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"There was still some money to bring in someone before the transfer deadline and I had several options. Mark McGhee

 

"There were several players we could've gotten, who were of a great quality, but earned far too much money for us. I thought we might be able to negotiate down and sell them the idea that coming here would put them in the shop window.

 

"There was one in particular. I came close to bringing an attacking midfielder in from Norway who would have been a good player for us, but the club decided on the Monday night not to go ahead with it, even although he would probably have become the highest paid player at the club.

 

"After that I had a group of young players which I could have signed at any point over the past six weeks. I decided none of them were of a quality that was obviously better than the ones I have here. Fyvie, Crawford, Pawlett, Paton and one or two coming up behind them. So rather than block their way I wanted to give them the opportunity to prove whether or not they are good enough for the long haul.

 

"The last category were players represented by agents, most of whom we had never seen or even heard of, and even then there were few of them that would've come here for nothing.

 

"In the end I decided with all the evidence and all those circumstances not to bring anyone else in, because we want players who can go straight into the team, not just players who will strengthen the bench.

 

"There are still players who are out of contract that we can sign and if they fit the criteria that I mentioned then of course I will have a look at them."

 

"It is going to take time to get the squad as strong as I would like it, not the couple of months that I have been here so far. I am prepared to take my time to do it. I am going to work really really hard behind the scenes with Craig Robertson and Willie and others to find players and identify players who are out of contract next summer, so we can line them up and be ahead of the game.

 

"That is our priority now, to find targets and approach them when we legally can - we also have the January transfer window which opens in four months time."

 

The manager also confirmed that the Gary McDonald trained today, and is awaiting the results of a scan on Zander Diamond's injury.

 

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not sure what to make of it...

on one hand, its sounds good that the quality of player he was trying to bring in was high, but then again, on the other the squad hasn't been strengthened, imo, enough.

 

lets hope this isn't going to be the excuse every transfer window.

I'm just worried that the midfielder was Charlie Miller!

He seems to be having a minor meltdown in this interview....

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/8233682.stm

 

He seems to be having a minor meltdown in this interview....

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/8233682.stm

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-xVb1qsPCw

I'm just worried that the midfielder was Charlie Miller!

 

Not sure if you're fishing but Miller is playing in Australia now so it wouldn't have been him. Thank fuck.

Not sure if you're fishing but Miller is playing in Australia now so it wouldn't have been him. Thank fuck.

 

Not fishing at all, I thought he was still in Norway!

I'm just worried that the midfielder was Charlie Miller!

 

Bastard... beat me to it

Kinda feel sorry for him, he can kinda see it and tell it how it is and isn't going to make up a load of bullshit to try and keep the majority of the fans happy.  I also find it encouraging that he thinks we will be ahead of the game by looking as out of contract players at xmas.

Kinda feel sorry for him, he can kinda see it and tell it how it is and isn't going to make up a load of bullshit to try and keep the majority of the fans happy.  I also find it encouraging that he thinks we will be ahead of the game by looking as out of contract players at xmas.

 

Whilst its good to hear that he's getting players early (proactivity, always good) its surely partially down to him/the club, why we've fucked up in recruitment this summer. As someone mentioned in another thread, its been a fail of epic proportions. So really, thats the least they need to be doing that to make up for it. Our squad is threadbare. Hopefully we can ride it out. At least there were no emergency duff and young signings. 

Whilst its good to hear that he's getting players early (proactivity, always good) its surely partially down to him/the club, why we've fucked up in recruitment this summer. As someone mentioned in another thread, its been a fail of epic proportions. So really, thats the least they need to be doing that to make up for it. Our squad is threadbare. Hopefully we can ride it out. At least there were no emergency duff and young signings. 

I agree, not sure whether it is down to McGhee or the board that the budget seemed to get smaller every day, something strange going on, we had around £3.5million for the footballing budget less than a year ago, affa strange, lets just hope that those that McGhee didn't think were good enough were just shite and he was right to leave them alone.

I agree, not sure whether it is down to McGhee or the board that the budget seemed to get smaller every day, something strange going on, we had around £3.5million for the footballing budget less than a year ago, affa strange, lets just hope that those that McGhee didn't think were good enough were just shite and he was right to leave them alone.

 

I certainly gather from what he said that it sounds like they were just out of our budget rather than their lack of playing ability. From the players we were linked with/chasing, the quality appeared to be there. But I find it strange that the budget appeared to fluctuated over the past few months, and what sort of budget the board had actually set? I suppose there is no point in dwelling on it, as its passed and we're disappointed. But it just seems really weird.

I'm still undecided on whether McGhee is more competant than JC in managerial terms but watching that vid its pretty refreshing hearing articulate, transparent and honest words coming from an Aberdeen manager. I'm still miffed as to where our money is going though, surely Duff, Young et al aren't eating up too much of the circa £100,000 weekly staff budget?   

I agree, not sure whether it is down to McGhee or the board that the budget seemed to get smaller every day, something strange going on, we had around £3.5million for the footballing budget less than a year ago, affa strange, lets just hope that those that McGhee didn't think were good enough were just shite and he was right to leave them alone.

 

there is nothing funny about it - it's simple - wiggy won't open his purse strings.

 

I've said countless times, he us ruining the club, and now McGhee has said things like "we wouldn't have had the money for stokes" maybe we can drag the majority of our support to reality.

 

Wiggy has made us a tiny club in terms of spending power.

 

Lets hear all you idiots who claim we have the 3rd biggest budget in the SPL.

 

Can we please get a new chairman andboard before the club dies

there is nothing funny about it - it's simple - wiggy won't open his purse strings.

 

I've said countless times, he us ruining the club, and now McGhee has said things like "we wouldn't have had the money for stokes" maybe we can drag the majority of our support to reality.

 

Wiggy has made us a tiny club in terms of spending power.

 

Lets hear all you idiots who claim we have the 3rd biggest budget in the SPL.

 

Can we please get a new chairman andboard before the club dies

 

Aye, there's a big queue of millionaires ready to spunk money away.

 

Wise up.

At least it's going to be even more funny when we finish above hearts this season. 

Personally im starting to get fed up with this

 

Unless ive been imagining things this is the latest of several interviews to the media in whcih mcGhee has wheeled out the 'we havent got any money which is why ive struggled to buy people'

 

I dont know if i should be angry with

1) McGhee for continuing to moan about the subject to the press instead of keeping his mouth shut and getting on with things. lack of funds is no fucking excuse for sending out a team that couldnt manage a single shot on target last saturday.

 

2) The press for not bothering to do any work and just going back down merkland road to old Mark because hes always good for a soundbite.'

 

If he just said the following i might start to get some respect for him:

'Dear mr media man. Im not going to/ im not allowed to sign mediocre shite which is unortunate because thats all we can afford. Come back when something interesting happens and not before!'

 

But i fear that come every few weeks from now an almost identical interview shall appear AGAIN and AGAIN!

 

 

Personally im starting to get fed up with this

 

Unless ive been imagining things this is the latest of several interviews to the media in whcih mcGhee has wheeled out the 'we havent got any money which is why ive struggled to buy people'

 

I dont know if i should be angry with

1) McGhee for continuing to moan about the subject to the press instead of keeping his mouth shut and getting on with things. lack of funds is no fucking excuse for sending out a team that couldnt manage a single shot on target last saturday.

 

2) The press for not bothering to do any work and just going back down merkland road to old Mark because hes always good for a soundbite.'

 

If he just said the following i might start to get some respect for him:

'Dear mr media man. Im not going to/ im not allowed to sign mediocre shite which is unortunate because thats all we can afford. Come back when something interesting happens and not before!'

 

But i fear that come every few weeks from now an almost identical interview shall appear AGAIN and AGAIN!

 

Absolutely bang on.

Norwegian player was from Lyn Oslo...

 

McGhee holds out for quality as window shopping ends

 

By Paul Third

 

Published: 03/09/2009

 

A totla of 68 players were signed in the SPL transfer window, which closed on Tuesday at 5pm, yet Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee claims he would have been interested in only five of them.

 

The Dons manager failed to bring in any new signings on transfer deadline day – but is far from impressed by the players other sides have signed.

 

He said: “Out of these 68 players who have been signed in the SPL I reckon there are five I would want here who would improve my team – and they are the most expensive ones.

 

“Hamilton have signed 14 players and I know three or four of them. Most of their players are from obscurity or the lower divisions in England.

 

“No one apart from Hibernian, who paid money for Anthony Stokes, has done anything and it is a worry for me.â€

 

The Dons manager is aware supporters will be disappointed at no late arrivals at Pittodrie but he is adamant the decision to opt for quality rather than quantity will prove the correct policy to follow.

 

He said: “We have to get the message across to the supporters that we have to work with what we have got until such time as there is more money available.

 

“Signing these sort of players doesn’t help me.â€

 

McGhee had been very optimistic of making a signing on Monday but his move for a player fell through.

 

He was left with the option of bringing in untried players on loan from clubs in England but felt doing so would be a gamble and one he is not willing to take.

 

The Dons manager has not ruled out bringing free agents on trial between now and the window reopening on January 1. But for now, he is content to run with the squad he has.

 

He said: “On Monday I had been given the impression a player from Lyn Oslo was coming.

 

“I felt I had won a watch as far as he was concerned as he was of very good quality – but the club decided not to let him go.

 

“The rest I was relaxed about and I was never keen on bringing a young lad up here as it is a culture shock.

 

“I had a couple of conversations with Joe Jordan about some of his players coming here. Coming here in isolation, maybe not being in the team, and being part of Scottish football when he has spent his whole life in London was never going to be something I did lightly.â€

 

Meanwhile, Gary McDonald has returned to full training, while Tommy Wright will rejoin the first team on Monday.

 

Talismanic defender Zander Diamond is making slow progress after suffering an ankle injury.

 

The manager added: “Zander is improving but not quickly enough. We have sent him for a scan and are waiting for results. It may be we have missed something and I want to be sure.â€

Aberdeen FC’s McGhee misses out on Nigerian

McGhee close to swoop

Published: 03/09/2009

 

ABERDEEN FC lost out on signing Nigerian international Paul Obiefule due to lack of funds.

 

Aberdeen FC boss Mark McGhee was willing to make the Lyn Oslo attacking midfielder the highest paid player at Pittodrie.

 

But the deal collapsed because the Dons could not afford Lyn’s demands.

 

Aberdeen FC manager McGhee said: “I thought we were going to get a deal with Lyn Oslo for Obiefule.

 

“But right at the last minute, Lyn Oslo decided we did not offer enough.â€

 

For more on this story and bumper coverage of Aberdeen FC, pick up a copy of today's Evening Express.

 

 

I didn't really need to know we just missed out on a Nigerian international!

This news has cheered me right up.

 

 

Ah fuck it, onwards and upwards chaps. At least we know where we are now.

To be honest, it would mean we would have our highest earner missing for however many months a year due to the African cup, so I'm not bothered. Save the cash and spend it on someone available for selection all year round.

Bit about Zander at the end concerns me. Sounds like injury is worse than first thought. Really cannot afford any long term injuries to our senior players.

Bit about Zander at the end concerns me. Sounds like injury is worse than first thought. Really cannot afford any long term injuries to our senior players.

 

On the upside it might let Considine develop further.

On the upside it might let Considine develop further.

 

True but also means we cannot afford an injuries or suspensions (almost a certainty for the beast) to either of our other centre halfs as we will be back to looking at Duff as a centre half.