Mikey Anderson at Stenhousemuir hasn’t been picked up by a bigger club. He’s a better player, isn’t a total fanny and wouldn’t cost £500k.

Totally agree. Getting better every season whilst stepping up levels. Bossed things against Motherwell and for me is a better player than Marshall in my opinion based on what I seen of Marshall when at cove.

Not a bad guy to have in the squad. Will run through a brick wall, has two feet and a thoroughly decent guy too.

Edited August 26Aug 26 by redordead
Adding to comment

9 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

We’re rebuilding now and starting with foundation. It’s not going to be another team of pretty players.

The argument with Philips isn't whether he's good enough for us or not. I think he would do a decent job for us.

The issue is this foundation you're talking about.

We've no assets in the team. At the moment, Aberdeen absolutely need to not only qualify for Europe, but make the group stage, because otherwise we'll be running at a loss. We have no Ramsay, Miovski or Lewis Ferguson to cash in on, and we don't have a squad that looks capable of finishing top four or winning the Scottish Cup - all needed to achieve any hope of the group stages.

Nisbet? Ronan? Smith? Good players but probably all at the age where this is their peak years, unlikely anyone is paying big money. Shankland a good example in that he was a POTY nominee but was wanted by Rangers and that was pretty much it.

Who else? Lobban, Frame and Marshall - one out on loan and down a division, one the manager doesn't rate, the other probably going to go on loan.

Yogane? I'd love to think he'll become a big asset but I fear the players he's replacing - Keskinen and Bilalovic - have more potential. Can go through the team, I don't see any seven-figure rated player. I see too many Lyons, Caddens, Happes, Mayos and Guinness-Walkers. Who are the stars that stand out - Olusanya?

Phillips is young, sure, but we'd be paying him 500k plus 2/3 years of salary. By the time it comes to sell him we'd make a loss because he's never going to be a £3m+ plus add ons kinda player.

Compare that to Motherwell and Hearts. They have a foundation, and Hearts have just banked group stage football, but they also have assets. They've not only a good squad but a business model. Hibs could make group stage this week too.

We have an average team that we are hoping perform miracles. What is the long term goal here?

1 hour ago, Panda said:

The argument with Philips isn't whether he's good enough for us or not. I think he would do a decent job for us.

The issue is this foundation you're talking about.

We've no assets in the team. At the moment, Aberdeen absolutely need to not only qualify for Europe, but make the group stage, because otherwise we'll be running at a loss. We have no Ramsay, Miovski or Lewis Ferguson to cash in on, and we don't have a squad that looks capable of finishing top four or winning the Scottish Cup - all needed to achieve any hope of the group stages.

Nisbet? Ronan? Smith? Good players but probably all at the age where this is their peak years, unlikely anyone is paying big money. Shankland a good example in that he was a POTY nominee but was wanted by Rangers and that was pretty much it.

Who else? Lobban, Frame and Marshall - one out on loan and down a division, one the manager doesn't rate, the other probably going to go on loan.

Yogane? I'd love to think he'll become a big asset but I fear the players he's replacing - Keskinen and Bilalovic - have more potential. Can go through the team, I don't see any seven-figure rated player. I see too many Lyons, Caddens, Happes, Mayos and Guinness-Walkers. Who are the stars that stand out - Olusanya?

Phillips is young, sure, but we'd be paying him 500k plus 2/3 years of salary. By the time it comes to sell him we'd make a loss because he's never going to be a £3m+ plus add ons kinda player.

Compare that to Motherwell and Hearts. They have a foundation, and Hearts have just banked group stage football, but they also have assets. They've not only a good squad but a business model. Hibs could make group stage this week too.

We have an average team that we are hoping perform miracles. What is the long term goal here?

As things stand there's no real obvious player that would attract money but, then, we have just turned over the squad and a lot of them are just in the door. We don't how good most of them are yet and we won't until they are settled and the squad has gelled properly. I don't dispute that a fair few we have signed are not going to be leaving for profit when they do though.

Playing devils advocate potential money earners in the future could include Mouloua, Ntelo and Briedl who are all new in the door and to the country. It's not impossible they go on to do really good things. Ntelo has started reasonably well and at 25 could still command a good fee if he starts lighting it up. Gyamfi still has plenty of time at 22 to start showing why Shalke fans were not happy to lose him and Andrew Fasanya clearly could have a hell of a career ahead. Yogane is an interesting one, he doesn't have the pace of Bilalovic and Kesinen but he defo makes better decisions than Keskinen! Bilalovic I think has talent but he's been so intermittently used I couldn't even tell you what his best position is. The two Alfies at Inverness are also showing promise though I concede their future at the dons is still up in the air a bit.


Regardless though the transfer window still has a week to run and we really need to see some dead weight movement. Robinson said last month that he wanted an outfield squad of 23 and it's sitting at 26. If, as expected and new homes can be found for them, Palaversa, Yengi, Devlin, Frame and Bilalovic go there will be two more players to come into the squad. And probably reasonable wages to pay them if you have just got those 5 off your wage bill. The first three could be anything up to 15k a week but certainly no less than 12. Frame and Bilalovic it's harder to guestimate but overall for all 5 I think it's safe to say it would be at the very least 15k a week and could even be as much as 20. I don't for a second think we will be reinvesting all of that in 2 players wages but bargains can be found at the end of the window. Interestingly our window is staying open two days after England close theirs, has that happened before and I've missed it?

15 hours ago, Slim said:

Danny Armstrong is performing well for Dinamo Bucharest, 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 games so far this season. Could be a better option? Can't remember if he's more of a winger or more central.

Wiki has him as a winger

Daniel Charles Armstrong (born 10 October 1997) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga I club Dinamo București

But he is good shout in my opinion @Slim good shout 👍

Supposedly Yengi away on loan to another Japanese club for the season.

I suspect that his reportedly high weekly wage, could be the issue in us failing to get him off the books on a permanent deal.

Moving to Japan in October. I shall keep a weather eye on him!

5 hours ago, Don Julio said:

Moving to Japan in October. I shall keep a weather eye on him!

For any Japanese clubs looking in:

イェンギを奪わないで。彼は間違いなく我々の最高の選手であり、誰かが控えめな金額で彼を奪うのではないかと心配しています。

Good god, the last week of the window and no rumors. Desperately need another center mid, maybe even two as breidl is a bust so far. Don’t see how we can play Marshall at 10 if we don’t have two strong players alongside him. Clear we need two wingers, maybe one if smith can find consistency.

it’s one winger and one center mid a must this week or I certainly feel it’s going to be a real struggle. And I certainly feel discontent will be here sooner rather than later with this team if we don’t find a couple more players, and some league wins. I don’t think we were that bad today but we’re certainly limited on the creativity side, and surely the fans aren’t the only ones to see that.