I thought Stuart Duff was brilliant. He has been abused since I came here. He was on loan at Inverness and he sat on the sidelines. Why is that? Because I've had doubts about his ability to go into the team and do the job he did today.  He has totally proved me wrong.

 

Few points here.

 

I quite like Duff. I know he's not great but we have to have "squad" players and I'd be content if he was the yard stick for those.  When played in the correct position he has rarely let us down.

 

Secondly. Why has it taken so long for the manager to give Duff a chance to prove him wrong?

 

Thirdly.  What has Duff been doing in training so that McGhee had this view of him?

 

I believe that these comments from McGhee are similar to those he said of Derek Young earlier in the season.  How can it be that much of a surprise to the manager as to how his players play?  And that is a negative against both management and players, incidentally.

You have to ask what Duff has been showing in training as this will have been the deciding factor, you would think, on MM never giving him a run out.

True, but surely managers can't take that into to much consideration? IMO the manager should base it on a match day, who gives a feck if someone has a great game in the daily 5's game? I think that your probably spot on and that each day McGhee see's Duff and his technical ability is shown up continually but if he's more effective on a match day that's all that should matter imo.

True, but surely managers can't take that into to much consideration? IMO the manager should base it on a match day, who gives a feck if someone has a great game in the daily 5's game? I think that your probably spot on and that each day McGhee see's Duff and his technical ability is shown up continually but if he's more effective on a match day that's all that should matter imo.

 

Really?  it's probably just as well then that Fergie was well warned when he got to Pittodrie that "Miller is a terrible trainer" and probably a good thing that Jock Stein once commented that his "two worst trainers" were his "two best players" in Kenny Dalglish and Willie Miller.  You have to know your players.  the fact he hasn't given the Duffer enough rope to hang himself with pisses me off to be honest.  When Duff came on at ibrox this season he was our best player and he played full back for that 45 mins. If Duff deserves to be jettisoned then let it be on his performances and nothing else.  He's an honest player which is more than can be said for so many.

HE may well be an honest player, but he's pish in comparison to the midfield players at our competitors and thats why he could only ever be seen as a squad player. i.e. someone who will do a job should your first pick not be available.

 

I'd still rather take on the end of the season with a young player getting some first team experience. Let Duff and co know that they are not in the long term plans by dropping them. They will then be desperate to get away, dropping any wage expectations and will be easier to get rid of.

HE may well be an honest player, but he's pish in comparison to the midfield players at our competitors and thats why he could only ever be seen as a squad player. i.e. someone who will do a job should your first pick not be available.

 

I'd still rather take on the end of the season with a young player getting some first team experience. Let Duff and co know that they are not in the long term plans by dropping them. They will then be desperate to get away, dropping any wage expectations and will be easier to get rid of.

 

Couple of things there.

Firstly dropping Duff is exactly what Dingus has previously done, added to that he sent him out on loan.

Secondly, whilst I don't know this for a fact, I would imagine that Duff's expectations in terms of wages are pretty mediocre.

I'd keep Duff at the club. Whilst I wouldn't have him down as a first pick week in week out, are you likely to pick up anyone happy to feature only as a squad player, that is going to be any better 

Thirdly.  What has Duff been doing in training so that McGhee had this view of him?

 

Wearing his lead boots, like when he failed to jump at the ball allowing Daly to head in their second goal?

Wearing his lead boots, like when he failed to jump at the ball allowing Daly to head in their second goal?

 

So he was at fault for one of their goals and yet still gets man of the match (from his boss at least). Doesn't say much for the others and what they're doing either in training or on the pitch, does it?

Granted I don't get the chance to see the players very much, but I still remember him versus Sigma.

 

For those two games alone he should have been let go and allowed to find a club more suitable to his level.

 

 

Granted I don't get the chance to see the players very much, but I still remember him versus Sigma.

 

For those two games alone he should have been let go and allowed to find a club more suitable to his level.

 

Since the Sigma game, Aberdeen Football Club have become a club more suitable to his level. 

Stuart Duff, the John Major of AFC.

 

http://www.afc.co.uk/javaImages/19/b6/0,,10284~8697369,00.jpg[/img]

Shirt's not tucked into his Y-fronts though.

Stuart Duff, the John Major of AFC.

 

http://www.afc.co.uk/javaImages/19/b6/0,,10284~8697369,00.jpg[/img]

 

John Major got in touch and wants to defend his fellow 'grey man':

In fairness, I think that if you were to look very carefully at the evidence, that you would find, on balance, that he really is, quite literally, interesting in many many ways that may not, at first glance, necessarily be obvious to the public at large, but which, in a very real sense are, never the less, real in the reallest of all possible senses and that, further, far too much emphasis is placed these days on factors such as 'personality', when, and I think, if you were to take the time to think about this yourself, that you will find yourself almost certainly to be in agreement with this, that it is experience and ability that should count, rather than the empty posturing and preening of so many... (and so on ad infinitum)

 

He does find peas delicious, apparently...

The Peas are good Norma

 

According to todays rag Duff won't be offered a new deal.

We all know the limitations of Duff but I like the guy, hopefully he get a decent deal elsewhere.

According to todays rag Duff won't be offered a new deal.

Thank fuck.

Thank fuck.

 

That was my reaction too.

 

Ideally Grassi would have been shown the door too instead of being handed a short term deal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/8680023.stm

 

Aberdeen have told midfielder Stuart Duff he will not be offered a new contract with the Scottish Premier League club.

 

Duff, 28, was signed by former Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood following his release by Dundee United two years ago.

 

The midfielder spent a month's loan with First Division champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle this season.

 

Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher had been keen to extend Duff's loan spell, but the Dons refused.

 

BBC Scotland has learned that, should Duff remain without a club by the start of next season and Dons boss Mark McGhee fails to bolster his squad, he may still have a future at Pittodrie.

 

Maybe hes no gone then...

BBC Scotland has learned that, should Duff remain without a club by the start of next season and Dons boss Mark McGhee fails to bolster his squad, he may still have a future at Pittodrie.

 

Fucking hell. 

So ill take it he is staying then

Fucking hell, also agree Grassi should be gone.

BBC Scotland has learned that, should Duff remain without a club by the start of next season and Dons boss Mark McGhee fails to bolster his squad, he may still have a future at Pittodrie

 

Well that's swung it for me. I'm off down to Pittodrie to buy a season ticket.

 

AFC = Fucking cowboy outfit.

My god, is there anyone who is actually less committed to his word than Mark McGhee? If he can't find a better player than Duff (not that I think Duff is shite) in his supposed list of 100 players then he's at it.

Well that's swung it for me. I'm off down to Pittodrie to buy a season ticket.

 

AFC = Fucking cowboy outfit.

 

Better hurry before the queue gets any bigger.

 

‘I’m still hoping for an Aberdeen FC contract’

Midfielder Duff undecided over future

 

By Ross McTavish

 

Published: 28/06/2010

 

ABERDEEN FC’s Stuart Duff today admitted he is still in limbo as he fights for his future.

 

The 28-year-old is a free agent after being told he would not be offered a new deal by Aberdeen FC.

 

But Aberdeen FC boss Mark McGhee claimed he could bring Duff back to the club if he does not find a replacement.

 

Read more: http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1801667#ixzz0sEsTfDZo

 

So he will be coming back into the flock then.