Jimmy fears losing star six

 

By Charlie Allan

 

Published: 23/12/2008

 

ABERDEEN today admitted they could struggle to hold on to all six of the star players whose contracts are about to expire.

 

Skipper Scott Severin, Darren Mackie, Jamie Smith, Lee Mair, Derek Young and Jeffrey de Visscher could all become free agents in the summer, and are free to talk to other clubs from January.

 

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood has already confirmed he is confident they will be able to hold on to in-form striker Mackie.

 

But he expressed fears that some of the others may choose to follow the lead of Barry Nicholson, Michael Hart and Chris Clark, who accepted more lucrative offers from English lower league clubs last season.

 

Calderwood, who plans to hold face-to-face meetings with all six players during the first week of January, said: “I want to get the Hearts and Hamilton games out of the way before we get down to sorting out their contracts.

 

“I’ve had a wee word with them all to let them know what I think. But we’ve still to get down to the nitty gritty of financial negotiations.

 

“How those talks go will dictate whether I will be able to hold on to all six.

 

“I wouldn’t be against the idea of that at all.

 

“It would be great, but the players might get other offers we can’t match.

 

“They might also think it’s time for a change, as was the case with Barry Nicholson last year.

 

“We will just have to wait and find out what is on their minds.â€

 

Calderwood hopes the players will see being a part of what he described as “an exciting future for Aberdeen†will persuade the bulk of the six to stay.

 

“The grass isn’t always greener on the other side,†he said.

 

“I believe the future for Aberdeen is looking very exciting, so it’s up to them what they want to do.

 

“We all know they could make a lot more money down in England.

 

“All I can ask is that they weigh everything up carefully before making a final decision.

 

“I’m sure they will speak to Lee Miller, Sone Aluko, Gary McDonald and Charlie Mulgrew, who have experienced what it’s like in England, to ask why they chose to come to Aberdeen.

 

“It’s getting harder every year to keep good players because Scotland is pretty much like Denmark now.

 

“English clubs who can’t afford big buys look here as they know they can get players with great ability and a great attitude at sensible prices.â€

That's fine, they can all go. The awesome mediocrity of our club means that we can pretty much replace any of our players, coaches, board members or management with the absolute minimum of trouble.

 

Mediocrity does have its pluses.

 

 

but unfortunately that takes months to replace them and for the team to gel - and if we want to make europe next year we need stability in the squad.

 

We are not mediocre in the SPL - we are better than mediocre - but the board won't put any extra cash to give us the option to buy players in January.

 

If players leave - our euro hopes will be significantly dented and expect another very slow start to next season as players get to know how to play together. Then the cycle continues.

 

Well, it's all relative, I guess.

 

In the little bubble that is the SPL we're now a top 6 side with ambitions of periodic European football and the odd semi-final. That puts us in the 'Slightly better than mediocre' category, but it still doesn't make players irreplaceable. 

 

The only player we've suffered from losing in recent years is Anderson.  First on the team-sheet... okay, second after Dazzlin' Darren.... his departure revealed the defensive frailties of the rest of the players... though Diamond is rapidly filling Andos boots.

 

But guys like Lovell, Nicholson, McGuire, Byrne, Dempsey, Mike, Bird, Prunty, Sheerin, D'Jaffo, McAllister, Hinds, Rutkeiwicz, Crawford, Tosh etc.. didn't leave holes so big they weren't pretty much immediately filled.

 

And the current squad, we could lose Smith (never plays anyway), Young, JDV, Mackie and to a certain extent Severin and Mair and not have to worry too much about bringing in similar quality. 

 

I take your point about gelling, and that would be my only real concern.. that it would take a while for their replacements to form an understanding meaning we get off to another slow start.

 

But individually we could also lose guys like Bossu (please), foster and Maguire and be very confident that we'd pick up players of equal ability.

 

But I see we want to offer Mackie a new contract.

 

That's just magic.

 

 

And the current squad, we could lose Smith (never plays anyway), Young, JDV, Mackie and to a certain extent Severin and Mair and not have to worry too much about bringing in similar quality. 

 

But individually we could also lose guys like Bossu (please), foster and Maguire and be very confident that we'd pick up players of equal ability.

 

Would leave us with very little squad depth whilst also having to give JC money that seemingly the club cannot afford.

Would leave us with very little squad depth whilst also having to give JC money that seemingly the club cannot afford.

 

Not necessarily. We lost a bunch of players at the end of last season and we've more or less replaced them all.  We did have the slow start to this season, as we've mentioned, but we're pretty much at the same level as we were last time around.

 

If we lose them we can replace them, assuming a little work from the club instead of their usual dicking around until the last minute.

 

That's what fucked our club in the past.. the 'plenty of time' attitude in close season from AFC meant we got the dregs of what was available on a Bosman.

 

Last season it looks like the club actually put some thought into the upcoming close season and were able to get replacements in for the players leaving.

 

No reason we can't do that again.

 

 

still think that 1 or 2 of the Huns' cast offs might be worth a go.

Well, it's all relative, I guess.

 

In the little bubble that is the SPL we're now a top 6 side with ambitions of periodic European football and the odd semi-final. That puts us in the 'Slightly better than mediocre' category, but it still doesn't make players irreplaceable. 

 

The only player we've suffered from losing in recent years is Anderson.  First on the team-sheet... okay, second after Dazzlin' Darren.... his departure revealed the defensive frailties of the rest of the players... though Diamond is rapidly filling Andos boots.

 

But guys like Lovell, Nicholson, McGuire, Byrne, Dempsey, Mike, Bird, Prunty, Sheerin, D'Jaffo, McAllister, Hinds, Rutkeiwicz, Crawford, Tosh etc.. didn't leave holes so big they weren't pretty much immediately filled.

 

And the current squad, we could lose Smith (never plays anyway), Young, JDV, Mackie and to a certain extent Severin and Mair and not have to worry too much about bringing in similar quality. 

 

I take your point about gelling, and that would be my only real concern.. that it would take a while for their replacements to form an understanding meaning we get off to another slow start.

 

But individually we could also lose guys like Bossu (please), foster and Maguire and be very confident that we'd pick up players of equal ability.

 

But I see we want to offer Mackie a new contract.

 

That's just magic.

 

 

 

 

+ Markus Heikkinen! Still missed.

But guys like Lovell, Nicholson, McGuire, Byrne, Dempsey, Mike, Bird, Prunty, Sheerin, D'Jaffo, McAllister, Hinds, Rutkeiwicz, Crawford, Tosh etc.. didn't leave holes so big they weren't pretty much immediately filled.

 

That's why we got rid of them (with the exception of Nicholson).

 

+ Markus Heikkinen! Still missed.

 

I wouldnt say he  is being missed this year, not since kerr and macdonald formed a decent partnership.

 

Unless you've still got a bit of a crush on him....

I wouldnt say he  is being missed this year, not since kerr and macdonald formed a decent partnership.

 

Unless you've still got a bit of a crush on him....

 

 

Who doesn't?

 

 

 

 

Kerr and Macdonald have looked alot more promising of late. If it continues you may be right and we may no longer miss a tireless tough tackler in the midfield.

I'd say we missed/still miss Hart.

still think that 1 or 2 of the Huns' cast offs might be worth a go.

 

Square

I'd say we missed/still miss Hart.

 

Hart's a huge miss.  Mair isn't anywhere near as good and neither was Maybury, Hodgkiss, or Foster.

 

Anderson's departure left a massive hole too but in time I think Considine will develop into a centre half every bit as good.

I thought Maybury was a very able replacement for Hart and was every bit as good. Slotted right in and was a big disappointment that he didn't sign.

Cant maybury still sign?

 

I dont remenber hearing he had signed for anyone?

He signed for Colchester until the end of the season.

We have still never replaced anderson, i actually re-signed him in football manager and pu him straight in the team.  1st game was against the huns where within 5 minutes he put fergahun out for the rest of the season and scored a last minute winner from a corner.  Okay its only a computer game but i couldnt help thinking that there isnt much i wouldnt do to have him back at aberdeen for real. 

Really the only player i woud be a little peeved at leaving would be jamie "made of glass" smith.  He might not play as many games as we would all like but when he's on song theres no non old firm player in scotland that can touch his ability. 

We have still never replaced anderson, i actually re-signed him in football manager and pu him straight in the team.  1st game was against the huns where within 5 minutes he put fergahun out for the rest of the season and scored a last minute winner from a corner.  Okay its only a computer game but i couldnt help thinking that there isnt much i wouldnt do to have him back at aberdeen for real. 

Really the only player i woud be a little peeved at leaving would be jamie "made of glass" smith.  He might not play as many games as we would all like but when he's on song theres no non old firm player in scotland that can touch his ability. 

 

Move on dude, its not healthy to dwell on the past like that and certainly not if you are going to live your expectations of your team through a computer game. Anderson is all but crocked now and has been pretty much since he left us, we probably did well to get shot when we did. I don't dispute he was a great player for us and we miss him but he might have been on the sidelines for the best part of two seasons if we had kept him.

Amen ajja! Its not going to take as forward!

Amen ajja! Its not going to take as forward!

 

As well as the fact that "replacing" Anderson was nigh on impossible.

Move on dude, its not healthy to dwell on the past like that and certainly not if you are going to live your expectations of your team through a computer game. Anderson is all but crocked now and has been pretty much since he left us, we probably did well to get shot when we did. I don't dispute he was a great player for us and we miss him but he might have been on the sidelines for the best part of two seasons if we had kept him.

 

I know what your saying aj but a guy can dream, and i dont base my expectations on a computer game.  Still if weir can play till he's 38 dont see why ando cant, reckon he'll be back one day to see out his career.

 

I know what your saying aj but a guy can dream, and i dont base my expectations on a computer game.  Still if weir can play till he's 38 dont see why ando cant, reckon he'll be back one day to see out his career.

 

 

There is a theory that he could have a prolonged playing career as a result of having had so much time out with serious but rectifiable injuries.

 

His knees must be as much use as Ann Franks drum kit though.

There is a theory that he could have a prolonged playing career as a result of having had so much time out with serious but rectifiable injuries.

 

His knees must be as much use as Ann Franks drum kit though.

 

Out of interest, what is his injury situation right now ? I'm still convinced at this stage we dodged a bullet with the million clams we took for Anderson.

Out of interest, what is his injury situation right now ? I'm still convinced at this stage we dodged a bullet with the million clams we took for Anderson.

 

OUt for the season i believe, some worrying rumours going about regarding it too, unfortunately.

OUt for the season i believe, some worrying rumours going about regarding it too, unfortunately.

 

In what way ? That it might be more long term.

In what way ? That it might be more long term.

 

Yes.