Aberdeen have become one of the first clubs to fully acknowledge the impact of the SPL’s Setanta deal collapsing, with director of football Willie Miller admitting that Aberdeen won’t pay transfer fees this summer.

 

As the league members look for a new broadcasting deal, the Dons legend has warned that every team in the league will be forced to tighten their budget.

 

Given that the Pittodrie club have one of the SPL’s largest regular home attendances, there will now be question marks over whether other sides in the Scottish top-flight will be able to make any significant manoeuvres in the transfer market, making it easier for English counterparts to pick off potential targets.

 

However the freeze on transfer frees won’t prove a problem with regards to Stephen Hughes, who new Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee hopes to make one of his first summer signings, as the midfielder's contract with Motherwell has expired.

 

McGhee believes his previous relationship with the 26-year-old at Fir Park could be enough to tempt him to Pittodrie.

 

“I'm fairly hopeful,†said the new Dons boss. “So far Stephen's options that he's been given by his agent and by clubs don't really jump out at him.â€

 

Jim Paterson, who quit Motherwell for Plymouth in January 2008, is another target.

 

“He's a good footballer, he's left-sided, he gives you options in left midfield and at left-back,†said McGhee. “I'm just trying to look at all the permutations. Jim Paterson is one that's on the radar.â€

Thought the official line was we weren't paying fees anyway?

 

I'd take this news with a pinch of salt

Slow news day by the sounds of it Only a few more weeks of this un-newsworthy drivel to go!

 

And by the look of it, same quote from McGhee from a coupla days back.

Thought the official line was we weren't paying fees anyway?

 

I'd take this news with a pinch of salt

 

Indeed. Wise to send this message to any would be beneficiaries of our new manager's strategic plans. Good move to make I'd say.

Indeed. Wise to send this message to any would be beneficiaries of our new manager's strategic plans. Good move to make I'd say.

 

You're being generous in assuming that he has one. 

You're being generous in assuming that he has one. 

 

Why wouldn't he have one? Or does that not fit your agenda?

I worry that without the full backing of the Board McGhee is pissing into the wind.  It will be very unfair on him if (and when) he's judged on his first season at Pittodrie, if his hands have been tied behind his back during that time.

 

 

Miller, Milne, whoever else was involved in the management change decision, now is the time to back up your choice, give Mark McGhee the tools he needs to make an impact this season.  The last thing the club needs is the fickle minority of dons fans turning on yet another manager.

Padre's agenda consists of

 

10am Go and sign on

11am wank himself daft

 

Where is this agenda pish coming from? I noticed minijc using it to fish. Are you copying him now?

 

I would suggest that actually having an agenda would be to do something like stand outside of the stadium after a win with photoshopped post it notes covering your face.

 

Aye, very good FJ, I'm copying minijc... 

 

It comes from his strop last week regarding McGhee. It's amazing how people were given a hard time for giving JC pelters over things that had actually gone wrong but it's ok for certain folk on here to give McGhee pelters when he's not even done anything yet, good or bad.  Or is it all dependent on who's dishing out the flak? Is it ok if it's one of your mates?

Am I right in thinking our share of this all-important £3m is £200k? Were we really going to have a £200k transfer kitty? Probably not and even it wouldn't have gone very far in football terms. Nothing to worry about I don't think. Nothing's really changing.

I haven't seen this so called strop so don't know what you are talking about.

 

McGhee hasn't done anything yet which is why he shouldn't get pelters or be labeled as some sort of messiah.

 

 

 

I don't believe I've given him pelters or labelled him as some sort of messiah. Which was really my point in the first place.

Am I right in thinking our share of this all-important £3m is £200k? Were we really going to have a £200k transfer kitty? Probably not and even it wouldn't have gone very far in football terms. Nothing to worry about I don't think. Nothing's really changing.

 

That was money owed from last season, which we have now anyway as the SPL paid it to the clubs.

 

The money we are missing is all the tv money for the next few seasons which would already have been worked into budgets.

 

We'll get a replacement broadcaster, but it will be for a lot less money than all clubs had budgeted for getting from Setanta.

Why wouldn't he have one? Or does that not fit your agenda?

 

Well so far all he's done is blow smoke out his arse regarding signing Stephen Hughes. A player who apparently doesn't want to play for us. And then he tells us he's going to build the team round our worst first team player. Whoop-de-doo.

 

Didn't say you had labeled him as some sort of messiah. I was just pointing out that both sides of the McGhee spectrum should be avoided.

 

I am well aware that you hadn't. I do wonder why you're not having a go at El Padre though for being so down on McGhee. Oh, wait...

Well so far all he's done is blow smoke out his arse regarding signing Stephen Hughes. A player who apparently doesn't want to play for us. And then he tells us he's going to build the team round our worst first team player. Whoop-de-doo.

 

 

Saying that Charlie Mulgrew is the worst first team player (and I'm no fan of his) is taking it a bit far when Derek Young, Ricky Foster and Darren Mackie are considered first team players.

 

the fact - or should I say in your opinion - that McGhee talks pish in the papers doesn't mean he's a shit manager, as JC proved, surely?

Saying that Charlie Mulgrew is the worst first team player (and I'm no fan of his) is taking it a bit far when Derek Young, Ricky Foster and Darren Mackie are considered first team players.

 

the fact - or should I say in your opinion - that McGhee talks pish in the papers doesn't mean he's a shit manager, as JC proved, surely?

 

Take Mulgrews free kicks away and you have a player with less ability than any of those three. He can't pass, can't run, can't tackle. I really hope McGhee has learned a lesson from his failure at Motherwell but from the sounds of things he hasn't.

Take Mulgrews free kicks away and you have a player with less ability than any of those three. He can't pass, can't run, can't tackle. I really hope McGhee has learned a lesson from his failure at Motherwell but from the sounds of things he hasn't.

 

and what was the key aspect of his "failure at Motherwell" then?

He finished in the bottom 6 and got knocked out of the scottish cup by a first division team playing with 9 men for a start.

 

I wasn't asking regarding results. I was asking with a view to why those things may have happened i.e. tactics, signings etc. I'm not saying padre is wrong, I honestly don't know the answer but would like to know, but don't let that stop you from jumping in to defend your buddy   

and what was the key aspect of his "failure at Motherwell" then?

 

Finishing 7th with "The third best team in the country"

Finishing 7th with "The third best team in the country"

 

Again though you are conveniently missing out the rest of his quote where he said the bit above.

 

If you're going to quote the guy at least be fair and quote the whole lot.

 

And again I am in no way saying he's the messiah (as this seems to be the popular term - very much in the same way JIG was used previously), I wasn't overly delighted with the appointment myself but we've not kicked a ball yet. Is it too much to ask to give him a chance or to keep the pelters for a time when he actually may deserve them?

Again though you are conveniently missing out the rest of his quote where he said the bit above.

 

If you're going to quote the guy at least be fair and quote the whole lot.

 

And again I am in no way saying he's the messiah (as this seems to be the popular term - very much in the same way JIG was used previously), I wasn't overly delighted with the appointment myself but we've not kicked a ball yet. Is it too much to ask to give him a chance or to keep the pelters for a time when he actually may deserve them?

 

What is there to misquote? If you're the third best team in the country then that should be the case with or without injuries. He's already stated that squad depth isn't part of the future for Aberdeen under his management and that doesn't bode well.

I am reserving judgement as I have already said.

 

You asked a question in relation to Padre's comment about failing at motherwell. I gave a bit of evidence relating to that and you conveniently ignored that instead saying that I was somehow just supporting padre.

 

 

No, I didn't ignore it FJ. I said that I wanted to know the reasons why his side failed. I can read results for myself, ye know? But I don't know if those results were because of his tactics or his signings or whatever, which is what I said to you.  From what I picked up from Padre was that he knew the cause of those results, but obviously I've picked him up wrongly.

The comment about you sticking up for Padre in that post was tongue in cheek.

the same that some are saying that what Mcghee is saying in the press is good then that goes for those who are saying it is bad.

 

Niall? Is that you?